Padres Down on the Farm: April 17 (Campusano 2 hits for EP/Lopez Grand Slam for FW/ Farmer HR for LE)
Credit: Lake Elsinore Storm
The San Diego Padres affiliates went 2-1 on Sunday, as the San Antonio Missions had an off day.
El Paso Chihuahuas (Lost 10-1 to Oklahoma City) (6-6 on the season)
Ryan Weathers: 3.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 3 K (72 pitches, 45 strikes)
Luis Campusano: (2-for-4)
C.J. Hinojosa: (1-for-4), 2B, R, K
Matt Batten: (1-for-3), RBI, BB, 2 K
The Chihuahuas offense never got going, and a collapse from the back end of the El Paso bullpen ended any chance of a comeback. Ryan Weathers got the start for the Chihuahuas, and got off to a tough start, allowing three of the first four batters to reach base, giving up a run in the process. Weathers pitched well over the next two frames but got into trouble in the fourth inning.
After allowing a triple and a single, Weathers was lifted, and he eventually picked up the loss. The Chihuahuas’ small amount of offense came in the sixth, as Matt Batten singled home C.J. Hinojosa to bring the deficit down to two. Unfortunately for El Paso, Oklahoma City sent 11 batters to the plate, and scored seven runs in the ninth inning, putting the game out of reach.
We split the series with OKC and are now headed to Vegas to take on the Aviators
We return home Tuesday, April 26th pic.twitter.com/XrWlDuLXvG
— El Paso Chihuahuas (@epchihuahuas) April 17, 2022
San Antonio Missions (Off Day) (2-7 on the season)
The Missions will start a six-game series with the Amarillo Sod Poodles on Tuesday.
Fort Wayne TinCaps (Won 4-3 vs. South Bend) (5-4 on the season)
Noel Vela: 3.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 5 K (78 pitches, 49 strikes)
Alek Jacob: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 5 K (34 pitches, 27 strikes)
Justin Lopez: (1-for-4), HR, 4 RBI, R, K
Brandon Valenzuela: (1-for-4), R, BB
The TinCaps offense produced just three hits, and they looked like they’d almost certainly be shut out, as they hadn’t reached second base since the third inning. Then, three of the first four batters of the eighth inning walked. Justin Lopez came up, taking a 1-1 pitch over the right-center field wall, vaulting the TinCaps into an improbable lead.
The @TinCaps got plenty of treats on Easter Sunday after Justin Lopez hit a go-ahead grand slam to clinch a series win over South Bend!
Fort Wayne gets Monday off before heading to Lansing for a 6-game series against the Lugnuts. pic.twitter.com/BvajDtBuuf
— Josh Ayen (@Josh_Ayen) April 18, 2022
Noel Vela started the game for Fort Wayne, keeping the Cubs scoreless for the first 3.2 frames. Seth Mayberry struggled, as he allowed two runs, but he did at least record four outs. Danny Denz allowed a run in relief, but Alek Jacob kept South Bend scoreless while striking out five of the nine batters he faced. He came up clutch for the TinCaps, earning the win as the offense finally found a way to wake up when they needed it most.
Lake Elsinore Storm (Won 7-6 vs. Visalia) (5-4 on the season)
Jesus Gonzalez: 3 IP, 5 H, 3 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 0 K (67 pitches, 39 strikes)
Justin Farmer: (1-for-4), HR, 3 RBI, 2 R
Max Ferguson: (1-for-2), 2B, RBI, R, 2 BB, SB
Tyler Malone: (3-for-4), R, K
The Lake Elsinore Storm won a high-scoring, sloppy game of baseball to finish off their series against Visalia. Jesus Gonzalez was chased from the game early, getting through just three frames on the mound for the Storm. Alan Mundo and Brenden Heiss each gave up runs for Lake Elsinore, but Ben Miller picked up the win and Hazahel Quijada the save out of the bullpen. Justin Farmer hit a three-run home run in the third, taking the first pitch he saw over the right-center field wall.
BRAND. NEW. BALLGAME.
Justin Farmer launches a 3-run home run over the right field wall to tie the game! pic.twitter.com/MYJFeObLnB
— Lake Elsinore Storm (@Storm_Baseball) April 18, 2022
The Storm took advantage of an error in the fourth inning, scoring three unearned runs, vaulting themselves into the lead. Carlos Luis picked up an RBI groundout to add an insurance run, something that proved crucial as Visalia drew within one. With two outs and nobody on in the ninth, Quijada looked like he’d comfortably end the game, but he allowed a double to Sheng-Ping Chen. He then hit Jordan Lawler, before loading the bases with a four-pitch walk to Oscar Santos. However, he induced a ground ball from Glenallen Hill Jr., giving the Storm the tight win.
Monday’s Probables
El Paso: Off Day
San Antonio: Off Day
Fort Wayne: Off Day
Lake Elsinore: Off Day
Sam is a Senior in High School. He has been writing for three years, and started at EVT in June of 2021. He’s headed to Syracuse’s Newhouse School of Communications in the fall of 2023.