Padres Down on the Farm: April 20 (Mears 2 homers for FW/Jones slam for LE/Baez & Morejon return to mound)
Credit: MiLB
The San Diego Padres affiliates went 2-2 on Wednesday.
El Paso Chihuahuas (Lost 12-5 to Las Vegas) (6-8 on the season)
Reiss Knehr: 5.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 7 K (90 pitches, 55 strikes)
Eguy Rosario: (1-for-3), HR, 2 RBI, R, 2 BB, K
Luis Liberato: (2-for-4), HR, 2B, 2 RBI, R, 2 K
Luis Campusano: (2-for-5), RBI, 2 K
The El Paso Chihuahuas led for most of the game, but they surrendered nine runs in the seventh, putting the game out of question. The game started spectacularly for the Chihuahuas, as Matt Batten led the game off with a triple, and Eguy Rosario hit a home run, giving El Paso an early lead. Las Vegas then got a run back on a solo shot, but the Chihuahuas still led early.
This Eguy Rosario homer left the yard in a HURRY.
The No. 7 #Padres prospect slugged his second blast of the year for the @epchihuahuas. pic.twitter.com/jg8R9dtlYz
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 21, 2022
Taylor Kohlwey led off the fourth with a double, and Luis Liberato traded places with him as he doubled Kohlwey home. Luis Campusano brought in Batten with a single to extend the lead even more in the fifth. El Paso starter Reiss Knehr started well, but the late collapse from the bullpen ended any chances for the Chihuahuas. Luis Liberarto’s eighth-inning solo home run proved to be only a consolation run.
San Antonio Missions (Lost 7-4 vs. Amarillo) (2-9 on the season)
Reggie Lawson: 2.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R (3 ER), 3 BB, 0 K (56 pitches, 29 strikes)
Kerry Howell: (1-for-3), 2B, RBI, R, BB, K
Esteury Ruiz: (2-for-3), RBI, BB, SB, CS
Tirso Ornelas: (1-for-3), 2 R, BB
San Antonio struggled as Amarillo knocked Missions’ starter, Reggie Lawson, out of the game early, as they put up five runs in the third inning. The Sod Poodles walked, doubled, hit a home run, and doubled again, all with two outs in the frame. Amarillo then added a pair of insurance runs off of Dwayne Matos, extending their lead to seven runs.
The Missions offense finally stirred in the eighth inning. Tirso Ornelas and Kerry Howell started off the frame with walks before both moved into scoring position on an Agustin Ruiz groundout. Chandler Seagle then brought home Ornelas before Esteury Ruiz singled home Howell to put a pair of runs on the scoreboard. The Missions bats stayed hot, as Howell hit a ground-rule double to bring home Brandon Dixon in the ninth, and Ornelas scored on a groundout. While the Missions did get within three, they did at least start a rally.
Fort Wayne TinCaps (Won 9-7 vs. Lansing) (7-4 on the season)
Robert Gasser: 5 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K (57 pitches, 37 strikes)
Joshua Mears: (2-for-5), 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R, 1 K
Ripken Reyes: (2-for-4), 3B, 2 K
Robert Hassell III: (2-for-4), 2 RBI, R
The Fort Wayne offense came up huge, posting nine runs, and they took advantage of four errors by Lansing. Joshua Mears started the scoring with a two-run blast in the third before bringing Robert Hassell III home on his second home run of the night in the fifth. The TinCaps put together four straight singles in the sixth, scoring a pair of runs in the frame.
Multihomer game squared.
No. 10 #Padres prospect Joshua Mears left the yard twice — again — for the @TinCaps. pic.twitter.com/63fvWw3xGr
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 21, 2022
Fort Wayne led by seven runs after the top of the sixth, and that was thanks to fantastic pitching by starter Robert Gasser. Gasser pitched five splendid shutout innings, working very efficiently, having to use just 57 pitches to do so. Once Gasser left the game, Jason Reynolds struggled immensely out of the bullpen. He allowed five runs while retiring just one Lugnut, bringing Lansing back into the game. Jarryd Dale created a run in the seventh, walking, before stealing both second and third base. When he stole third, catcher Matt Cross threw the ball away, allowing Dale to score without anyone getting a hit. Ripken Reyes scored in the final insurance run after he tripled, and Hassell III brought him in with a sacrifice fly. The insurance runs proved critical, as Lansing scored two runs in the eighth, but Fort Wayne held on, winning by two in a slugfest.
Lake Elsinore Storm (Won 8-6 vs. Fresno) (5-5 on the season)
Bodi Rascon: 3.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K (47 pitches, 33 strikes)
Pierce Jones: (1-for-3), HR, 4 RBI, 2 R, BB
Jackson Merrill: (3-for-5), 2B, RBI, 2 R, 2 K
Marcos Castanon: (1-for-3), RBI, R
Lake Elsinore got enough pop from their bats, and it started with Pierce Jones’ grand slam in the second inning. Marcos Castanon reached on a single, Jared Alvarez-Lopez walked, and Carlos Luis singled to set the table for Jones. The lead didn’t last long, though, as Fresno immediately answered with four runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. Jackson Merrill doubled to lead off the frame, so the Storm did take the lead. Bodi Rascon pitched well out of the bullpen, getting 11 outs, but he did allow the tying run on a Juan Guerrero triple.
If Pierce Jones was a wrestler, his signature move would be the GRAND SLAM#YourHomeTeam pic.twitter.com/ASBJq9vOS6
— Lake Elsinore Storm Baseball (@Storm_Baseball) April 21, 2022
The Storm broke the tie in the top of the seventh, as they put up three runs in the inning, taking advantage of a Fresno error. Four of the first five Fresno players hit singles in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases and bringing the tying run into scoring position. However, Hazahel Quijada came up clutch, getting the final two outs to secure the save and the win.
Extended Spring Training
In extended Spring Training, Michel Baez pitched spectacularly, continuing his road to recovery. He threw just 22 pitches in two frames, striking out five batters. “I felt good. I think I’m ready to launch the season,” Baez told EVT after the game. Adrian Morejon also threw off the mound and struck out two batters in one inning of work. This duo could eventually make their way back to the mound at Petco Park.
San Diego Padres Michel Baez strikes out the side on 11 pitches. Threw 22 pitches in 2 innings, 5K’s. Filth. pic.twitter.com/uhlf07yNsv
— TheJerryEspinoza (@JEspinoza1634) April 20, 2022
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Thursday’s Probables
El Paso: TBD
San Antonio: TBD
Fort Wayne: Ryan Bergert (0-0, 4.26 ERA)
Lake Elsinore: TBD
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.