Padres Minor League Report: Locastro, Duran Power Chihuahuas To Comeback

[Brock Beauchamp]

Tim Locastro’s walk-off single sealed El Paso’s six-run comeback, backed by Rodolfo Durán’s three-hit, two-RBI burst and Nate Mondou’s four knocks. In San Antonio, Anthony Vilar cracked a bases-clearing triple while Marcos Castañon chipped in an RBI during a five-run surge that fell short. High-A Fort Wayne got a double from Kasen Wells plus a sacrifice fly and steal from Rosman Verdugo but lost 8-2. Ryan Wideman’s three hits and Yoiber Ocopio’s two keyed Lake Elsinore’s 4-2 rally, with Adam Conrad closing the door.

Padres Transactions

• Released C Martín Maldonado. 
• Outrighted OF Tyler Wade to Triple-A El Paso. 

Locastro Walk-Off Completes Chihuahuas’ Six-Run Comeback
Box Score

At Southwest University Park on Wednesday afternoon, El Paso trailed 6-0 entering the seventh before its bats roared to life and Tim Locastro applied the finishing touch.

Mason McCoy started the charge with a single, and Rodolfo Durán followed by launching his seventh homer to left. One inning later, McCoy, Durán, and Locastro all reached, a wild pitch brought home a run, Luis Campusano coaxed a bases-loaded walk that forced in a run, and Will Wagner’s two-out RBI single knotted the contest at six.

Nate Mondou’s fourth hit—a one-out single in the ninth—sparked the decisive rally. McCoy and Durán worked walks to fill the bases, and Locastro lined a single to right that sent Mondou racing home for a 7-6 walk-off victory.

Durán finished 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs, Mondou went 4-for-5 with a double, and McCoy scored twice while reaching three times. Wagner contributed a hit, two walks, and an RBI, while Campusano’s pinch-hit plate appearance produced a key run.

Right-hander Logan Gillaspie kept El Paso within reach, striking out five over five innings, allowing three runs. Southpaw Miguel Cienfuegos and right-hander Manuel Castro bridged the middle frames, and Ron Marinaccio fired a scoreless ninth to improve to 6-0.

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Vilar’s Bases-Clearing Triple Sparks Rally, but Missions Come Up Short
Box Score

San Antonio clawed back from an eight-run hole Wednesday night, but Anthony Vilar’s big swing in the eighth wasn’t quite enough as the Missions fell 8-5 at Nelson Wolff Stadium.

Starter Victor Lizarraga (2-9) was tagged for five runs over 3 2/3 innings, and Springfield added three more against the bullpen to build an 8-0 lead through seven.  San Antonio’s offense finally cracked the scoreboard in the seventh when Marcos Castañon lined a run-scoring single to center, plating Moisés Gómez.

The real surge arrived an inning later. After four straight free passes forced home a run, Vilar jumped on a pitch from Randel Clemente and lashed a triple into the left-field corner.  The second baseman’s drive cleared the bases, bringing the Missions within three.  Vilar finished 1-for-4 with three RBIs, hitting his second triple of the year.

Albert Fabian collected two hits and an RBI, while Gómez reached twice and scored two runs.  Romeo Sanabria singled and walked twice, and Jacob Campbell added a hit.

After Lizarraga exited, Ryan Och pitched 1 1/3 scoreless frames with three strikeouts, giving the offense a chance to rally.

Despite the late push, the Missions settled for five runs on seven hits.

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Early leads Eclipsed as TinCaps Drop 8–2 Decision
Box Score

Fort Wayne struck first at Four Winds Field, stringing together quality swings right out of the gate. Ryan Jackson drew a leadoff walk, and Kasen Wells rifled his first High-A double into the left-field corner to push Jackson to third. Rosman Verdugo lifted a sacrifice fly to center, giving the TinCaps a 1–0 edge as the first out was recorded.

After the hosts pulled even in the second, Verdugo’s legs helped the Caps reclaim the lead in the fourth. The third baseman walked, swiped second, and scored when pinch-hitter turned catcher Victor Duarte lined a two-out single to right for his second RBI of the season.

Jackson doubled to open the sixth, but right fielder Braedon Karpathios’ sharp single erased Jackson at the plate on a strong throw, keeping Fort Wayne from narrowing what had become a multi-run deficit. The club finished 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position and stranded only three.

Starter Clark Candiotti limited damage over three innings, surrendering one run on three hits. Fernando Sanchez (3-2) entered in the fourth and was tagged for three runs across 1 2/3 frames despite allowing just two hits, as five walks proved costly.

Wells and Jackson each collected a double and a single hit apiece, while Duarte, Karpathios, and designated hitter Brendan Durfee chipped in singles to round out the TinCaps’ five-hit night.

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Wideman’s Three-Hit Surge Powers Late Storm Comeback
Box Score

Lake Elsinore spent most of Wednesday night searching for offense, then erupted in the final three frames to beat Rancho Cucamonga, 4-2.

Down two in the seventh, Alex McCoy coaxed a leadoff walk and raced home when Yoiber Ocopio ripped a double to left. After Dylan Grego was clipped by a pitch, Ryan Wideman lined a two-out single to right that plated Ocopio and drew the Storm even.

The decisive rally came in the ninth. McCoy worked another free pass, Ocopio followed with a single, and a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. Grego lifted a sacrifice fly to left that pushed Lake Elsinore in front. Wideman added insurance moments later, beating out a bouncer to short that scored Ocopio for his second RBI of the night.

Wideman finished 3-for-5, while Ocopio went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and two runs scored. 

Kash Mayfield allowed two runs over four innings before the bullpen slammed the door. Johan Moreno and Kleiber Olmedo combined for four scoreless frames, with Olmedo earning the victory. Adam Conrad worked a one-two-three ninth, striking out one, to lock down his third save.

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