Padres Minor League Report: Winyer Chourio, Storm Capture First-Half Championship

[Steve Drumwright]

 

San Diego Padres affiliates went 2-1 with a rainout as the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas rolled Reno 6-1, the Double-A San Antonio Missions were washed out, the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps fell 4-3 and the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm edged San Jose 2-1 to claim the first-half championship.

Padres Minor-League Transactions

• RHP Bernard Jose assigned to San Antonio Missions from ACL Padres.
• San Antonio Missions sent SS Wyatt Hoffman on a rehab assignment to Fort Wayne TinCaps.
• Fort Wayne TinCaps placed SS Jonathan Vastine on the 7-day injured list.
• SS Dawson Willis assigned to Lake Elsinore Storm from ACL Padres.

Carlos Rodriguez Runs Hit Streak to 21 in Chihuahuas' Victory

Carlos Rodriguez extended his hitting streak to a career-high 21 games as he was one of four players to drive in a run in a five-run third inning that sent the host Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas to a 6-1 victory over the Reno Aces. Rodriguez also has a 25-game on-base streak.

Chihuahuas right-handed starter Jhony Brito went five innings, the third time in four starts he has gone at least that long, allowing just three hits and a run with a walk and four strikeouts. Right-hander Evan Fitterer took things from there, pitching four scoreless innings with three hits, three walks and three strikeouts.

The big third inning by the Chihuahuas started with a pair of strikeouts. Dylan Grego, who went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored, began the outburst with a double and scored on Rodriguez's only hit of the game, a line single to center, to tie it 1-1. Rodriguez stole second and went to third on a wild pitch before Mason McCoy walked. Nick Pratto, in his first full week with the Chihuahuas, singled home Rodriguez with McCoy going to third, then scoring on a wild pitch that saw Pratto go from second to third. Pratto then scored on a wild pitch. Marcos Castanon walked and Nick Schnell drove in Pratto with a single for a 4-1 lead. Clay Dungan walked to load the bases and Nate Moundou also got a free pass to make it a five-run inning. McCoy made it 6-1 in the fourth inning when he singled home Grego, who was promoted for Low-A Lake Elsinore last week.

Player	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K
Carlos Rodríguez	3	1	1	1	0	0
Mason McCoy	3	1	1	1	1	2
Nick Pratto	3	1	1	1	1	2
Marcos Castañon	3	1	0	0	1	1
Nick Schnell	4	0	1	1	0	3
Clay Dungan	3	0	1	0	1	2
Nate Mondou	3	0	0	1	1	1
Victor Duarte	4	0	0	0	0	3
Dylan Grego	4	2	3	0	0	0

Player	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR
Jhony Brito	5	3	1	1	1	4	0
Evan Fitterer	4	3	0	0	3	3	0

Missions' Series Opener Against Hooks Rained Out

Game 1 of the Double-A San Antonio Missions' six-game series against the Corpus Christi Hooks was postponed due to rain. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader Wednesday, with both games being seven innings.

TinCaps Claim Early Lead, But South Bend Battles Back To Win

The host High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps scored three early runs, but watched as the South Bend Cubs chipped away, including scoring the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning, en route to dropping a 4-3 decision to the Cubs. The TinCaps have lost three straight and 11 of their last 12.

Alex McCoy, Padres Mission's No. 12 prospect, smacked his 11th homer of the season and Jack Costello drove in a pair for the TinCaps, who managed just four hits. McCoy hadn't homered in his last 13 games. After scoring three runs in the second inning, none of the final 25 TinCaps batters could get a hit.

TinCaps right-handed starter Matthew Watson went a career-high 5⅔ innings, giving up three runs on eight hits with no walks and four punchouts. Left-hander Igor Gil was perfect for 1⅓ innings, left-hander Braian Salazar gave up a run on two hits in one inning and right-hander Clay Edmondson struck out three of the four batters he faced.

Player	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K
Justin DeCriscio	3	0	0	0	0	1
Carlos Rodriguez	4	0	0	0	0	1
Lamar King Jr.	4	0	1	0	0	2
Alex McCoy	4	1	1	1	0	1
Jake Cunningham	3	1	1	0	1	2
Rosman Verdugo	3	1	0	0	1	1
Kavares Tears	3	0	0	0	0	1
Jack Costello	2	0	1	2	0	0
Zach Evans	2	0	0	0	1	1

Player	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR
Matthew Watson	5 2/3	8	3	3	0	4	1
Igor Gil	1 1/3	0	0	0	0	1	0
Braian Salazar	1	2	1	1	0	1	0
Clay Edmondson	1	0	0	0	1	3	0

Storm Capture Division Title Behind Winyer Chourio

The Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm clinched the California League's South Division first-half championship on the strength of a two-run first inning and six strong innings from right-hander Winyer Chourio for a 2-1 victory over the host San Jose Giants. The division title is the first since the Storm (37-27) won both halves in 2024 before falling in the Cal League Championship Series. There are two games left in the first half.

Kerrington Cross homered, had two hits and two stolen bases, while Jose Verdugo also had a pair of hits with a steal and also scored. Cross hit his 10th homer of the season with one out in the top of the first, then Verdugo single, stole his 17th base and went to third on a throwing error by the catcher on the play. After Luke Cantwell walked, Yoiber Ocopio struck out and Cantwell broke for second. He got into a rundown as Verdugo streaked home before Cantwell was tagged out, giving the Storm a 2-0 lead.

Chourio pitched the clincher like the staff ace he has been all season. Pitching six innings for the second game in a row, matching his career high set in 2024, Chourio struck out five while allowing one run on four hits and two walks. Two of the hits Chourio gave up came in the fifth inning as the Giants scored their only run. Right-hander Daison Acosta, on a rehab assignment from Triple-A El Paso, made his Storm debut with a perfect seventh inning that included two punchouts, while right-hander Brandon Langley allowed a walk but faced the minimum over the final two innings for his second save and setting off a celebration.

 

 

 

 

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Player	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K
Ryan Wideman	3	0	0	0	1	2
Kerrington Cross	3	1	2	1	2	1
Jose Verdugo	5	1	2	0	0	1
Luke Cantwell	2	0	0	0	2	1
Yoiber Ocopio	3	0	0	0	0	1
Truitt Madonna	3	0	0	0	1	2
Jorge Quintana	3	0	1	0	1	0
George Bilecki	2	0	0	0	2	1
Conner Westenburg	4	0	1	0	0	3

Player	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR
Winyer Chourio	6	4	1	1	2	5	0
Daison Acosta	1	0	0	0	0	2	0
Brandon Langley	2	0	0	0	1	0	0

Padres Mission Top 20 Prospect Performance

1. Ethan Salas: DNP
2. Kash Mayfield: DNP
3. Miguel Mendez: DNP
4. Kruz Schoolcraft: DNP
5. Ryan Wideman: 0-for-3, 2 K
6. Jorge Quintana: 1-for-3
7. Ty Harvey: On injured list
8. Kale Fountain: Injured, out for season
9. Braedon Karpathios: DNP
10. Lamar King Jr.: 1-for-4, 2 K
11. Jagger Haynes: DNP
12. Alex McCoy: 1-for-4, HR, K
13. Truitt Madonna: 0-for-3, 2 K
14. Tucker Musgrove: DNP
15. Garrett Hawkins: DNP
16. Michael Salina: DNP
17. Eric Yost: DNP
18. Rosman Verdugo: 0-for-3, K
19. Bryan Balzer: DNP
20. Deivid Coronil: DNP

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