Padres Minor League Report: Jake Cunningham Homers As Part Of 3-RBI Night For Missions

[Steve Drumwright]

 

The San Diego Padres' four full-season affiliates went 3-1 Saturday. The Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas fell to Las Vegas 5-1, the Double-A San Antonio Missions edged Frisco 4-3, the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps drilled Lake County 14-4 and the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm rolled past Visalia 10-2.

Padres Minor-League Transactions

• Lake Elsinore Storm activated C Ty Harvey from the 60-day injured list.
• C Truitt Madonna assigned to Lake Elsinore Storm from ACL Padres.
• LHP Adler Cecil assigned to Lake Elsinore Storm from ACL Padres.
• C Alcides Hernandez assigned to ACL Padres from Lake Elsinore Storm.

Chihuahuas Walk 9 In Falling To Aviators

The Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas issued nine walks that led to their downfall, dropping a 5-1 decision to the host Las Vegas Aviators.

The Chihuahuas outhit the Aviators 6-5, but didn't draw any walks off four Vegas pitchers. Nick Pratto had two of the Chihuahuas' hits, including a double, and Dustin Harris tripled.

Chihuahuas right-handed starter Evan Fitterer walked four in four innings, allowing three runs and three hits with four strikeouts. Right-hander Johan Moreno walked just one in two shutout innings, right-hander Andrew Moore issued four free passes and two runs in two-thirds of an inning, right-hander Ty Adcock didn't walk anyone while getting one out and right-hander Alek Jacob also didn't issue a walk in his one shutout inning.

The Chihuahuas got their only run in the top of the third. Harris tripled with one out and scored on Carlos Rodriguez's sacrifice fly to left.

Player	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K
Bryce Johnson, RF	4	0	0	0	0	1
Dustin Harris, CF	4	1	1	0	0	1
Carlos Rodriguez, LF	3	0	1	1	0	1
Nick Solak, DH	4	0	0	0	0	1
Will Wagner, 3B	4	0	1	0	0	0
Mason McCoy, 2B	3	0	0	0	0	3
Nick Pratto, 1B	3	0	2	0	0	0
Blake Hunt, C	3	0	1	0	0	0
Clay Dungan, SS	3	0	0	0	0	0
Totals	31	1	6	1	0	7

Pitcher	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR
Evan Fitterer (L, 3-4)	4.0	3	3	3	4	4	0
Johan Moreno	2.0	1	0	0	1	2	0
Andrew Moore	0.2	1	2	2	4	2	0
Ty Adcock	0.1	0	0	0	0	0	0
Alek Jacob	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Totals	8.0	5	5	5	9	9	0

Jake Cunningham's Bat, Andrew Thurman's Arm Lift Missions

Jake Cunningham homered and drove in three, while Albert Fabian snapped a tie with a sixth-inning sacrifice fly, right-handed starter Andrew Thurman struck out a career-high 10 and right-hander Josh Mallitz turned in a terrific three-inning save as the host Double-A San Antonio Missions turned back the Frisco RoughRiders 4-3. The Missions played in Buddy the Elf uniforms, marking Christmas in July.

Ethan Salas, Padres Mission's No. 1 prospect, had two hits, including a 105 mph rocket, joining Cunningham and Fabian as Missions having multiple hits. Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the first after three doubles by the RoughRiders, Cunningham belted just his third homer since being promoted to San Antonio from High-A Fort Wayne a month ago to tie the game 3-3. It was his 18th of the season and brought in Carson Tucker, who had a leadoff single. The RoughRiders scored another in the top of the second and it remained 3-2 until the fifth, when Tucker walked with one out, Salas laced a 105 mph shot past the second baseman and into right field and, one out later, Cunningham doubled down the left-field line to tie the game 3-3. In the sixth, Ryan Jackson tripled for the second time this season and scored when Fabian flew out to center, putting the Missions up 4-3.

The 34-year-old Thurman, coming off a season-high six strikeouts in three innings last week vs. Corpus Christi, reached double digits in punchouts for the first time since his career began in 2013. Thurman, who didn't pitch from 2018 to 2025, had a previous career high of 9 on May 14, 2016, when he was pitching for Double-A Mississippi in the Atlanta chain in a 5-4 loss to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. Against the RoughRiders, Thurman gave up three runs on five hits over six innings.

Mallitz picked up the three-inning save, facing one over the minimum, allowing just one hit and striking out three. He has four saves this year.

Player	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K
Carson Tucker, SS	3	2	1	0	1	1
Ethan Salas, C	3	0	2	0	1	1
Tirso Ornelas, LF	4	0	0	0	0	1
Jake Cunningham, CF	4	1	2	3	0	1
Braedon Karpathios, RF	4	0	0	0	0	3
Ryan Jackson, DH	4	1	1	0	0	2
Albert Fabian, 1B	2	0	2	1	0	0
Luis Verdugo, 3B	3	0	1	0	0	0
Francisco Acuna, 2B	2	0	0	0	1	0
Totals	29	4	9	4	3	9

Pitcher	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR
Andrew Thurman (W, 2-5)	6.0	5	3	3	0	10	0
Josh Mallitz (S, 4)	3.0	1	0	0	0	3	0
Totals	9.0	6	3	3	0	13	0

Justin DeCriscio, Ryan Wideman Lead TinCaps' Hit Parade

Justin DeCriscio and Ryan Wideman each had three hits in the first three innings as the host High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps erupted for 12 runs and Rosman Verdrugo had five RBIs in a 14-4 demolition of the Lake County Captains. The 14 runs are a season high for the TinCaps, who pounded out 14 hits. Wideman, Padres Mission's No. 4 prospect, stole his 54th base, giving him sole possession of the minor-league lead. Wideman had 43 steals with Low-A Lake Elsinore.

TinCaps right-handed starter Bryan Balzer earned his first High-A victory since being promoted from Lake Elsinore by going five shutout innings, surrendering just one hit, while walking two and striking out two.

All nine TinCaps had a hit, eight scored a run and five at an RBI. Verdugo hit a three-run homer and Luke Cantwell a two-run shot. Cantwell joined DeCriscio and Wideman in having multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with a walk and three runs scored. Alex McCoy, Padres Mission's No. 14 prospect, drove in a pair on his Midwest League-leading 25th double.

DeCriscio started off a six-run first inning against Captains right-handed starter Ben Lively with the first of two doubles in the game, Wideman singled and, one out later, stole his 54th base of the season. Kavares Tears walked to load the bases, then a balk brought in the first run and Verdugo followed by crushing a three-run homer, his 12th of the season. With two outs, Carlos Rodriguez singled and Cantwell drilled his fourth homer since his midseason promotion from Lake Elsinore and sixth of the season, going the opposite way to left-center. DeCriscio and Wideman repeated their first-inning showing with a double and a single, chasing Lively. McCoy greeted the reliever with his two-run double, then scored an out later on Verdugo's sacrifice fly. DeCriscio had a two-run single in the third inning and, after going to third on Wideman's single, scored on an errant pickoff attempt to put the TinCaps up 12-0.

Player	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K
Justin DeCriscio, SS	5	3	3	1	1	1
Ryan Wideman, CF	4	2	3	1	0	1
Alex McCoy, LF	4	1	1	2	1	2
Kavares Tears, RF	4	1	1	0	1	2
Rosman Verdugo, 2B	2	1	1	5	2	1
Lamar King Jr., C	5	0	1	0	0	0
Carlos Rodriguez, DH	5	1	1	0	0	1
Luke Cantwell, 1B	4	3	2	2	1	1
Kerrington Cross, 3B	3	2	1	0	2	0
Totals	36	14	14	11	8	9

Pitcher	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR
Bryan Balzer (W, 1-1)	5.0	1	0	0	2	2	0
Maikel Miralles	2.0	6	4	4	0	1	0
Will Koger	1.0	0	0	0	2	2	0
Clark Candiotti	1.0	0	0	0	1	1	0
Totals	9.0	7	4	4	5	6	0

Big Offensive Night Supports Strong Pitching In Storm Triumph

Yimy Tovar drove in three runs, Jorge Quintana had a two-run homer and right-handed starter Tyler Schmitt didn't allow a hit in his four innings as the host Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm cruised to a 10-2 victory over the Visalia Rawhide.

Quintana (Padres Mission's No. 6 prospect), Tovar, Conner Westenburg, Jose Verdugo and George Bilecki each had a pair of the Storm's 13 hits.

Schmitt led a standout pitching performance that limited the Rawhide to just three hits. While not allowing a hit over four innings, he did walk five and allowed a run while striking out two. Right-hander Jeferson Villabona followed Schmitt and retired the first five batters he faced before giving up a triple in the sixth. That was the only hit he allowed in three innings, striking out one. Right-hander Rordy Mejia gave up a pair of hits and a run on two walks and three strikeouts in the final two innings.

The Storm jumped out to a 1-0 lead on Bradley Frye's run-scoring groundout in the bottom of the first and took a 2-1 lead in the second on Truitt Madonna's RBI single. A three-run third inning featured Tovar's two-run single and Verdugo's RBI single. Tovar drove in another run in the fifth and the Storm put this one out of reach with four in the sixth. Westenburg scored on an errant pickoff attempt, Fry had an RBI single and Quintana hit his four homer of the season to make it 10-1.

Player	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K
Conner Westenburg, CF	3	2	2	0	1	1
Ty Harvey, C	4	1	0	0	1	2
Bradley Frye, 3B	5	2	1	1	0	0
Jorge Quintana, SS	3	3	2	2	1	0
Yimy Tovar, 1B	4	0	2	3	0	0
Jose Verdugo, 2B	4	1	2	1	0	0
Truitt Madonna, DH	4	0	1	1	0	2
George Bilecki, RF	4	0	2	0	0	1
Qrey Lott, LF	4	1	1	0	0	0
Totals	35	10	13	8	3	6

Pitcher	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR
Tyler Schmitt	4.0	0	1	1	5	2	0
Jeferson Villabona (W, 1-0)	3.0	1	0	0	0	1	0
Rordy Mejia	2.0	2	1	1	2	3	1
Totals	9.0	3	2	2	7	6	1

Padres Mission's Top 20 Prospect Performance

1. Ethan Salas: 2-for-3, BB, K
2. Kash Mayfield: DNP
3. Miguel Mendez: DNP
4. Ryan Wideman: 3-for-4, RBI, K
5. Kruz Schoolcraft: DNP
6. Jorge Quintana: 2-for-3, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, BB
7. Ty Harvey: 0-for-4, BB, 2 K
8. Kale Fountain: Injured, out for season
9. Tucker Musgrove: DNP
10. Coleman Borthwick: Not assigned team
11. Lamar King Jr.: 1-for-5
12. Braedon Karpathios: 0-for-4, 3 K
13. Jagger Haynes: DNP
14. Alex McCoy: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K
15. Truitt Madonna: 1-for-4, RBI, 2 K
16. Jesus Castro: DNP
17. Garrett Hawkins: DNP
18. Elliot Lascelles: Not assigned team
19. Winyer Chourio: DNP
20. Rosman Verdugo: 1-for-2, HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB, K

View full article