Padres Minor League Report: Chihuahuas Win Doubleheader

El Paso swept a doubleheader behind Sung-Mun Song, Marcos Castañon, Griffin Canning, Evan Fitterer, Eli Villalobos, and Logan Gillaspie, while Misael Tamarez, Yuki Matsui, Justin Yeager, and Alek Jacob also delivered key innings. Ian Koenig, Francis Peña, Andrew Thurman, Tyler Schmitt, and Jamie Hitt turned in work despite losses. Ryan Wideman homered for Lake Elsinore, Luke Cantwell drove in a run, and Kai Murphy led San Antonio’s offense with two hits and a steal.

Song Drives In Two, Chihuahuas Break Tie In Eighth

Box Score

The El Paso Chihuahuas broke a tie in the eighth inning and held on for a 5-2 win over Tacoma on Saturday at Cheney Stadium in the first game of a doubleheader.

El Paso fell behind in the first, but answered in the third. Pablo Reyes singled, Samad Taylor followed with a hit, and Sung Mun Song lined a double to right that scored Reyes and tied the game at 1-1. The Chihuahuas threatened again in the sixth when Nick Schnell tripled with two outs, but the game remained even until the extra frame.

With the zombie runner at second to open the eighth, Jase Bowen reached on a throwing error that brought home Taylor and moved Bowen to second. Song followed with an RBI single to left, then Nick Solak walked and Schnell was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Rodolfo Durán added the decisive swing of the inning, lining a two-run single to center to stretch the lead to 5-1.

Song finished 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Durán went 1-for-4 with two RBIs, while Schnell had a triple, was hit by a pitch, and stole a base. Reyes singled, walked, stole a base, and scored, and Taylor added a hit, a run scored, and another stolen base.

Griffin Canning started for El Paso and worked 2 1/3 innings, allowing one run, two walks, and striking out four. Misael Tamarez followed with 1 2/3 scoreless innings and one strikeout. Yuki Matsui struck out two in one inning, Justin Yeager earned the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings and one strikeout, and Alek Jacob allowed one run in the eighth while striking out three.

Castañon Homers, Fitterer, And Villalobos Lead Chihuahuas Past Tacoma

Box Score

The El Paso Chihuahuas scored all their runs in the first inning and rode strong pitching to a 2-1 win over Tacoma on Saturday at Cheney Stadium.

El Paso struck with two outs in the opening frame. Nick Schnell drew a walk, Jase Bowen reached on a force play, and Marcos Castañon drove both home with a two-run homer to right. Carlos Rodríguez followed with a double, but the Chihuahuas would not score again.

That early swing proved enough for El Paso’s pitching staff. Evan Fitterer started and worked three scoreless innings, allowing one hit, one walk, and striking out four. Eli Villalobos followed with two scoreless innings, giving up one hit, one walk, and striking out two. Logan Gillaspie handled the final two innings, allowing one run, two walks, and striking out four for the save.

Tacoma threatened in the fourth after an error, a single, and a walk loaded the bases with two outs, but El Paso escaped without allowing a run. The Rainiers broke through in the sixth on a solo home run, trimming the lead to 2-1, but the Chihuahuas kept them off the board in late innings.

Jakson Reetz doubled in the seventh and Rhylan Thomas stole second after reaching on a force play, putting the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position. Gillaspie struck out Connor Joe to end that threat and close out the win.

Castañon finished 2-for-3 with the homer and two RBIs. Rodríguez doubled, Samad Taylor had a double, and Schnell drew two walks.

Koenig Strikes Out Five, Missions Shut Out In Tulsa

Box Score

The San Antonio Missions were held without a run in a 4-0 loss to Tulsa on Saturday at ONEOK Field.

San Antonio managed five hits and put runners on throughout the night, but could not break through against the Drillers staff. Kai Murphy finished 2-for-4 and stole a base, while Luis Verdugo went 1-for-2 with two walks. Romeo Sanabria and Albert Fabian each added a hit, and Francisco Acuna drew two walks.

The Missions threatened in the third when Murphy singled, stole second, and Acuna walked, but Tulsa escaped the inning with a strikeout. San Antonio also put two on in the fifth after Verdugo walked and Murphy singled, only to leave both aboard. In the seventh, Verdugo singled and Murphy reached on an error before Acuna reached on a force play, but the Missions again came away empty. Fabian singled in the ninth, and Verdugo walked to bring the tying run to the plate, but Tulsa closed out the game with another strikeout.

Ian Koenig started for San Antonio and worked five innings, allowing four runs, three earned, with no walks and five strikeouts. Tulsa scored its first run on a solo home run in the first, then added three more in the fourth after a throwing error opened the door before a two-out, three-run homer stretched the lead to 4-0.

Francis Peña followed Koenig with 1 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing no hits, two walks, and striking out two. Andrew Thurman covered the final 1 2/3 innings, allowing no hits, no walks, and one strikeout.

Wideman Homers, Cantwell Drives In Run In Storm Loss

Box Score

The Lake Elsinore Storm carried a lead into the late innings, but Inland Empire scored twice in the eighth to hand the Storm a 6-4 loss on Saturday at ONT Field.

Lake Elsinore opened the scoring in the third. Jose Verdugo singled and stole second before Ryan Wideman walked. Ty Harvey then lined a single to right that brought home Verdugo, and a passed ball later in the inning scored Wideman to make it 2-0.

The 66ers answered with a two-run homer in the fourth, but Wideman put the Storm back in front in the fifth with a solo home run to left center. After Inland Empire moved ahead 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth, Lake Elsinore pulled even in the sixth. Kale Fountain walked and moved up on a wild pitch and passed ball, George Bilecki walked, and Luke Cantwell followed with an RBI double to left that scored Bilecki.

Wideman finished 1-for-4 with a home run, an RBI, a walk, and two runs scored. Harvey went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a stolen base, while Cantwell was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Verdugo added a hit and a stolen base, and Justin DeCriscio collected two hits.

Tyler Schmitt started for Lake Elsinore and worked 3 1/3 innings, allowing two runs, four walks, and striking out seven. Jamie Hitt followed with two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out four. Landry Jurecka took the loss after allowing two runs in one inning with one walk and three strikeouts.

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