Padres Minor League Report: Jamie Hitt Strikes Out 7 As Missions Triumph

Saturday saw the San Diego Padres' four full-season affiliates go 3-1. The Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas dumped Reno 9-5, the Double-A San Antonio Missions edged Springfield 3-2, the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps were trounced by West Michigan 14-6 and the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm stopped Ontario 5-1.

Padres Minor-League Transactions

• 1B Romeo Sanabria assigned to San Antonio Missions from El Paso Chihuahuas.

Big Finish Paves Way For Chihuahuas' Victory

Bryce Johnson went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Ethan Salas had a two-run double and Nick Solak drove in the go-ahead run on an eighth-inning sacrifice fly as the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas bounced the host Reno Aces 9-5. The Chihuahuas scored the final four runs of the game in the eighth and ninth innings.

The Chihuahuas went with a bullpen game, using seven pitchers, including rehabbing Padres right-hander David Morgan, who went 1⅓ shutout innings, allowing two hits and striking out two.Dustin Harris and Nick Pratto each had two hits, with Harris also walking once, driving in a run and scoring once. Pratto scored a run. The game was tied 1-1 when the Chihuahuas scored four in the third. Harris tripled in a run, Salas (Padres Mission's No. 1 prospect) had his two-run double to right and Rodolfo Duran singled home Salas. The Aces tied it, though, with four runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth.

Harris led off the eighth with a single, then with one out stole second and went to third on a throwing error by the catcher, setting up Solak's go-ahead sac fly. In the ninth, Mason McCoy singled home Nick Pratto, who had singled and stolen a base, then stole second and went to third when Clay Dungan struck out but reached on a wild pitch. Johnson then hit his 11th double in 35 games at Triple-A, driving in the final two runs.

Jamie Hitt Fans 7, Braedon Karpathios Hits Early HR In Missions' Win

Braedon Karpathios hit a first-inning three-run homer that stood up for the rest of the game thanks in large part to left-hander Jamie Hitt striking out seven over six innings as the host Double-A San Antonio Missions turned back the Springfield Cardinals 3-2.

Karpathios, Padres Mission's No. 12 prospect, followed a leadoff single by Ryan Jackson, a walk to Tirso Ornelas and a forceout by Jake Cunningham by hitting his 12th homer of the year on a 2-1 pitch down, an opposite-field shot that clanked off the left-field foul pole.

Pitching was the bigger story, though. Hitt allowed a run on four hits and a walk with his seven punchouts, the best of his five starts since being promoted from High-A Fort Wayne. MLB veteran Jose Leclerc, no longer on the injured list by still finding his rhythm following shoulder surgery last year, gave up a solo homer over two innings, striking out three. Right-hander Garrett Hawkins, Padres Mission's No. 17 prospect, came on in a 3-2 game and loaded the bases with no outs on a pair of walks and a sharp single. The next batter grounded to second baseman Wyatt Hoffman, who threw home for the first out, then Hawkins struck out the next batter. That brought up Josiah Ragsdale, just acquired by the Cardinals from the Milwaukee Brewers who homered in his previous at-bat, and Hawkins struck him out to end the game. It was Hawkins' second save since returning to the Missions from Triple-A El Paso.

TinCaps Torched By 10-Run Third Inning

While the fans packed the stands yet again, the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps didn't give them a whole lot to cheer about, giving up a 10-run third inning in a 14-6 loss to the West Michigan Whitecaps. The TinCaps had their ninth sellout of 7,575 spectators.

Bradley Fry hit his first High-A homer since being promoted from Low-A Lake Elsinore, a two-run shot in the second inning. Frye had two hits as did Yoiber Ocopio, his first since being promoted this week from Lake Elsinore, and Rosman Verdugo. Alex McCoy, Padres Mission's No. 14 prospect, reached base three times with a single and two walks.

Right-hander Bryan Balzer, in his seventh start for the TinCaps, gave up six runs on four hits and four walks with three strikeouts in two-plus innings. Right-hander Javier Chacon came in after Balzer didn't retire any of the first four batters to begin the third and gave up six runs of his own, but only three were earned, on four hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning. The Whitecaps had the first seven batters of the inning reach and 15 in all, getting those 10 runs on five hits, three walks, three hit batters and an error. The game was the first for Whitecaps right-handed starter Brady Smith since being included in the Tarik Skubal trade between the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Big Hits By Jesmaylin Arias, Alex Conover Spark Storm

Jesmaylin Arias had a two-run triple and Alex Conover a two-run double as the host Lake Elsinore Storm scored five early runs en route to a 5-1 victory over the Ontario Tower Buzzers.

Storm right-handed starter Tyler Schmitt went 5⅓ innings, allowing just a run on three hits, but walked five while striking out six. Right-hander Rordy Mejia was the only other reliever needed, going the final 3⅔ innings, not allowing a run and just two hits with a pair of walks and one strikeout.

With one out in the fourth, Jorge Quintana (Padres Mission's No. 6 prospect) walked and Jose Verdugo singled. Arias, the 19-year-old outfielder from the Dominican Republic, then tripled on a ball to left-center that kept slicing away from the center fielder, rolling to the wall, easily scoring both runners. In the fifth, 10th-round draft pick Augie Lopez walked, Qrey Lott and sixth-round draft pick Nu'u Contrades singled to load the bases. Conover, the Padres' fourth-round compensation pick, pulled a double down the right-field line that scored Lopez and Lott. One out later, Quintana hit a sacrifice fly to center to make it 5-0.

Padres Mission's Top 20 Prospect Performance

1. Ethan Salas: 1-for-4, R, 2B, 2 RBI, K
2. Kash Mayfield: Traded
3. Miguel Mendez: Traded
4. Ryan Wideman: 0-for-5, RBI
5. Kruz Schoolcraft: DNP
6. Jorge Quintana: 0-for-2, R, RBI, BB, K
7. Ty Harvey: 0-for-4, K
8. Kale Fountain: Injured, out for season
9. Tucker Musgrove: DNP
10. Coleman Borthwick: In Arizona
11. Lamar King Jr.: 1-for-4, R, RBI, BB, 2 K
12. Braedon Karpathios: 2-for-3, R, HR, 3 RBI, K
13. Jagger Haynes: DNP
14. Alex McCoy: 1-for-3, R, 2 BB, 2 K
15. Truitt Madonna: 0-for-1, 3 BB
16. Jesus Castro: DNP
17. Garrett Hawkins: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, S
18. Elliot Lascelles: In Arizona
19. Winyer Chourio: DNP
20. Rosman Verdugo: 2-for-5, RBI, K

Interested in learning more about the San Diego Padres' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!