Padres Minor League Report: Kash Mayfield Strikes Out 8 For TinCaps

Kash Mayfield struck out eight over five scoreless one-hit innings as the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps took Game 1 of a doubleheader 1-0, before dropped the second game 4-3. Triple-A El Paso fell 9-7 despite four home runs, including two from Nick Schnell. Double-A San Antonio dropped a 9-3 decision to Midland, with home runs from Romeo Sanabria and Chris Sargent. Low-A Lake Elsinore rallied past Stockton 6-3 behind Luke Cantwell's three-hit night and reliever Brandon Langley's win.

Padres Minor-League Transactions

• San Diego Padres optioned RHP Alek Jacob to El Paso Chihuahuas.

Schnell's Two Homers Not Enough As Chihuahuas Fall To Round Rock

The El Paso Chihuahuas hit four home runs, but could not overcome an early deficit in a 9-7 loss to the Round Rock Express. Nick Schnell led the Chihuahuas' attack with a pair of long balls and four RBIs, including a three-run shot in the third inning that put El Paso ahead 4-2. Schnell, Mason McCoy, and Clay Dungan each added solo home runs during a three-run fifth inning that knotted the score 7-7.

Starter JP Sears was tagged for seven runs on eight hits across 3⅓ innings, walking five and striking out four. Sears surrendered a two-run home run in the fourth that pushed Round Rock ahead 7-4 before he exited. Misael Tamarez followed with two innings in relief, striking out three and walking none, though he was charged with the go-ahead run in the sixth. Jase Bowen reached base four times with a double and three walks. Pablo Reyes and Marcos Castañon collected two hits apiece.  

Sanabria, Sargent Go Deep In Missions' Loss To Midland

The San Antonio Missions fell 9-3 to the Midland RockHounds despite home runs from Romeo Sanabria and Chris Sargent. Sanabria got the Missions on the board with a solo shot to center field in the fourth inning, his second home run of the season and of the series. Luis Verdugo followed with a sacrifice fly that brought home Albert Fabian, trimming the deficit to 3-2. Sargent added a solo blast to left field in the eighth, his first home run of the year.

Starter Ian Koenig took the loss after 5⅔ innings of work, allowing six runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and two walks. Koenig surrendered two home runs, including a three-run shot in the second that staked Midland to an early lead.

Carson Tucker collected two hits and swiped two bases, while Sanabria added a second hit alongside his home run. San Antonio managed just six total hits, drew only one walk as a team, and struck out eight times.  

Mayfield's 8-Strikeout Gem Lifts TinCaps To Win In Twinbill Split

Kash Mayfield delivered a dominant performance as the Fort Wayne TinCaps edged the Lake County Captains 1-0 in the opening game of a doubleheader. The TinCaps dropped the nightcap 4-3.

In the opener, Mayfield, the Padres' first-round draft choice in 2024 and Padres Mission's No. 2 prospect, worked five scoreless innings and faced just one over the minimum, scattering just one hit while striking out eight of the 16 batters faced and issuing no walks to earn the win. The hit was the first allowed by Mayfield in his first three starts this season, covering 12 innings. He has 16 strikeouts in that span.

Clay Edmondson followed with two innings of one-hit relief, walking one and striking out one to collect the save.

The TinCaps' lone run came across in the top of the sixth inning. Kavares Tears drew a walk with one out, advanced to second on a line-drive single by Jake Cunningham, and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Jack Costello. Tears crossed the plate on a wild pitch to give Fort Wayne a 1-0 lead that the pitching staff would not relinquish.

Rosman Verdugo led the TinCaps at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a walk, while Cunningham also went 2-for-3. Tears drew two walks.

In the second game, Kasen Wells led the TinCaps offensively, going 2-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base, and two runs scored. Alex McCoy contributed a sacrifice fly in the fourth that also scored Wells.

Starter Isaiah Lowe worked three innings, allowing one run on three hits while striking out five and walking three. Lake County scored twice in the fifth inning against Matthew Watson to take a 3-1 lead. Fort Wayne pulled within 3-2 in the top of the sixth on a single by Lamar King Jr. that brought home Wells. The Captains, however, scratched across a run in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice fly to retake the lead for good. The TinCaps tried to rally in the seventh, with Dylan Grego lifting a sacrifice fly that scored Jack Costello to pull within 4-3, but they could get no closer.  

FIRST GAME

SECOND GAME

Cantwell's 3-Hit Night Powers Storm Past Stockton

The Lake Elsinore Storm overcame an early deficit by scoring in each of the last four innings to defeat the Stockton Ports 6-3. Luke Cantwell went 3-for-4, including a two-run double in the eighth inning that broke a 3-3 tie. Justin DeCriscio added two hits, including a run-scoring double in the ninth that capped the scoring.

Starter Kruz Schoolcraft, Padres Mission's No. 3 prospect and the Padres' first-round pick last year, worked three innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits with three strikeouts and two walks. Rordy Mejia followed with 2⅔ scoreless innings of one-hit relief, striking out four and issuing one walk. Brandon Langley earned the win with 1⅓ innings of hitless work, striking out three. Ethan Long pitched a perfect ninth for the save.

Trailing 2-0 entering the sixth, the Storm scratched back on a pair of Stockton miscues, with Kerrington Cross and Cantwell each scoring on errors to even the game 2-2. Ryan Wideman's seventh-inning sacrifice fly to center scored Cross to briefly push Lake Elsinore ahead 3-2, Cantwell delivered the knockout blow in the eighth, and DeCriscio iced the game in the ninth.  

Padres Top-20 Prospect Performance

1. Kash Mayfield: 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K, W
2. Ethan Salas: 0-for-4, K
3. Kruz Schoolcraft: 3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
4. Bradgley Rodriguez: DNP
5. Humberto Cruz: DNP
6. Miguel Mendez: DNP
7. Ty Harvey: DNP
8. Jorge Quintana: 1-for-5, R, 2 K
9. Kale Fountain: 0-for-4, R, BB, K
10. Ryan Wideman: 1-for-4, RBI, SB
11. Jagger Haynes: DNP
12. Lamar King Jr: 1-for-3, RBI
13. Romeo Sanabria: 2-for-4, HR, R, RBI, K
14. Truitt Madonna: 0-for-3, 2 BB, 2 K, SB
15. Michael Salina: DNP
16. Garrett Hawkins: 1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
17. Kavares Tears: 0-for-2, 2 BB, R, K
18. Deivid Coronil: DNP
19. Francis Pena: DNP
20. Bryan Balzer: DNP

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