Padres Minor League Report: Yimy Tovar Hits First 2 High-A Homers As Storm Romp

Friday saw another split for the four San Diego Padres full-season affiliates. The Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas were pounded by Albuquerque 14-8, the Double-A San Antonio Missions were toppled by Amarillo 8-5, the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps beat Great Lakes 5-2 and the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm cruised past Stockton 15-5.

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Big Offensive Nights Not Enough As Chihuahuas Tumble

Dustin Harris went 4-for-5 and Nick Solak 3-for-4, each homering, driving in a pair and scoring twice, but the host Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas gave up runs in seven of nine innings in a 14-8 loss to the Albuquerque Isotopes.

Ethan Salas, the 20-year-old Padres Mission No. 1 prospect, went 0-for-3 with two walks and a run scored as the designated hitter in his third game after going 5-for-8 with four extra-base hits in his first two games.

Harris, the leadoff hitter, and Solak, the cleanup hitter, combined for seven of the Chihuahuas' nine hits. El Paso also drew seven walks, with Salas and Clay Dungan having a pair. Harris homered for the second night in a row and third time this series, hitting a solo homer in the fourth inning, and Solak a two-run shot in the seventh to pull within 11-8. Harris' blast not only was his third in four games, but his third since joining the Chihuahuas on July 10 and ninth this season, while Solak's was his 13th this year.

Chihuahuas right-handed starter Evan Fitterer got just one out, giving up two runs on a hit and a walk and no strikeouts. Right-hander Logan Gillaspie gave up three runs in 3⅔ innings and right-hander Yasmiel Tamarez three runs in two innings, then right-hander Justin Yeager with five runs in two innings and one run in the ninth inning.

Missions Lose Grasp As Sod Poodles Pull Away

After five scoreless innings, the Double-A San Antonio Missions could match the output by the host Amarillo Sod Poodles in an 8-5 loss, their fourth straight loss.

Right-hander Andrew Thurman gave up three runs in 5⅓ innings on three hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Right-hander Garrett Hawkins, Padres Mission's No. 17 prospect, also gave up three runs in 1⅔ innings on four hits and a walk with no strikeouts, then right-hander Bernard Jose allowed a pair of runs in one-third of an inning on two hits and a walk. Left-hander Igor Gil got the final two outs.

Albert Fabian had two of the Missions' six hits (all singles) and scored a run, while Wyatt Hoffman had a hit and scored twice.

Thurman had a one-hit shutout going into the sixth before giving up a walk, a one-out RBI double and an RBI single before being lifted in what would be a five-run inning. The Missions came back with a four-run seventh as Kai Roberts drew a bases-loaded walk, Brendan Durfee had an RBI grounder that was booted by the third baseman, Ryan Jackson plated a run on a double-play grounder and a wild pitch brought in another to make it 5-4. Amarillo got another in the seventh and two more in the eighth before Roberts' ninth-inning groundout brought in the final run.

3 Pitchers Combine On 2-Hitter, Alex McCoy Shines In TinCaps' Win

Right-handed starter Maikel Miralles didn't allow a hit but did give up two runs while combining with two relievers on a two-hitter as the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps overwhelmed Great Lakes 5-2. Ryan Wideman, Padres Mission's No. 4 prospect, stole two bases to boost his minors-leading total to 60.

Alex McCoy, Padres Mission's No. 14 prospect, went 3-for-4 with a walk, an RBI, a run scored and two stolen bases, while Carlos Rodriguez had two hits and scored a run. Kerrington Cross, Luke Cantwell and Jack Costello were on base twice. McCoy scored the go-ahead run in a three-run eighth on a wild pitch.

While not allowing a hit for five-plus innings, Miralles did walk five as he struck out three, with one of the two runs he allowed in the sixth unearned. He walked the bases loaded to begin the sixth before right-hander Nick Falter took over. A Rodriguez passed ball and a sacrifice fly put the Loons up 2-1. Falter struck out the next two hitters, then yielded a leadoff single to foil the no-hit bid. Right-hander Will Varmette also allowed just one hit in two innings, earning his third save of the season.

Left-hander Kash Mayfield, Padres Mission's No. 2 prospect, had his usual Friday start skipped as he deals with a lingering hamstring injury, according to Dennis Lin of The Athletic. Mayfield would be a possible trade chip in any deadline deal. 

McCoy put the TinCaps up 1-0 with his Midwest League-leading 26th double in the top of the sixth, then Justin DeCriscio tied it 2-2 on a double-play grounder in the seventh. In the eighth, McCoy singled, stole second (his 19th) and went to third on a one-out wild pitch. After Cantwell walked, McCoy scored on another wild pitch, then Rosman Verdugo hit an RBI ground-rule double and Kasen Wells a bases-loaded run-scoring single to make it 5-2.

Yimy Tovar Goes Deep Twice For First Storm Homers In Win

Yimy Tovar went 4-for-4 with his first two Low-A homers and four RBIs as the Lake Elsinore Storm rolled to a 15-5 win over the host Stockton Ports.

George Bilecki had a triple and two doubles with three RBIs and two runs scored, Ty Harvey had two hits and three RBIs and Conner Westenburg and Jose Verdugo each had two hits.

Storm left-handed starter Kruz Schoolcraft, Padres Mission's No. 5 prospect, went four innings, allowing just one run on four hits but with six walks and four strikeouts. Right-hander Jeferson Villabona had two shutout innings with three strikeouts, right-hander Yoesmerli Beltre allowed four runs in 1⅔ innings and right-hander Rordy Mejia finished with 1⅓ shutout innings, striking out four.
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Trailing 1-0 after the first, the Storm took the lead for good on Verdugo's run-scoring single and Bilecki's RBI triple. Tovar, who hit one homer this year in the Arizona Complex League, drilled his first with the Storm in the fourth inning, and a second two-run shot in the seventh inning.

Padres Mission's Top 20 Prospect Performance

1. Ethan Salas: 0-for-3, 2 BB, 2 K
2. Kash Mayfield: DNP
3. Miguel Mendez: DNP
4. Ryan Wideman: 1-for-5, 2 K
5. Kruz Schoolcraft: 4 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 6 BB, 4 K
6. Jorge Quintana: 1-for-6
7. Ty Harvey: 2-for-6, 3 RBI, 1 K
8. Kale Fountain: Injured, out for season
9. Tucker Musgrove: DNP
10. Coleman Borthwick: In Arizona
11. Lamar King Jr.: DNP
12. Braedon Karpathios: DNP
13. Jagger Haynes: DNP
14. Alex McCoy: 3-for-4, 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
15. Truitt Madonna: DNP
16. Jesus Castro: DNP
17. Garrett Hawkins: 1⅔ IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
18. Elliot Lascelles: In Arizona
19. Winyer Chourio: DNP
20. Rosman Verdugo: 1-for-4, 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 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!