SAN ANTONIO (Sept. 2, 2026) — Tirso Ornelas, Braedon Karpathios and Anthony Vilar went yard over the right field wall of The Wolff Wednesday night, setting the tone for the San Antonio Missions (26-33) offense for the rest of the evening as they banged a season-high 19 hits in a 13-5 win over the Midland RockHounds (28-31).
San Antonio’s lefty starter Luis Gutierrez showed up and showed out against the RockHounds, keeping them quiet in his brief showing as he continues to progress back from rehab. The Venezuelan allowed only three hits across three innings while striking out four.
Ornelas sent a three-run homer just over the right field wall of The Wolff to score Karpathios and Alex McCoy after their base hits in the opening frame to give the Missions an early 3-0 advantage three batters in. Romeo Sanabria and Justin DeCriscio kept the momentum going with consecutive singles. Luis Verdugo flew out to center field for the first out of the stanza but advanced Sanabria into third base in the process, and Vilar fired off a frozen rope to center field to score Sanabria off the sixth hit in the inning.
Karpathios went deep to right field to score another run for the Missions in the second stanza to grow their lead 5-0. Vilar crushed a two-out dinger to the opposite field in the third frame. Wyatt Hoffman and Kai Roberts did not let up for the Missions in the inning as Hoffman’s line drive set up Roberts for an RBI triple. Karpathios rounded out the two-out rally with his third hit of the game to grow the Missions lead 8-0.
Victor Lizarraga took over the mound in the fourth inning looking to piggyback Gutierrez. After keeping the RockHounds scoreless in the fourth, Lizarraga surrendered three runs off five hits in the fifth frame including a home run to Bobby Boser as Midland cut into the San Antonio lead. Lizarraga responded by retiring the side in the sixth stanza. The seesaw battle continued in the seventh inning after Lizarraga plunked Clark Elliott with a pitch. A sequence of back-to-back doubles, a stolen bag, an outfield knock, double and another hit by pitch rained down on Lizarraga as the RockHounds chopped the Missions’ lead down 8-5. Sadrac Franco replaced Lizarraga with two away and the bases loaded. Franco managed to get out the jam with a clutch strikeout of Boser.
Although Midland clawed back into the battle, the Missions continued to pour it on in the seventh and eighth stanzas scoring five more runs off two sacrifice flies and two base hits. Braedon Karpathios’s fifth hit in the eighth made it the first five-hit game for a Mission since Brandon Valenzuela’s in May of 2025, which was also against the RockHounds.
Johan Moreno capped off the night with two final strikeouts and a lineout in the ninth inning to close out the Missions win.
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Join us for Taco Bell Value Night! Enjoy discounted tickets in all sections of the ballpark. PLUS, $2 American Draft Beer, $2 Hot Dogs, $2 Soda, and $2 Popcorn! You could walk away with a game-worn jersey! Fans can enter at the gates for a chance to win an autographed, game-worn jersey. Winners will be selected throughout the game and receive their jerseys from the players after the game. Must be 18 or older to enter. Presented by Security Service Federal Credit Union. Catch all the action on Country Legends KKYX, 680 AM, 104.9 FM and kkyx.com. Tickets are available at samissions.com or by calling 210-675-7275.
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The San Antonio Missions are the Double-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The Missions were established in 1888 and have brought affordable family fun to the Alamo City for more than 120 seasons. The 13-time Texas League champions play their home games at Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium. For more information and tickets, call 210-675-7275 or visit samissions.com.