Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
Right-hander Michael Kelly continued his run of strong starts for Double-A San Antonio, Alex Dickerson extended his hitting streak to 27 games for Triple-A El Paso and a trio of hitters had big games for Class A Fort Wayne in the Padres' farm system Sunday.
Dickerson was 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI in the Chihuahuas' 3-2 loss at Omaha. The 26-year-old outfielder is 25-for-51 since returning to El Paso on May 14 following a two-week stay with the Padres.
His hitting streak is the longest active streak in professional baseball, the longest in Chihuahuas' history and the longest in Minor League baseball this season. He leads the Pacific Coast League with a .410 batting average. Kelly, 23, the 48th overall pick in the 2011 Draft, allowed one unearned run on two hits and three walks with six strikeouts over six innings Sunday. In four starts for the Missions since being promoted from Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore, Kelly has a 1.54 ERA with 24 strikeouts and seven walks in 23 1/3 innings.
First baseman Ty France had four hits for Fort Wayne Sunday while outfielders Jhonatan Pena and Kodie Tidwell had three hits apiece. France, a product of San Diego State, was 4-for-5 with his third homer for four RBIs and two runs scored to raise his batting average to .258. Tidwell (.227) was 3-for-5 with his first homer and a triple for three RBIs and two runs scored. Pena (.212) was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.
Starting right-hander Enyel De Los Santos (3-1, 2.64 ERA) allowed two runs on four hits and a walk with four strikeouts in five innings as Fort Wayne (26-24) scored a 9-2 win at Lake County. Right-hander Nick Monroe (4.18) allowed two hits and a walk with a strikeout in two scoreless innings. Right-hander Gerardo Reyes (2.84) allowed a run on three hits and two walks in two innings.
San Antonio (16-33) scored a 2-1, 11-inning win over Arkansas at Wolff Stadium. Right-hander Tayron Guerrero followed Kelly and worked a perfect inning in his San Antonio debut. Right-hander Eric Yardley (3.18) allowed a hit in a scoreless inning. Right-hander Jason Jester (2.20) struck out two in a perfect inning. Right-hander Adam Cimber (2-1, 1.83) allowed a hit with three strikeouts in two scoreless innings to get the win.
Left fielder Nick Torres (.276) was 2-for-5 with a triple, a steal and a run scored. Third baseman Gabriel Quintana (.243) was 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI. Center fielder Yeison Asencio (.253) was 1-for-5 with a run scored and game-winning RBI grounder in the 11th.
At Omaha, right-hander Colin Rea made a scheduled one-inning start for the Chihuahuas and allowed a run on a hit and a walk with two strikeouts. He is expected to rejoin the Padres later this week.
Catcher Ricardo Valenzuela was promoted from San Antonio to El Paso after the Chihuahuas placed catcher Jason Hagerty on the seven-day disabled list. With left-handed Keith Hassler returning to El Paso from the Padres, Guerrero was transferred from El Paso to San Antonio, where left-hander Ramon Benjamin was released by the Missions.
Around the farm
CLASS A ADVANCED LAKE ELSINORE (24-27): Stockton 4, STORM 3. DH Josh VanMeter (.301) and 3B River Stevens (.240) each had a solo homer in four at-bats. RF Franmil Reyes (205) was 2-for-4 with a triple and a run scored. CF Edwin Moreno (.258) was 2-for-4 with a RBI. Starting RHP Zech Lemond (1-1, 3.00 ERA) allowed four runs on 10 hits and a walk with three strikeouts in seven innings. LHP Trevor Seidenberger (6.75) and RHP Colby Blueberg (1.17) each had a strikeout in a perfect inning.