Hedges has homer, three hits at Triple-A
Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
Catcher Austin Hedges and center fielder Michael Gettys, two of the Padres' top prospects, had three hits apiece Wednesday night for their respective clubs.
Hedges and third baseman Brett Wallace homered, as Triple-A El Paso (3-4) defeated Reno, 4-2, at Southwest University Park in El Paso.
Gettys led low Class A Fort Wayne to its first win of the season.
Hedges, 22, was 3-for-4 Wednesday, and he is off to a 7-for-18 start (.438). Wallace (.476) was 1-for-2 with two walks. Second baseman Taylor Lindsey was 1-for-3 and drove in the Chihuahuas' other two runs.
Right-handed starter Aaron Northcraft (1-1) allowed two runs on four hits and four walks with four strikeouts in five innings to pick up the win.
Four Chihuahuas right-handed relievers allowed one hit over four scoreless innings while striking out eight to close out the win. Jerry Sullivan allowed the lone hit and had a strikeout in the sixth. Cory Mazzoni struck out the side in a perfect seventh. Nick Vincent had two strikeouts in a perfect eighth. Marcos Mateo struck out two in a perfect ninth to pick up his first save.
Before the game, the Chihuahuas optioned right-handed reliever Adam Cimber to Double-A San Antonio while recalling right-handed reliever Stephen Kohlscheen from the Missions.
Around the farm
Double-A San Antonio (3-3): The Missions had Wednesday off.
Advanced Class A Lake Elsinore (3-4): High Desert 9, Storm 2. Starting right-handed pitcher Zech Lemond (0-1) allowed four runs on seven hits and a walk with seven strikeouts over six innings. Third baseman Gabriel
Quintana hit a two-run homer for the Storm's only runs. Catcher Robert Kral was 2-for-4.
Class A Fort Wayne (1-3): Tin Caps 10, South Bend 7. Gettys was 3-for-4 with an RBI to raise his batting average to .412. Designated hitter Nick Torres (.467) was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Catcher Jose Ruiz (.364) was 1-for-4 with two RBIs. Shortstop Franchy Cordero was 1-for-4 with two RBIs, two runs scored, a double, a steal and his second error in four games. Right-handed starter Ernesto Montas picked up the win, allowing a run on five hits with two strikeouts in two innings. Right-hander Bryan Verbitsky struck out one in a perfect inning to get his first save.