Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
Austin Hedges homered in a fifth straight game and catcher Hector Sanchez hit two homers in his first game for Triple-A El Paso and high Single-A Lake Elsinore pounded out 20 hits for a second straight game at Lancaster Sunday.
Hedges, 23, hit his ninth homer in the first game of a doubleheader Sunday afternoon in Reno. Hedges, who took Saturday off, has homers in each of the last five games he has played and has seven homers in his last nine games. Hedges, who also has a nine-game hitting streak, was 1-for-3 with four RBIs in the Chihuahuas 7-4 win in the opener.
The Pacific Coast League record for homers in consecutive games is seven.
Sanchez, who was outrighted to El Paso Saturday night after clearing waivers with the Padres, was 2-for-3 with two homers and three RBIs as the Chihuahuas dropped the second, seven-inning game in Reno by a 6-4 score.
Right-hander Edwin Jackson also made his debut with El Paso Sunday, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits and a walk with two strikeouts as the starting pitcher in the second game. El Paso (45-32) led 4-2 going into the bottom of the sixth.
Second baseman Carlos Asuaje (.325) was 3-for-7 with a double, a walk, a RBI and three runs scored in the two games. Right fielder Hunter Renfroe (.317) was 3-for-7 with two doubles and two runs scored. First baseman Jason Hagerty (.290) was 2-for-3 with a run scored in the first game.
Right-hander Eric Yardley (1.74 earned run average) made his first professional start in the opener and allowed three runs (one earned) on seven hits with two strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. Right-hander Leonel Campos (2-1, 3.52 ERA) issued a walk with a strikeout in two-thirds of an inning. Left-hander Keith Hessler (4.41) allowed a run on a hit with five strikeouts in two innings.
Right-hander Johnny Hellweg (10.13 ERA) allowed a hit with two strikeouts in a scoreless inning. Left-hander Buddy Baumann (1.59) allowed a walk with a strikeout in an inning. Starting right-hander Jose Dominguez (3-3, 3.79) gave up four runs on five hits and two walks with two strikeouts in one inning to suffer the loss.
Lake Elsinore scored a 17-11 win at Lancaster to improve to 3-1 in the second half of the California League season and 35-39 overall. The Storm scored 31 runs on 40 hits Saturday and Sunday.
Designated hitter Josh VanMeter (.290) was 2-for-4 with his 11th homer, two RBIs and two runs scored. Center fielder Michael Gettys (.444) was 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored. Catcher A.J. Kennedy (.444) was 3-for-5 with a double with two RBIs and three runs scored. Second baseman Daniel Bravo (.200) was 3-for-5 with a double, a RBI and two runs scored.
Shortstop Javier Guerra (.206) was 2-for-6 with a double, three RBIs and two runs scored. Third baseman Luis Urias (.321) was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Center fielder Franchy Cordero (.285) was 2-for-6 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored. First baseman Ricardo Valenzuela (.375) was 2-for-4 with a RBI and two runs scored.
Starting right-hander Brett Kennedy (4.25 ERA) allowed two runs on four hits and three walks with two strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings. Right-hander Martires Arias (4.66) allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts in two-thirds of an inning.
Left-hander Brad Wieck (3-1, 1.62) struck out three in 1 2/3 perfect innings. Right-hander Trey Wingenter (4.26) allowed two runs on a hit and a walk with two strikeouts in two innings. Right-hander Colby Blueberg (1.95) allowed four runs (three earned) on three hits and two walks with a strikeout in an inning.
AROUND THE FARM:
DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (2-4, 24-52) -- MIDLAND 3, Missions 0: Starting RHP Aaron Northcraft (1-2, 3.32 ERA) allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk with two strikeouts in five innings. LHP Jose Torres (0.87 ERA, one strikeout), RHP Yimmi Brasoban (1.74 ERA, one strikeout) and RHP Jason Jester (1.67 ERA, two strikeouts) all followed with a perfect inning of relief.
LOW SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (3-1, 39-35) -- BOWLING GREEN 8, TinCaps 5: RF Jhonatan Pena (.233) was 2-for-4 with his fifth homer and two RBIs. 3B Carlos Belen (.205) was 1-for-4 with his fourth homer and three RBIs. C Austin Allen (.321) had a double in four at-bats with a run scored. Starting RHP Jake Nix (4.09 ERA) allowed five runs on seven hits and a walk with three strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. RHP Blake Rogers (1-1, 4.58) allowed three runs on five hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings. LHP Elvin Liriano (3.48) struck out two in two perfect innings.
SHORT-SEASON SINGLE-A TRI-CITY (5-5) -- SALEM-KEIZER 4, Dust Devils 3: Starting RHP Braxton Lorenzini (4.95 ERA) allowed two runs on seven hits and a walk with four strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. RHP Diomar Lopez (2.16) allowed a run on two hits in 2 1/3 innings. RHP Jesse Scholtens (0-1, 1.69) allowed a run on three hits and a walk with three strikeouts in 1 1/3 innings.
ARIZONA ROOKIE PADRES (4-1) -- The Padres were off Sunday.
DSL PADRES (9-9) -- The Dominican Summer League does not play on Sundays.