Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
Austin Hedges hit a grand slam Tuesday night, and outfielders Hunter Renfroe and Jabari Blash also homered for Triple-A El Paso as the Chihuahuas defeated Salt Lake 11-6 in the Texas City.
Hedges, in the lineup as the designated hitter, was 3-for-4 with his fifth homer and two runs scored to raise his batting average to .342 as the Pacific Coast League's Pacific South-leading Chihuahuas improved to 41-30.
Renfroe (.314) hit his 16th homer in five at-bats with two RBIs and two runs scored. Blash (.250) was 2-for-4 with his sixth homer, two RBIs and two runs scored.
Third baseman Casey McElroy (.317) was 3-for-3 with a triple and a RBI. Center fielder Manuel Margot (.294) was 2-for-5 with a run scored. Second baseman Carlos Asuaje (.324) was 2-for-5 with a triple, two RBIs and a run scored.
Starting right-hander Bryan Rodriguez (3-1, 4.64 earned run average) allowed five runs on eight hits and a walk with three strikeouts in five innings.
Left-hander Buddy Baumann (2.16) allowed a run on a hit and two walks in a third of an inning. Right-hander Jose Dominguez (2.86) allowed a hit and two walks in 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Left-hander Keith Hessler (3.86) allowed a hit with a strikeout in 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Right-hander Leonel Campos (3.72) struck out two in a scoreless inning.
Fort Wayne outfielder Michael Gettys was 0-for-2 with a walk, two stolen bases, a run scored and an outfield assist as his East team defeated the West 11-10 Tuesday in the low Single-A Midwest League All-Star Game.
TinCaps catcher Austin Allen was 0-for-2. Right-hander J.C. Cosme started the game for the East and allowed four runs on four hits without retiring a hitter. Fort Wayne right-hander Jake Nix followed Cosme, and pitched a perfect inning. Fort Wayne right-hander Enyel De Los did not pitch.
Second baseman Luis Urias and third baseman Josh VanMeter were each 1-for-2 as the Carolina League scored a 6-4 win in the advanced Single-A California-Carolina Leagues All-Star Game Tuesday night before 4,535 at The Diamond in Lake Elsinore.
Starting right-hander Chris Huffman of the Storm allowed a run on a walk in a hitless first to suffer the loss. Left-hander Brad Wieck pitched a perfect inning. Storm right-hander Colby Blueberg allowed a hit in a scoreless inning.
AROUND THE FARM:
DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (0-1, 22-49) - Corpus Christi 5, MISSIONS 1: LF Nick Torres (.304) was 2-for-4 with a run scored. RF Nick Schulz (.296) was 1-for-1 with three walks. Starting RHP Aaron Northcraft (1-1, 3.24 ERA) allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks with six strikeouts in five innings. RHP Seth Simmons (2.25) gave up two hits with three strikeouts in two scoreless innings. RHP Tayron Guerrero (2.70) struck out two in a scoreless inning. RHP Rafael De Paula (2.70) gave up an unearned run on a hit and a walk in an inning.
SHORT-SEASON CLASS A TRI-CITY (2-3) - RF Alan Garcia (.278) was 2-for-5 with a RBI and a run scored. Starting RHP Braxton Lorenzini gave up five runs on four hits and three walks with three strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings. RHP Diomar Lopez (1.50) allowed three hits with a strikeout. In 3 1/3 scoreless innings. RHP Jesse Scholtens (0.00) gave up an unearned run on two hits and a walk with three strikeouts in two innings. RHP Aaron Cressley (5.40) allowed two runs on a hit with three walks and two strikeouts in an inning. LHP Jose Castillo (4.50) struck out one in a perfect inning.
ARIZONA ROOKIE PADRES (0-1) - The Padres were off Tuesday.
DSL PADRES (6-8) - BLUE JAYS 7, PADRES 1 - The Padres were rained out Tuesday.