Casey Kelly throws four scoreless innings in first 2015 start

Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.

Right-hander Casey Kelly allowed two hits with a strikeout over four scoreless innings for Double-A San Antonio Thursday night in his first start of the 2015 season.

Kelly, 25, is still in the rehab process from "Tommy John" elbow reconstruction surgery in the spring of 2015. He opened the season in the Missions bullpen as a way to limit his total innings for the season.

Kelly has a 3.27 earned run average for San Antonio in 22 innings covering 14 appearances.

Kelly's was one of five strong outings by starting pitchers in the Padres minor league system Thursday, although the lack of defense and offense hurt the bottom line.

Triple-A left-hander Jason Lane, 38, allowed five runs on nine hits and a walk over six innings. But only one of the runs were earned as Lane fell to 3-4 despite a 3.92 ERA.

High Single-A right-hander Kyle Lloyd (2-2, 3.27 ERA) got better results as he allowed no runs on three hits and a walk with seven strikeouts over seven innings as three Storm pitchers combined for a shutout in Lake Elsinore's 8-0 win at Inland Empire.

Low Single-A, right-hander Chris Huffman and left-hander Jose Castillo combined to go 11 innings without allowing an unearned run, although the TinCaps lost a doubleheader to Great Lakes at Fort Wayne by scores of 1-0 and 2-1.

Huffman (1-3, 4.50 ERA) allowed one unearned run on three hits and four walks with four strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings in the seven-inning opener.

Castillo, who was promoted earlier in the day from the roster of the Arizona Rookie Padres, allowed a hit and two walks with five strikeouts in five scoreless innings in the seven-inning second game.

To make room for Castillo on the roster, the Padres moved RHP Wilson Santos from Fort Wayne to the roster of short-season Single-A Tri-City.

AROUND THE FARM:
TRIPLE-A EL PASO (24-23): ROUND ROCK 5, Chihuahuas 3 - PH-2B Casey McElroy (.216) was 2-for-2 with a double and a run scored. Cody Decker (.276) also had a RBI single as a pinch-hitter. C Rocky Gale (.327) was 2-for-4. RF Rymer Liriano (.272) was 2-for-5 with a run scored. RHP Leonel Campos (2.74 ERA) followed the hard-luck Lane and had a strikeout in a perfect inning. RHP Stephen Kohlscheen (6.33 ERA) allowed a hit with a strikeout in a scoreless inning.

DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (18-28): ARKANSAS 1, Missions 0 - RHP Dennis O'Grady followed Kelly with two scoreless innings, allowing a hit and a walk with two strikeouts. RHP Tayron Guerrero (1-3, 2.95 ERA) suffered the loss on an unearned run with one out in the ninth. He allowed the one unearned run on two hits and two walks with three strikeouts in 1 1/3 innings. SS Trea Turner (.339) was 1-for-4 with a steal to stretch his streaks to 14 straight games with a hit and 27 straight games reaching base. CF Travis Jankowski missed a third straight game with a bruised finger.

HIGH SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (20-26): Storm 8, INLAND EMPIRE 0 - RHP Genison Reyes (5.27 ERA) followed Lloyd and a allowed a hit and a walk with a strikeout in a scoreless eighth. RHP Luis Hernandez (3.86 ERA) allowed two hits in a scoreless ninth. 3B Gabriel Quintana (.224) was 3-for-4 with a double and his fifth home run for two RBIs and three runs scored. LF Kyle Gaedele (.266) was 3-for-4 with a triple and a run scored. DH Marcus Davis (.244) was 2-for-5 with a double and a RBI. CF Donavan Tate (.215) was 1-for-4 with a sacrifice fly and two stolen bases.

LOW SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (18-29): Great Lakes 1-2, TIN CAPS 0-1 - RHP Seth Lucio (4.43) followed Huffman in the opener and struck out a hitter in two-thirds of an inning. LHP Taylor cox (5.88 ERA) followed Castillo in the second game and allowed two hits in a scoreless sixth. But RHP Colby Blueberg (0-1, 1.80 ERA) blew the save and suffered the loss, allowing two runs on two hits and a walk with a strikeout in the final inning. SS Ruddy Giron (.453) had a double in five at-bats in the two games. CF Michael Gettys (.237) was 1-for-6 with a steal. RF Franmil Reyes (.223) was 1-for-6 with a triple and the TinCaps' lone RBI. 1B Trae Santos (.236) was 1-for-6 with a double and scored the only run.