Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
Left-handed starting pitchers Eric Lauer and Frank Garces turned in strong outings Friday night in the Padres' Minor League system.
Lauer, the Padres' third, first-round pick in the Draft, allowed two hits and a walk with two strikeouts over three innings for short-season Class A Tri-City. In two starts for the Dust Devils, Lauer, the 25th overall pick in the Draft, has given up four hits and a walk with five strikeouts in six scoreless innings.
Garces, 26, allowed two runs on three hits with four strikeouts over seven innings with Triple-A El Paso in a 2-1 loss at Tacoma. Garces is 4-5 on the season with a 4.88 ERA in 30 appearances (11 starts).
There was one move in the Padres' system Friday. Right-handed pitcher T.J. Weir was activated from Double-A San Antonio's disabled list and transferred to Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore.
AROUND THE FARM
TRIPLE-A EL PASO (60-47): TACOMA 2, Chihuahuas 1. RHP Michael Dimock (3.90 ERA) followed Garces and allowed a hit in a scoreless inning. C Austin Hedges (.352) was 1-for-3 and drove in El Paso's lone run.
DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (18-17, 40-65): Missions 4, FRISCO 3. DH Chase Jensen (.164) was 2-for-4 with his third homer and a stolen base. 2B Nelson Ward (.238) was 3-for-5 with a steal and two runs scored. RF Nick Schulz (.276) was 2-for-5 with a double, a RBI and a run scored. Starting RHP Walker Lockett (2-1, 3.38 ERA) allowed three runs on six hits and a walk with five strikeouts in five innings. RHP Yimmi Brasoban (1.99) allowed a hit with three strikeouts in an inning for a second save.
CLASS A ADVANCED LAKE ELSINORE (20-15, 52-53): INLAND EMPIRE 10, Storm 3. RF Franmil Reyes (.245) was 3-for-4 with a double and his 10 homer for three RBIs. Starting LHP Thomas Dorminy (1-7, 9.67 ERA) allowed eight runs (six earned) on nine hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings. RHP Colby Blueberg (2.72) allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks with a strikeout in 2 2/3 innings.
CLASS A FORT WAYNE (13-21, 49-55): TIN CAPS 8, West Michigan 7. 2B Nick Vitter (.215) was 3-for-4 with a double, his first homer and four RBIs. CF Tyler Moore (.237) was 2-for-2 with two walks and three runs scored. C Asutin Allen (.309) was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Starting RHP Jean Cosme (3.61 ERA) allowed a hit with a strikeout in an inning. RHP Blake Rogers (6.75) gave up six runs on seven hits with a strikeout in three innings. LHP Elvin Liriano (1-0, 2.45) allowed three hits with four strikeouts over three scoreless innings to get the win.
SHORT-SEASON TRI-CITY (1-3, 20-22): VANCOUVER 4, Dust Devils 3. 2B Nate Easley (.298) was 3-for-4 with a double, a RBI and two runs scored. LF Aldemar Burgos (.196) was 3-for-4 with a RBI RHP Adrian De Horta (4.50 ERA) followed Lauer and allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk with three strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings. RHP Will Stillman (0.61) struck out two in 1 2/3 perfect innings.
ARIZONA ROOKIE PADRES (13-18): Indians 11, PADRES 6. SS Hudson Potts (.314) was 2-for-5 with a double, a RBI and a run scored. Starting LHP Ben Scheckler (3.71) allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts in two innings. RHP Kyle Gauthier (0-3, 5.52 ERA) allowed six runs (three earned) on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings.
DOMINICAN SUMMER LEAGUE PADRES (21-26): PADRES 4-0, Diamondbacks 1-3. 3B Eguy Rosario (.325) was 4-for-6 in the split of seven-inning games with two doubles, a RBI and a run scored. C Blinger Perez (.196) was 2-for-3 with a run scored. 1B Felix Suarez (.239) was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Starting RHP Dauris Valdez (2-2, 4.10 ERA) allowed an unearned run on four hits and two walks with three strikeouts in six innings. RHP Edwuin Bencomo (5.63) allowed a hit and a walk with a strikeout in a scoreless inning to get his fourth save. LHP Omar Fernandez (0.84) allowed a hit in 2 1/3 scoreless innings as the second-game starter. LHP Adolfo Hernandez (0-2, 1.93) allowed two unearned runs on two hits with two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings to suffer the loss.