Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
Fort Wayne catcher Austin Allen extended his season-opening hitting streak to six games Tuesday night, although the 1-for-4 performance at Great Lakes sliced into his batting average.
Allen singled in the TinCaps' 3-1 loss as his batting average plunged from .788 to .682 (15-for-22). He still leads all of professional baseball in hits and batting average.
Meanwhile, Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore ran its record to 5-1 with a 3-2 win at High Desert and Double-A San Antonio defeated Tulsa, 6-3, behind a three-run homer by shortstop Nelson Ward.
Ward, 23, who came to the Padres' organization from Seattle last summer in the trade that sent reliever Joaquin Benoit to the Mariners, went 2-for-4 with a double, a homer and a walk with three RBIs and two runs scored. He is hitting .238 on the season.
Center fielder Auston Bousfield (.250) was 2-for-3 with a walk and a RBI for the Missions (3-3) at San Antonio. Third baseman Gabriel Quintana (.211) had a two-run double in four at-bats.
Right-handed starter Fabio Castillo (1-1, 4.91 ERA) allowed three runs on two hits and three walks with six strikeouts in five innings to pick up the win for the Missions. Right-hander Kyle Lloyd followed with three scoreless innings, allowing a hit with four strikeouts. Right-hander Adam Cimber picked up his first save with a strikeout in a perfect ninth.
Right-hander Dinelson Lamet (1-0, 4.00 ERA) picked up the win for Lake Elsinore, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks with three strikeouts over five innings. But it was the Storm bullpen that preserved the win with four scoreless innings.
Left-hander Trevor Seidenberger allowed a hit and a walk in 1 1/3 innings. Right-hander T.J. Weir (0.00 ERA) struck out both hitters he faced and right-hander Jimmy Brasoban got his second save by allowing a walk with two strikeouts in two innings.
Around the farm
TRIPLE-A EL PASO (1-3): The Chihuahuas has their second rainout of the season at Tacoma. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader July 28.
CLASS A FORT WAYNE (3-3): GREAT LAKES 3, TicCaps 1. Right-hander Walker Lockett (0-1, 0.82 ERA) suffered the loss, although he made his second straight strong start to open the season. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound 21-year-old allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits and a walk with six strikeouts over six innings. In two starts, Lockett has allowed one earned run on nine hits and a walk with 12 strikeouts in 11 innings. RHP Nick Monroe followed Lockett and allowed a run on a hit and a walk with six strikeouts in two innings. First baseman Ty France (.364) from San Diego State was 3-for-3 with two doubles and a RBI.