Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
Right-handed starters Walker Lockett and Emmanuel Ramirez and left-hander Joey Lucchesi turned in strong outings; Gabriel Quintana hit two homers in Double-A San Antonio's doubleheader split at Arknasas, and El Paso snapped a six-game losing streak Wednesday night in the Padres' farm system.
Center fielder Manuel Margot (.306) had a two-run double in three at-bats with two walks and a run scored as El Paso scored a 5-3 win at Colorado Springs. The 66-59 Chihuahuas' magic number to clinch the Triple-A Pacific Coast League's Pacific Southern Division title is 13.
Shortstop Luis Sandinas was 2-for-5 with a double, a RBI and two runs scored. Second baseman Carlos Asuaje (.323) was 2-for-5 with a double and a RBI.
Starting right-hander Daniel McCutchen (10-9, 6.48 earned run average) allowed three runs on eight hits and two walks with three strikeouts in six innings. Left-hander Daniel Moskos (3.08) allowed a hit in 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Right-hander Eric Yardley (3.50) allowed a hit and a walk in two-thirds of an inning. Left-hander Buddy Baumann (1.23) pitched two-thirds perfect inning for his second save.
Lockett (4-1, 2.08 ERA) allowed a run on four hits and a walk with two strikeouts as San Antonio (27-25, 49-73) won the first game of the doubleheader at Arkansas by a 5-2 score. Arkansas won the second, seven-inning game 5-2.
Quintana (.249) was 2-for-6 with two homers and four RBIs in the doubleheader. Right fielder Nick Schulz (.284) had two doubles in five at-bats with a walk and a run scored. Second baseman Nelson Ward (.231) had a double in two at-bats with a walk, a steal and two runs scored. Center fielder Franchy Cordero (.321) was 2-for-7.
Right-hander Michael Dimock, who was transferred from El Paso to San Antonio earlier Wednesday, allowed a run on a hit with two strikeouts in the final inning of the first game.
Right-hander Kyle Lloyd (6-6, 3.67 ERA) started the second game and allowed three runs on four hits and a walk with two strikeouts in three innings to suffer the loss in the second game. Right-hander T.J. Weir (6.38) allowed two runs on two hits and two walks with two strikeouts in two innings. RHP Jake Smith (0.00) struck out two in a perfect inning.
Ramirez (2-1, 4.35 ERA) allowed a run on five hits and two walks with eight strikeouts for Single-A Fort Wayne. Lucchesi (1.69 ERA) allowed a run on two hits and a walk with five strikeouts for short-season Single-A Tri-City.
In other moves Wednesday, outfielder Auston Bousfield was activated from El Paso's seven-day disabled list while infielder Casey McElroy was placed on the Chihuahuas' seven-day disabled list. Right-handed reliever Leonel Campos was added to the El Paso roster after being optioned by the Padres.
AROUND THE FARM:
ADVANCED SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (30-23, 62-61): Inland Empire 5, STORM 2: DH Ty France (.327) was 2-for-4 and drove in both Lake Elsinore runs. LF Taylor Kohlwey (.296) had a double in four at-bats and scored both runs. Starting RHP Brett Kennedy (5-9, 3.31 ERA) allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits and two walks with five strikeouts in five innings. RHP Colby Blueberg (3.03) allowed a run on three hits and three walks with two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings. RHP Gerardo Reyes (5.40) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings. RHP Ben Paullus (4.73) allowed a run on a hit in an inning.
SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (20-32, 56-66): DAYTON 2, TinCaps 0: 3B Taylor Selesky (.338) and RF Alan Garcia (.231) were each 1-for-4 for the TinCaps' only hits. LHP Elvin Liriano (3.03) followed Ramirez and allowed a run on two hits with two strikeouts in two innings.
SHORT-SEASON SINGLE-A TRI-CITY (8-12, 27-31) - EVERETT 5, Dust Devils 2: CF Buddy Reed (.216) was 2-for-4. DH Kyle Overstreet (.237) was 1-for-4 with two RBIs. 2B Nate Easley (.277) was 1-for-3 with a walk, a steal and a run scored. SS Chris Baker (.303) was 1-for-3 with a steal and a run scored. RHP Braxton Lorenzini (3-4, 6.37) followed Lucchesi and allowed two unearned runs on two hits and three walks with six strikeouts in four innings.
ARIZONA ROOKIE PADRES (21-25) - Padres 8, RANGERS 6:CF Tre Carter (.533) was 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBIs and a run scored. SS Fernando Tatis Jr. (.273) was 2-for-4 with a walk and a steal for three runs scored. 2B Reinaldo Ilarraza (.269) was 2-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored. 1B Luis Anguizola (.264) was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. C Jose Lezama (.270) was 2-for-5 with a run scored. Starting RHP Reggie Lawson (4.50) allowed a run on two hits with two strikeouts in two innings. RHP Starlin Cordero (2-1, 3.00) allowed a hit and a walk with a strikeout in two scoreless innings. LHP Ben Sheckler (4.73) allowed a run on two hits and a walk in two innings. RHP Grant Zawadzki (4.71) struck out one in a perfect inning. RHP Kyle Gauthier (6.26) allowed four runs on five hits in an inning. RHP Wilmer Torres (2.79) struck out one in a perfect inning for his seventh save.
DOMINICAN SUMMER LEAGUE PADRES (31-32) - PADRES 7, Blue Jays 4: RF Jaffe Garcia (.250) was 1-for-4 with a homer and a walk with two runs scored. 2B Eguy Rosario (.341) was 2-for-4 with a steal, a walk and two runs scored. SS Kelvin Melean (.276) had a double and a triple in four at-bats with a steal, two RBIs and two runs scored. CF Edward Burgos (.303) was 2-for-5 with a triple and two RBIs. LF Danny Tovar (.290) was 2-for-3 with a triple, a walk a RBI and two runs scored. C Blinger Perez (.195) and 3B Kelvin Alarcon (.263) were each 1-for-3 with a walk and a RBI. Starting RHP Oliber Guzman (2.94 ERA) allowed two runs on six hits in four innings. RHP Luis Martinez (3-1, 11.12) allowed a run on three hits and two walks with two strikeouts in three innings. LHP Eduardo Solano (4.45) allowed an unearned run on a hit and a walk with three strikeouts in two innings.