Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
The Padres' two Class A affiliates took different paths to home victories Saturday night.
Led by early-season hitting leaders Luis Tejada and Austin Allen, Class A Fort Wayne improved to 7-3 with a 14-hit, 14-4 victory over South Bend.
Meanwhile, right-handed starter Chris Huffman and three relievers combined on a six-hit shutout as Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore defeated Rancho Cucamonga to raise their record to 6-4.
Huffman, 23, who has a 2.00 ERA after two starts, allowed two hits with six strikeouts in four innings.
Left-hander Taylor Seidenberger, who was acquired by the Padres in January in exchange for outfielder Rymer Liriano, allowed a walk with a strikeout in two otherwise perfect innings. Seidenberger, 23, picked up his first win while lowering his ERA to 1.69.
Left-hander Kyle McGrath (0.00 ERA) allowed a hit with three strikeouts in two innings. Right-hander Jimmy Brasoban (0.00) allowed a hit in the ninth to earn his third save.
Center fielder Franchy Cordero (.275) led Lake Elsinore offensively, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Second baseman Luis Urias (.314) was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Catcher Jose Ruiz (.300) had a double and a run scored in three at-bats.
Fort Wayne continued its run as the highest-scoring team in the minor leagues while raising its team batting average to .301. Catcher Allen's batting average slipped for the third straight day despite a third straight two-hit game. Allen, 22, was 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored and a RBI and is now hitting .636 (21-for-33) with four doubles, a homer, eight RBIs and 10 runs scored in nine games. Allen has a .658 on-base percentage and a .848 slugging percentage for a 1.506 OPS.
Right fielder Tejada was 3-for-3 with two doubles, an RBI and three runs scored. Tejada is hitting .419 and is 9-for-11 over the last three games with eight RBIs.
Left fielder Rod Boykin (.200) was 3-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored. Shortstop Ruddy Giron (.263) was 2-for-5 with a triple, three RBIs and a run scored. Third baseman Ty France (.297) was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Second baseman Peter Van Gansen (.387) drove in two runs and scored a run despite going 0-for-3.
Right-handed starter Enyel De Los Santos, 20, allowed two hits and four walks with four strikeouts in four innings to lower his ERA to 2.35. Right-hander Nick Monroe (1-0, 0.00 ERA) allowed a hit and a walk with two strikeouts in three scoreless innings to get the win. Right-hander Louis Distasio (3.60) allowed a run on a hit and two walks with two strikeouts in three innings.
AROUND THE FARM
TRIPLE-A EL PASO (2-6) - Reno 13, CHIHUAHUAS 5: Outfielder Hunter Renfroe (.294) had his second straight three-hit game, hitting three doubles in five at-bats with two runs scored. Alex Dickerson (.300) was 2-for-2 with two RBIs. Jemile Weeks (.227) was 2-for-4. 1B James Loney (.240) was 2-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored. Right-handed starter Justin Hancock (0-1, 12.00 ERA) allowed six runs on eight hits and a walk in an inning-plus. RHP Aaron Northcraft allowed a hit with four strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings. RHP Tayron Guerrero (0.00) walked two and struck out one in two hitless innings.
DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (4-5): SPRINGFIELD 9, Missions 4: Pinch-hitter Taylor Lindsey hit a two-run homer for San Antonio. Right-handed starter Luis Diaz (1-1, 5.73 ERA) gave up seven runs on 10 hits and a walk with four strikeouts in four innings. LHP Kyle Bartsch (14.54 ERA) gave up two runs on a hit and three walks in two innings. RHP Adam Cimber (1.69) allowed a hit with two strikeouts in two scoreless innings.