Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
Several prospects on the Padres' Top 30 list had productive nights down on the farm Tuesday.
Luis Urias, 18 and the youngest player in the California League, was 3-for-5 with a home run, a steal and drove in all four runs for Class A Lake Advanced Elsinore in a 5-4 loss to San Jose. The 5-foot-9 Urias, who started at third base, raised his batting average to .326.
Right fielder Hunter Renfroe, 24, the Padres' first round pick (13th overall) in the 2013 Draft, was 2-for-3 with a double, two walks and two runs scored for Triple-A El Paso. He is hitting .317.
Center fielder Manuel Margot, 21, was 2-for-5 with a RBI to push his batting average with El Paso to .214.
Designated hitter Alex Dickerson (.310) was 2-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored for El Paso.
Catcher Austin Allen (.558) was 0-for-4 with Class A Fort Wayne to have his 11-game hitting streak snapped. But he still scored a run and drove in a run.
Meanwhile, Double-A San Antonio (5-7) scored an 8-3 victory at Tulsa behind third baseman Diego Goris' 2-for-4 day with a homer, four RBIs and two runs scored . Center fielder Auston Bousfield (.216) was 2-for-3 with a double, two walks, his fourth steal and two runs scored for the Missions. Second baseman Taylor Lindsey (.250) was 2-for-4 with a triple, a walk, a RBI and a run scored.
Starting right-hander Bryan Rodriguez (2-0, 2.16 ERA) allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts in five innings. Left-handed pitcher Ramon Benjamin (4.05) allowed a hit and a walk with four strikeouts in three scoreless innings. Right-hander Rafael De Paula (2.08) allowed a walk with two strikeouts in the ninth.
There was one move in the organization Tuesday. Right-handed relief pitcher Eric Yardley was promoted from San Antonio to El Paso. Right-handed starter Justin Hancock was placed on the Chihuahuas' seven-day disabled list.
Around the farm
TRIPLE-A EL PASO: Tacoma 11, CHIHUAHUAS 7. LF Jose Pirela (.297) was 3-for-5 with a triple, a stolen base, two runs scored and a RBI. 1B James Loney (.243) had a three-run double. Starting RHP Jeremy Guthrie (0-3, 11.77) allowed 11 runs on nine hits and three walks with four strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. LHP Frank Garces (4.32) allowed two hits and a walk with a strikeout in 1 2/3 innings. RHP Tayron Guerrero (0.00) issued a walk with a strikeout in an inning. Yardley allowed no runs on three hits with two strikeouts over two innings in his Pacific Coast League debut.
CLASS A ADVANCED LAKE ELSINORE (7-6): San Jose 5, STORM 4. 2B Josh VanMeter (.229) backed Urias, going 3-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored. Starting LHP Thomas Dorminy (8.49 ERA) gave up four runs on nine hits and a walk with three strikeouts in four innings. LHP Trevor Seidenberger (1-1, 2.45) allowed a run on two hits and a walk with a strikeout in two innings to take the loss. RHP A.J. Weir (0.00) allowed a hit with foyur strikeouts in two scoreless innings. LHP Kyle McGrath (0.00) struck out two in a perfect ninth.
CLASS A FORT WAYNE (8-5): LANSING 3, TinCaps 2. Starting RHP Brett Kennedy (2.77 ERA) allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits and a walk with six strikeouts in five innings. LHP Taylor Cox (1.13) allowed a hit and a walk with two strikeouts in two scoreless innings. LHP Jerry Keel (0-1, 2.84) gave up a run on four hits in 1 1/3 innings to suffer the walk-off loss. CF Michael Gettys (.250) was 1-for-4 with his eighth stolen base and a run scored.