Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
Hunter Renfroe had three doubles to widen his Pacific Coast League in extra-base hits and all four starting pitchers turned in strong performances for the Padres' full-season minor league affiliates Thursday night.
Renfroe was 3-for-4 with two runs scored to raise his batting average to .325 as Triple-A El Paso rallied to score a 6-3 win over Sacramento in Texas. The win was the PCL's Pacific South Division-leading Chihuahuas' fourth straight and eight in the last nine games.
Renfroe, 24, has 19 doubles, three triples and 12 homers on the season for 34 extra-base hits in 50 games.
Jose Pirela (.242) hit a two-run homer for El Paso (31-22). Third baseman Casey McElroy (.318) was 2-for-4 with a RBI.
A night after his 29-game hitting streak ended, Alex Dickerson was scheduled to have a night off. But he pinch-hit and finished the game at first bases, going 1-for-1 with a walk, a double and a run scored to raise his league-leading batting average to .400. <p< 2="" 2.97="" 3="" 5="" a="" allowed="" and="" average="" earned="" el="" for="" four="" fourth="" frank="" garces="" his="" hits="" in="" innings="" left-hander="" lowered="" on="" one="" p="" paso.="" run="" seven="" start.="" strikeouts="" to="" walk="" with=""> Right-handed reliever Eric Yardley (1.42 ERA) allowed a run on two hits with a strikeout in an inning to get his first Triple-A win. Right-hander Kevin Quackenbush (1.80) allowed a run on three hits with four strikeouts in two innings. </p<>
Right-hander T.J. Weir allowed two runs on nine hits and a walk with five strikeouts in five innings in his first start for Double-A San Antonio. He was the high Single-A California League Pitcher of the Week last week to earn the promotion to Double-A Thursday.
Right-hander Chris Huffman (5-1, 2.36 ERA) allowed four hits and a walk with four strikeouts over six scoreless innings to lead high Single-A Lake Elsinore to a 2-1 win at Rancho Cucamonga. Left-hander Logan Allen (2.93 ERA) allowed one run on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings in Fort Wayne's 4-3 win over South Bend in Fort Wayne.
There was more movement in the Padres' system Thursday starting with Leonel Campos returning to El Paso when starting pitcher Colin Rea was recalled by the Padres.
Also at El Paso, right-handed starter Jeremy Guthrie, who had a June 1 opt-out clause in the minor league contract he signed with the Padres at the end of spring training, was released by the Chihuahuas. Yardley was promoted from San Antonio to replace Guthrie on the roster. Weir and infielder River Stevens were promoted from Lake Elsinore to San Antonio.
AROUND THE FARM
DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (16-36) - NORTHWEST ARKANSAS 5, Missions 1: Weir suffered the loss in his Double-A debut. RHP Tayron Guerrero (4.50 ERA) allowed a run on a hit and a walk with a strikeout in an inning. RHP Adam Cimber (2.61) allowed two runs on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts in an inning. RHP Jason Jester (2.08) allowed a hit with two strikeouts in an inning. 3B Gabriel Quintana (.250) was 2-for-4 with his fifth homer. LF Nick Torres (.292) was 2-for-3 with a walk.
HIGH SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (27-27) - Storm 2, RANCHO CUCAMONGA 1: RHP Jon Edwards followed Huffman and struck out all three hitters he faced in his first rehab assignment for the Storm. RHP Ben Paullus (4.91 ERA) allowed a run on a hit and two walks with a strikeout in two-thirds of an inning. LHP Brad Wieck (1.67) allowed a walk with a strikeout in an otherwise 1 1/3 perfect innings to get his first save. 3B Josh VanMeter (.306) was 3-for-4 with a run scored. RF Franmil Reyes (.215) was 2-for-4 with a double and drove in both Storm runs. SS Javier Guerra (.186) was 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and a stolen base.
LOW SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (29-25) - TIN CAPS 4, South Bend 3: RF Jhonatan Pena (.234) was 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored. 1B Brad Zunica (.243) was 1-for-4 with two RBIs. RHP Blake Rogers (5.68 ERA) followed Allen and allowed two unearned runs on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings. RHP Gerardo Reyes (3-1, 2.68) pitched a perfect inning to get the win.