Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
Hunter Renfroe hit his fourth homer in a span of eight games to help Triple-A El Paso defeat Memphis on Thursday night, while Edwin Moreno hit a game-winning homer and Ty France had three hits to pace Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore to a ninth straight win.
Meanwhile, right-hander Cal Quantrill, the Padres' first pick (eighth overall) in the 2016 Draft, struck out four in four perfect innings in the Rookie-level Arizona League.
Right fielder Renfroe was 2-for-4 with two runs scored in the Chihuahuas' 7-2 win over Memphis in El Paso. Renfroe is hitting .334, leads the Pacific Coast League in homers (24) and is tied for the PCL lead in RBIs (84).
Center fielder Manuel Margot (.306) was 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs as El Paso ran its PCL-best record to 57-41. Catcher Austin Hedges (.385) was 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored.
Shortstop Nick Noonan (.323) had a double in three at-bats, with an RBI and two runs scored. First baseman Héctor Sánchez (.411) was 1-for-3 with a double, a walk, an RBI and a run scored. Second baseman Carlos Asuaje (.330) was 1-for-3 with a double, a walk and a run scored.
Starting right-hander Daniel McCutchen (9-6, 5.78 ERA) allowed two runs on 11 hits with four strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings. Left-hander Buddy Baumann (1.33 ERA) allowed a hit with two strikeouts in 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Right-hander Brandon Morrow (7.43 ERA) issued a walk with two strikeouts in an otherwise perfect 1 1/3 innings for his first save.
At Lake Elsinore, the Storm defeated Rancho Cucamonga, 9-8, to improve to 18-9 in the second half of the California League season. Lake Elsinore is 50-47 overall.
Designated hitter France (.339), a product of San Diego State, was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Left fielder Moreno (.249) broke up a 8-8 tie with his 11th homer in the bottom of the eighth and finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
First baseman Trae Santos (.214) had a double in three at-bats, with a walk, two RBIs and a run scored. Catcher A.J. Kennedy (.313) had a double in two at-bats, with two walks, two RBIs and a run scored.
Starting right-hander Zech Lemond (5.59 ERA) allowed four runs on five hits and three walks with six strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. Righty Martires Arias (4.84 ERA) allowed two runs on three hits in one-third of an inning. Left-hander Trevor Seidenberger (5.67 ERA) allowed three hits with a strikeout in a scoreless inning.
Right-hander Gerardo Reyes (1.42 ERA) allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits with three strikeouts in 1 1/3 innings. Righty Ben Paullus (3-1, 3.65 ERA) struck out two in a perfect inning. Righty Colby Blueberg (2.47 ERA) struck out one in a perfect inning to get his 12th save.
The return of left-handed reliever Keith Hessler and infielder/outfielder Alexi Amarista by the Padres to El Paso led to two other moves by the Chihuahuas. Right-handed pitcher Phil Maton was returned to Lake Elsinore. Catcher/first baseman Jason Hagerty was placed on the seven-day disabled list.
Around the farm
DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (12-15, 34-63) - Midland 4, MISSIONS 2: Starting RHP Seth Simmons (2.35 ERA) allowed four hits and a walk with six strikeouts in 6 1/3 scoreless innings. RHP Adam Cimber (2.39 ERA) had a strikeout in two-thirds of an inning. RHP Jason Jester (0-1, 2.75 ERA) blew the save and suffered the loss, allowing four runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts in an inning. RHP Tayron Guerrero (5.40 ERA) had a strikeout in a perfect inning. 2B Nelson Ward (.231) was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
CLASS A FORT WAYNE (9-18, 45-52) - WISCONSIN 12, TinCaps 3: C Marcus Greene Jr. (.175) was 3-for-3 with a double, a homer and a walk. 2B Peter Van Gansen (.229) was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Starting LHP Jerry Keel (5-10, 3.15 ERA) allowed seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits and two walks with six strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. RHP Corey Kimber (3.38 ERA) allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits and two walks with two strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings. RHP Aaron Cressley (5.40 ERA) allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk with a strikeout in an inning.
CLASS A SHORT-SEASON TRI-CITY (17-17) - Hillsboro 9, DUST DEVILS 8: 3B Boomer White (.263) was 2-for-5 with three RBIs and a run scored. DH Kyle Overstreet (.212) was 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. C Wilfri De La Cruz (.214) was 2-for-5 with a run scored. LF Taylor Kohlwey (.242) had a triple in five at-bats with a walk, an RBI and two runs scored. Starting LHP Will Headean (5.23 ERA) allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits and two walks with three strikeouts in four innings. RHP Nick Monroe (4.50 ERA) allowed a run on two hits and two walks with a strikeout in two innings. RHP Adrian De La Horta (13.50 ERA) allowed four runs (two earned) on three hits with a strikeout in 1 1/3 innings. LHP Nathan Foriest (0-1, 5.40 ERA) allowed a run on three hits with a strikeout in 1 2/3 innings to suffer the loss.
ARIZONA ROOKIE PADRES (11-14) - Padres 10, MARINERS 1: RHP Jim McDade (3-0, 1.62 ERA) followed Quantrill (4.50 ERA) and allowed three hits with two strikeouts over two scoreless innings. LHP Ben Sheckler (3.21 ERA) allowed a run on three hits with a strikeout over three innings to get his second save. C Tucker Pennell (.313) was 4-for-5 with a double and two RBIs. DH Hudson Potts (.287) had a triple in five at-bats with two RBIs and three runs scored. CF Dayon Olmo (.250) was 3-for-4 with a run scored. 2B Ariel Ortega (.235) was 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored. 3B Tyler Selesky (.299) had a double in three at-bats with an RBI and two runs scored.
DOMINICAN SUMMER LEAGUE PADRES (14-25) - Padres 7, ORIOLES-1 4: 2B Eguy Rosario (.325) had two doubles in three at-bats with a walk, two steals, a sacrifice fly and a run scored. CF Angel Santos (.297) was 2-for-4 with a walk, a steal and an RBI. 1B Elvis Sabala (.210) was 2-for-3 with two walks, a RBI and a run scored. 3B Kelvin Alarcon (.274) was 2-for-3 with a walk, a steal, an RBI and two runs scored. Starting LHP Jose Cabrera (2.70 ERA) allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts in five innings. LHP Eduardo Solano (5.79 ERA) allowed two runs on two hits and two walks in an inning. RHP Oliber Guzman (3-0, 2.95 ERA) issued two walks with four strikeouts in three hitless/scoreless innings.