RHP Morris lowers ERA to 3.08 with Double-A

Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.

The Padres received some strong efforts from Minor League starting pitchers Friday night.

But the lack of offense and poor defense beat Elliot Morris, Ronald Herrera and T.J. Weir. 

Morris, 23, allowed one run on six hits and three walks with seven strikeouts in six innings for Double-A San Antonio. But the Missions were shut out at Midland.

Ronald Herrera, 20, allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits with five strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings for high Class A Lake Elsinore. But the Missions were shut out at Rancho Cucamonga.

And T.J. Weir, 23, allowed two runs on five hits and a walk with four strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings for low Class A Fort Wayne, which suffered a 3-2 loss at Bowling Green while getting two homers but no other baserunners.

AROUND THE FARM:

Triple-A El Paso (19-16): The Chihuahuas game at Reno Friday night was rained out.

Double-A San Antonio (14-20): Midland 4, Missions 0 -- The right-handed Morris lowered his ERA to 3.08 while falling to 1-3. CF Travis Jankowski (.336) was 2-for-3. SS Trea Turner (.322) was 2-for-4 with a double. RHP Dennis O'Grady (6.75 ERA) allowed a hit and a walk with a strikeout in a scoreless inning. RHP Michael Dimock (1.26 ERA) allowed three unearned runs on three hits in an inning.

Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore (16-18): Rancho Cucamonga 2, Storm 0 -- The right-handed Herrera fell to 2-3 with a 3.96 ERA. 1B Marcus Davis (.262) was 2-for-4. Lake Elsinore made four errors.

Low Class A Fort Wayne (10-22): Bowling Green 3, TinCaps 2 -- Outside of solo homers by 3B Duanel Jones (.309, his sixth) and 1B Trae Santos (.228, his fourth) the TinCaps had no other baserunners. The right-handed Weir has a 5.57 ERA. RHP Yimmi Brasoban (0-2, 3.18 ERA) allowed an unearned run thanks to his throwing error to suffer the loss. He allowed the run on five hits and two strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings.