Herrera's CG, Asencio's 3 RBIs pace San Antonio

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

Twenty-year-old Ronald Herrera pitched a three-hit shutout for Double-A San Antonio on Tuesday night, while Triple-A El Paso and Class A Fort Wayne continued their winning ways in the Padres' farm system.

El Paso (66-57) ran their winning streak to seven games with a 9-4 victory at Nashville. They remain 1 1/2 games behind division-leading Las Vegas in the Pacific Coast League's Pacific Southern Division.

Fort Wayne (65-53) won, 8-3, at Bowling Green. The leaders of the Midwest League's second-half Eastern Division have won nine straight games and are 16-2 over the last 18 games.

Herrera had assistance from left fielder Yeison Asencio in San Antonio's 3-0 win over Northwest Arkansas in the Texas City.

Herrera, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound Venezuelan, struck out seven without walking a hitter while improving to 3-0 with a 3.77 ERA since being promoted to the Missions. He was acquired with outfielder-infielder Jake Goebbert in the 2014 trade that sent Kyle Blanks to Oakland.

Asencio, 25, was 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. Asencio is hitting .467 (28-for-60) this month with 16 RBIs for the Missions and now ranks fourth in the Texas League with a .306 batting average and third with 69 RBIs.

Around the farm

TRIPLE-A EL PASO (66-57): Chihuahuas 9, NASHVILLE 4. CF Goebbert (.295) was 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. LF Alex Dickerson (.311) was 2-for-5 with his 12th homer and two runs scored. SS Hector Gomez (.357) was 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Starting RHP Chris Smith (4-5, 3.81) allowed four runs on nine hits with a strikeout in five innings. RHP Michael Dimock (0.77) struck out the side in a perfect ninth.

CLASS A ADVANCED LAKE ELSINORE (45-76): Storm 3, BAKERSFIELD 1. RHP Kyle Lloyd (6-9, 4.64) allowed a run on four hits and two walks with eight strikeouts in seven innings. LHP Kyle Bartsch (4.30) pitched a perfect eighth. RHP Eric Yardley (2.86) allowed a hit with a strikeout in a scoreless ninth to get his 16th save. C Miguel Del Castillo (.174) was 2-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored.

CLASS A FORT WAYNE (65-53): TinCaps 8, BOWLING GREEN 3. DH Josh VanMeter (.357) was 3-for-4 with a double, a RBI and two runs scored. LF Franchy Cordero (.235) was 2-for-5 with his fifth homer and two RBIs. Starting RHP Pete Kelich (2-0, 1.80) allowed two runs on seven hits and a walk with two strikeouts in five innings.

SHORT-SEASON CLASS A TRI-CITY (31-27): VANCOUVER 11, Dust Devils 6. LF Jose Carlos Urena (.296) was 1-for-3 with his seventh homer and two runs scored. C Austin Allen (.219) was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. RHP Joel Linares allowed eight runs on seven hits and four walks with three strikeouts in three innings in his debut with Tri-City. LHP Elvin Liriano (2.76) allowed three runs on a hit and four walks with three strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings. RHP Phil Maton (0.99) struck out the side in the eighth.

ARIZONA ROOKIE PADRES (19-27): Mariners 9, PADRES 6. CF Josh Magee (.189) was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. 2B Westhers Magdaleno (.233) was 2-for-4 with a RBI. RHP Austin Smith (0-2, 6.92) allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts in two innings. RHP Starling Ynfante (6.29) struck out two in two perfect innings.

DOMINICAN SUMMER LEAGUE PADRES (31-37): Padres 8, Blue Jays 3. LF Luis Asuncion (.239) was 3-for-4 with a sacrifice fly and a run scored. C Joel Lezama (.325) was 1-for-4 with a walk and three RBIs. RHP Dari Lopez (2.97 ERA) allowed two runs on three hits and a walk with six strikeouts in four innings.