Decker hits two homers, drives in six runs for Triple-A El Paso

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

Justin Upton wasn't the only member of the Padres family with six RBIs Sunday. Triple-A slugger Cody Decker hit two home runs and drove in six runs, and right fielder Rymer Liriano was 4-for-5 with a homer as El Paso had 18 hits in a 10-3 Pacific Coast League victory at New Orleans.

Decker, who played third base Sunday, was 3-for-5 with a double and his ninth and 10th homers of the season for his six RBIs. Decker, 28, has three homers in the past two games and a franchise-record 143 in his Minor League career. The game raised his average to .274. Decker also scored three runs.

Liriano, 23, raised his batting average to .278. He had two RBIs and three runs scored.

Four other players had two hits for the 23-20 Chihuahuas.

First baseman Tommy Medica (.272) had two doubles in five at-bats with a RBI. LF Alex Dickerson (.320) from Poway High was 2-for-5. Center fielder Rico Noel (.258) was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. SS Ramiro Pena (.293) was 2-for-5.

Right-handed starter James Needy (4-2, 7.34 ERA) from Santana High allowed two runs on three hits and two walks with eight strikeouts over five innings to get the win. Right-handed reliever Jay Jackson (1.53 ERA) allowed no runs on two hits with two strikeouts in two innings.

There were several moves and a retirement in the Padres' system Sunday.

Catcher Jeremy Rodriguez, 25, went 1-for-4 with a RBI in his final game with Class A Lake Elsinore. The Padres' 16th-round pick in the 2011 Draft out of California State-Bakersfield, will become a coach in the
San Diego's Minor League system.

Left-handed relief pitcher Brandon Alger was promoted to Double-A San Antonio from Lake Elsinore. And right-handed starting pitcher Michael Kelly was transferred from extended spring camp to low Class A Fort Wayne. In the corresponding move, left-handed pitcher Griffin Russell was transferred from Fort Wayne to the roster of short-season Class A Tri-City.

Around the Farm

DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (17-24): Frisco 2, MISSIONS 0 -- Veteran right-handed starter Chris Smith allowed one hit and two walks with seven strikeouts over six shutout innings in his debut with the Missions. RHP Casey Kelly (1-3, 4.00 ERA) allowed two runs on six hits with four walks in three innings to suffer the loss. SS Trea Turner (.344) had both San Antonio hits in four at-bats.
    
HIGH CLASS A LAKE ELSINORE (18-25): STORM 6, Stockton 5 (11 innings) -- Lake Elsinore tied the game with four runs in the bottom of the ninth and won it two innings later on DH Kyle Gaedele's walk-off home run. Gaedele (.217) was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. RF Yale Rosen (.203) homered in four at-bats and scored two runs. SS Jose Rondon (.269) was 2-for-5 with the run-scoring single that tied the game in the ninth. Starting RHP Zechariah Lemond (3.66 ERA) allowed three runs (two earned) on eight hits and a walk with two strikeouts in seven innings. RHP Eric Yardley (1-1, 2.45 ERA) allowed six hits but no runs in two innings to get the win.
    
LOW CLASS A FORT WAYNE (15-26): TinCaps 12, LANSING 7 -- Fort Wayne had 20 hits. 2B Felipe Blanco (.264) was 4-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. 1B Trae Santos (.238) was 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, three RBIs and two runs scored. 3B Duanel Jones (.317) was 3-for-5. LF Franchy Cordero (.215) was 2-for-5 with a homer and two runs scored. DH Michael Gettys (.223) was 2-for-5 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored. C Jose Ruiz (.208) was 2-for-5 with two runs scored. RF Franmil Reyes (.229) was 2-for-5. SS Ruddy Giron (.515) was 1-for-4 with a double and two walks to cap a 17-for-33 debut week. In his first start, Michael Kelly allowed five runs on three hits and four walks in 2 1/3 innings. RHP Seth Lucio (2-1, 4.57 ERA) allowed two hits and two walks with two strikeouts in 2 2/3 scoreless innings. LHP Brandon Fry (3.60 ERA) allowed two runs on three hits and a walk over three innings.