Top pick Smith unscored upon in debut

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

Right-handed pitcher Austin Smith, the first player selected by the Padres in June's amateur Draft, made his professional debut with the Padres of the Arizona Rookie League Thursday night.

Smith allowed a hit and two walks with a strikeout in a scoreless inning.

Smith, who turned 19 on July 9, was a second-round pick and the 51st overall selection. The Padres forfeited their first-round pick for signing free agent James Shields. The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder was from Park Vista Community High in Boynton Beach, Fla.

Smith was one of two June draftees making their professional debut Thursday. Left fielder Alan Garcia, 18, a left-handed hitter out of Arizona's Mountain Pointe High, was 4-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored in the Padres 11-8 win over the Reds in the Arizona Rookie League. Garcia was a 19th-round pick.

Catcher Kyle Overstreet, the 14th-round pick in June, was 2-for-4 Thursday with a triple, two RBIs and two runs scored. Designated hitter Brad Zunica, the 15th-round pick, was 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored for the 9-12 Arizona Padres to raise his average to .310.

First baseman Jonas Lantigua (.270)was 2-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored. 2B Jose Savinon (.214) was 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored.

Right-hander Jean Garcia (7.06 earned run average) followed Smith and allowed seven runs (six earned) on eight hits and two walks with three strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings.

Right-hander Eliot Ashbeck, the Padres' 16th-round pick in June, (1-0, 3.38 ERA) picked up his first professional win, allowing a run on two hits with four strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings. Right-hander Nick Monroe, the 21st-round pick in June, struck out one in a perfect inning to record his first save and keep his earned run average at 0.00.

AROUND THE FARM:

TRIPLE-A EL PASO (45-46): FRESNO 10, Chihuahuas 9 - LF Alex Dickerson (.306) was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. 1B Tommy Medica (.264) was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. DH Jake Goebbert (.288) was 1-for-4 with three RBIs. SS Benji Gonzalez (.341) was 1-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Starting LHP Jason Lane (7-6, 5.28 ERA) allowed seven runs on eight hits and a walk with two strikeouts in three innings. RHP Nick Vincent (4.70) allowed three runs on four hits, including two homers, with three strikeouts in two innings. RHP Jay Jackson (1.98) struck out one in a perfect inning to drop his ERA under 2.00.

DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (39-51): MIDLAND 5, Missions 4 - RF Hunter Renfroe (.266) was 2-for-4 with a double. CF Alberth Martinez (.269) was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Starting RHP Eliot Morris (4.96 ERA) allowed two runs on nine hits and three walks with two strikeouts in five innings. RHP Bryce Morrow (1-1, 3.12) allowed two runs on two hits and a walk with a strikeout in 1 1/3 innings.

HIGH SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (35-54): Visalia 7, STORM 4 - SS Chase Jensen (.302) was 2-for-4 with a double, a RBI and a run scored. CF Auston Bousfield (.291) was 2-for-4. 3B Gabriel Quintana (.248) was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Starting RHP Zech Lemond (4-8, 5.61 ERA) allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits and a walk with four strikeouts in four innings. LHP Kyle Bartsch (5.57) allowed a run on a hit and two walks with two strikeouts in two innings. RHP Genison Reyes (4.02) gave up a hit with two strikeouts in two scoreless innings.

LOW SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (45-44): Lake County 9, TIN CAPS 3 (10 innings) - Rehabbing Padres catcher Tim Federowicz was 0-for-2. 3B Luis Tejada (.253) had a homer in four at-bats with two RBIs and two runs scored. SS Luis Urias (.475) was 2-for-4. CF Michael Gettys (.236) was 2-for-3 with a walk. Starting RHP Dinelson Lamet (3.49) allowed two hits and a walk with seven strikeouts in five shutout innings. LHP Kyle McGrath allowed three hits with two strikeouts over two shutout innings. RHP Yimmi Brasoban (2-3, 2.85) allowed five runs (four earned) on three hits and a walk in an inning-plus to suffer the loss.

SHORT-SEASON SINGLE-A TRI-CITY (15-13): SPOKANE 6, Dust Devils 5 (10 innings) - SS Peter Van Gansen (.319), the Padres' 12th-round pick in June, was 2-for-4 with a double, two walks, three RBIs and a run scored. 1B Ty France (.241), out of San Diego State, was 2-for-4 with a double. Starting RHP Angel Mejia (6.66 ERA) allowed two runs on five hits and a walk with four strikeouts in five innings. RHP Trevor Megill (3.00) allowed a run on a hit with three strikeouts in two innings. RHP Phil Maton (1-1, 2.25) allowed an unearned run on three hits with three strikeouts ovet 1 2/3 innings to suffer the loss.

DOMINICAN SUMMER LEAGUE PADRES (17-24): PADRES 7, Diamondbacks 6 - DH Ariel Ortega (.333) was 4-for-5 with a triple, a RBI and two runs scored. C Ricardo Rodriguez (.290) was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored. 1B Emmanuel Arias (.231) hit a three-run homer in three at-bats. OF Jose Sotillo (.217) was 2-for-4. Starting RHP Emmanuel Clase allowed six runs (four earned) on eight hits over four innings. LHP Joel Garcia (3-0, 2.30) allowed a hit and two walks with three strikeouts over three shutout innings. RHP Juan Arias (3.33) struck out two in perfect inning to get his third save.