Tri-City wins 16-inning, Northwest League playoff opener

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

Second baseman Kodie Tidwell singled home pinch-runner Mason Smith with one out in the 16th inning Monday night to give the Padres' Tri-City affiliate a 2-1 win in the opening game of the best 2-of-3, short-season, Single-A Northwest League playoffs.

Seven Tri-City pitchers allowed one unearned run on eight hits and five walks over the 16 innings with right-hander Wilson Santos getting the win between the split-season North Division winners.

After the five-hour and 10-minute marathon, the teams board busses for the five-hour drive to Pasco, Wash., where the series resumes tonight.

Catcher Austin Allen singled with one out in the top of the 16th and moved to third on a double by designated hitter Henry Charles. Smith went into run for Allen and scored on Tidwell's one-out single to right.

Charles was Tri-City's leading hitter, going 3-for-7 with two doubles. Tidwell was 2-for-7 and drove in both Tri-City runs. Third baseman Carlos Belen was 2-for-6 with a walk and a steal and scored Tri-City's first run in the seventh.

Allen, center fielder Rod Boykin and left fielder Justin Pacchioli were all 2-for-7 as Tri-City had 15 hits.

Right-handed Tri-City starter Brett Kennedy gave up two hits and two walks with seven strikeouts in four scoreless innings.

Left-hander Will Headean allowed an unearned run on a hit and a walk in two innings with three strikeouts. Tri-City had errors by shortstop Peter Van Gansen and Tidwell when Everett scored in the sixth.

Right-hander Sam Holland struck out one in a perfect seventh. Left-hander Nathan Foriest allowed a hit and a walk with a strikeout in two scoreless innings. Right-hander Phil Maton had one strikeout while pitching a perfect 10th and 11th. Right-hander Luis Hernandez allowed two hits with two strikeouts in three scoreless innings.

Santos took over in the 15th and allowed two hits and a walk with two strikeouts in two innings.

AROUND THE FARM:

TRIPLE-A EL PASO (78-66): RENO 10, Chihuahuas 2 - El Paso clinched its division title Saturday night, so Monday's season finale was meaningless. That might explain why 1B Cody Decker finished the game on the mound, allowing two runs on three hits in one-third of an inning.
Decker (.252) was also 2-for-4 as a hitter with two RBIs on his 21st home run, raising his all-time franchise-leading total for a minor leaguer to 154. 2B Casey McElroy (.275) was 2-for-5. C Robert Kral (.241) was 2-for-4. Starting RHP Chris Smith (5-7, 3.60 ERA) allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits and three walks with three strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings. LHP Caleb Thielbar (0.73) allowed a hit with a strikeout in 3 1/3 innings. Cimber (3.00) allowed an unearned run on two hits with a strikeout in two innings. RHP Jerry Sullivan (5.32) allowed four runs on four hits in two-thirds of an inning.

DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (60-80): Corpus Christi 12, MISSIONS 8 - 3B Gabriel Quintana (.308) had three doubles in five at-bats with three runs scored. C Ryan Miller (.231) was 3-for-5 with a RBI and two runs scored. 2B Diego Goris (.253) had two doubles in four at-bats with a steal, two RBIs and a run scored. SS Benji Gonzalez (.246) was 2-for-5 with two RBIs. CF Austin Bousfield (.247) was 2-for-6 with a double and a run scored. Starting RHP Stephen Kohlscheen (2.70 ERA) allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits and a walk with two strikeouts in four innings. RHP Elliot Morris (4.87) allowed a hit in two scoreless innings. RHP Cody Hebner (0-3, 5.40) allowed seven runs (five earned) on two hits and four walks without retiring a hitter. LHP Brandon Alger (3.75) allowed an unearned run on two hits and a walk with three strikeouts in two innings.

HIGH SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (50-90): Storm 11, VISALIA 6 - DH Marcus Davis (.255) was 3-for-5 with his ninth homer, three RBIs and two runs scored. LF Nick Torres (.275) was 2-for-6 with his third homer, three RBIs and two runs scored. SS Daniel Bravo (.259) was 2-for-2 with his third homer and two runs scored. 3B River Stevens (.297) was 2-for-6. 1B Matthew Chavez (.293) was 2-for-4 with a RBI. Starting RHP Matthew Shepherd (5.90 ERA) allowed five runs (four earned) on nine hits and three walks with five strikeouts in five innings. RHP Blake Rogers (3.68) allowed a hit with two strikeouts in a scoreless inning. RHP Zech Lemond (5-10, 5.54) allowed a hit and a walk with two strikeouts in a scoreless inning. LHP Chris Nunn (6.75) allowed a run on a hit and a walk in two innings.

LOW SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (77-61): TIN CAPS 17, Bowling Green 0 - TinCaps batters had 20 hits while starting RHP Pete Kelich and RHP Aaron Cressley combined on a four-hit shutout. Kelich (3-2, 2.32 ERA) allowed two hits and a walk with a strikeout over six innings. Cressley (4.21) allowed two hits with five strikeouts in three innings and was credited with his first save. LHP RF Franmil Reyes (.255) was 5-for-5 with three doubles, five RBIs and three runs scored. CF Michael Gettys (.231) were 3-for-5 with a RBI and two runs scored. 2B Josh Van Meter (.250) was 3-for-5 with two runs scored. 3B Luis Tejada (.293) was 2-for-4 with his fourth homer, three RBIs and two runs scored. C Michael Miller (.192) hit his second homer in five at-bats with two RBIs and two runs scored. LF Franchy Cordero (.243) was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. 1B Trae Santos (.264) was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored. SS Rey Bruguera (.188) was 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored.