Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
There was a major roster shuffle at Triple-A El Paso on Monday as outfielder Alex Dickerson was recalled by the Padres and rehabbing starting pitchers Brandon Morrow and Christian Friedrich joined the Chihuahuas.
El Paso also returned right-handed start Bryan Rodriguez to Double-A San Antonio and activated infielder Josh Satin from the disabled list.
Dickerson, 25, was riding an active13-game hitting streak that had raised his batting average to .352 with the Chihuahuas when he was promoted.
Morrow had been with San Antonio and Friedrich had two starts with Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore before joining the Chihuahuas.
The left-handed Friedrich started Monday night's game in El Paso and allowed three runs on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts over five innings to be charged with the loss in Las Vegas' 6-3 win over the Chihuahuas (10-13).
Third baseman Casey McElroy (.333) was 3-for-4 with a double and a triple with a RBI and a run scored for El Paso. Second baseman Carlos Asuaje (.289) was 3-for-4 with a run scored. Left fielder Jose Pirela (.270) was 1-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored.
Right-hander Leonel Campos (4.50 ERA) followed Friedrich and allowed a run on two hits and two walks with three strikeouts in 12/3 innings. Left-hander Frank Garces (4.73) allowed two runs on three hits with a strikeout in an inning. Right-hander Tayron Guerrero (0.00) had a strikeout in a perfect inning.
Class A Fort Wayne (14-11) scored a 3-2 win at Clinton behind a two-run homer by first baseman Brad Zunica in the top of the ninth.
Zunica (.247) was 2-for-4 with his fourth homer. Center fielder Michael Gettys (.253) was 2-for-4 and drove in Fort Wayne's first run.
Right-handers Lloyd Nix and Enyel De Los Santos piggy-backed the start for the TinCaps. Nix (3.07 ERA) allowed a hit and a walk with two strikeouts in three innings. De Los Santos (3.05) allowed two runs on two hits with three strikeouts in four innings. The win went to right-handed reliever Gerardo Reyes (2-0, 2.25) who walked two with two strikeouts in two hitless innings.
Around the farm
DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (9-15): MIDLAND 11, Missions 10. Rodriguez suffered the loss in his return to the Missions, giving up eight runs (seven earned) on eight hits and three walks with four strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings. LHP Ramon Benjamin (5.73) allowed four runs on five hits and two walks in an inning. RHP Rafael De Paula (1.00) allowed a hit and a walk with three strikeouts in 2 1/3 perfect innings. RHP Jason Jester (3.38) struck out the side in a perfect inning. 3B Gabriel Quintana (.258) was 3-for-5 with two doubles, three RBIs and two runs scored. C Ryan Miller (.314) was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.
CLASS A ADVANCED LAKE ELSINORE (11-13: MODESTO 5, Storm 4. LF Edwin Moreno (.192) was 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored. Starting RHP Martires Arias (0-3, 6.16 ERA) allowed five runs on four hits and three walks with three strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings.