Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
El Paso's outfield prospects led the charge Tuesday night as the Triple-A Chihuahuas beat division-leading Salt Lake for the third time in four games.
Center fielder Manuel Margot stretched his hitting streak to 10 straight games. Left fielder Alex Dickerson hit safely in a ninth straight game. And right fielder Hunter Renfroe has hit safely in 10 of the last 11 games, including six straight.
All had hits in the top of the fourth, as the first eight El Paso hitters hit safely in a franchise-record eight-run inning. The Chihuahuas won, 9-0, in a game shortened to 5 ½ innings by rain. Margot, 21, the Padres' top-ranked prospect, had a double in three at-bats for three RBIs and a run scored. He is 16-for-37 in his streak with a homer and 11 RBIs to raise his season batting average to .303.
Dickerson, 25, was 2-for-4 with a triple and a run scored. He is 11-for-36 in his streak with a homer and six RBIs and is hitting .339 on the season.
Renfroe, 24, had a double and triple in four at-bats Tuesday for two RBIs and a run scored. He is 10-for-22 with four homers and eight RBIs during his six-game hitting streak and is 16-for-39 over the last 11 games. He is hitting .343.
El Paso (8-10) is hitting .302 as a team. Catcher Jason Hagerty (.324) was 2-for-3 Tuesday with a double, two RBIs and a run scored. Shortstop Nick Noonan (.310) was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Designated hitter Casey McElroy (.188) was 2-for-3 with a double, a RBI and a run scored.
Right-hander Bryan Rodriguez, 24, allowed seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts in five innings to pitch a rain-shortened shutout. He was promoted from Double-A San Antonio earlier in the day.
There was considerable movement in the system Tuesday, starting with the Padres purchasing left-handed reliever Michael Kirkman from El Paso while returning outfielder-second baseman Jose Pirela to the Chihuahuas. El Paso also sent right-handed reliever Eric Yardley to Double-A San Antonio.
The Double-A Missions placed outfielder Alberth Martinez on the seven-day disabled list with a sprained ankle. Outfielder Nick Schulz was promoted from Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore to San Antonio, and outfielder Luis Tejada was promoted from Class A Fort Wayne to Lake Elsinore.
Fort Wayne added right-handed pitcher Gerardo Reyes from the disabled list and promoted outfielder Mason Smith from extended spring training. Right-handed pitcher Louis Distacio was transferred from Fort Wayne to extended spring training.
Around the farm
DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (8-10) : FRISCO 4, Missions 3. Starting RHP Luis Diaz (6.86 ERA) allowed three runs on six hits and a walk with six strikeouts in six innings. Yardley suffered the loss in his first outing with San Antonio, allowing a walk-off run on three hits and a walk in 2 2/3 innings.
CLASS A ADVANCED LAKE ELSINORE (9-10): High Desert 2, STORM 1. CF Franchy Cordero hit his third homer in four at-bats for Lake Elsinore's lone run. 3B River Stevens was 2-for-3 with a double. RHP Christian Friederich (2.00 ERA) allowed one run on four hits with three strikeouts in five innings. RHP T.J. Weir (0-1, 0.84) allowed a run on two hits and a walk with a strikeout in an inning to suffer the loss. RHP Chris Huffman (3.94) allowed a hit and a walk with a strikeout in three scoreless innings.
CLASS A FORT WAYNE (10-9): TIN CAPS 5, Peoria 4. Starting LHP Logan Allen (2.08 ERA) allowed two runs on three hits and four walks with two strikeouts in three innings. RHP Elliot Ashbeck (1.69) allowed a run on three hits and a walk with three strikeouts in five innings. Reyes got the win in his debut, allowing a run on three hits and a walk over two innings.