Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
Yangervis Solarte's rehab assignment with Triple-A El Paso might not last very long.
The third baseman, who has been on the Padres' 15-day disabled list since April 10 with a right hamstring strain, was 2-for-4 with a triple, a walk, two RBIs and a run scored Thursday night in his first rehab start for the Chihuahuas.
His second hit was a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth that gave the Chihuahuas (22-17) a 4-3 walk-off win over Round Rock at Southwest University Park in El Paso.
Elsewhere in the Padres' system, right-handers Michael Kelly and A.J. Weir had strong starts.
Kelly, 23, the 48th overall pick in the 2011 Draft, allowed one run on seven hits and a walk with six strikeouts in seven innings in his second start for Double-A San Antonio to lower his ERA to 2.25.
Weir, 24, the Padres' 17th-round pick in the 2014 Draft, allowed one run on five hits and two walks with five strikeouts in his second start after being moved from Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore's bullpen. He is 2-2 on the season with a 1.96 ERA.
Thursday's win was the Chihuahuas' third walk-off win in the past five games. They have won six straight games and nine of their last 11. Thursday night also marked the 18th straight game that El Paso has had nine or more hits.
But they were trailing, 3-2, and down to the final strike in the bottom of the ninth when Nick Noonan doubled. The shortstop scored the tying run on center fielder Manuel Margot's single. Margot stole second and scored the game-winner on Solarte's single to left.
Left fielder Alex Dickerson (.417) was 2-for-4 with a RBI to extend his franchise-record hitting streak to 17 games. He has reached base in 12 of his 15 plate appearances since returning to the Chihuahuas from the Padres.
Starting right-handed pitcher Fabio Castillo (2.31 ERA) allowed three runs on four hits and five walks with four strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. Left-hander Daniel Moskos (3-0, 2.45) allowed a hit with a strikeout in a scoreless ninth to get the win.
With the return of right-handed reliever Tayron Guerrero to El Paso from San Diego, right-handed reliever Eric Yardley was returned to San Antonio by the Chihuahuas. The Missions released left-handed reliever Kyle Bartsch.
Around the farm
DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (12-27): Corpus Christi 8, MISSIONS 4. Behind Kelly, San Antonio held the lead into the top of the eighth. But left-handed reliever Ramon Benjamin (0-2, 8.31 ERA) allowed five runs on two hits (both homers), two walks and a hit batter in one-third of an inning to take the loss. C Ryan Miller (.274) was 2-for-4 with a RBI. RF Nick Schulz (.286) was 2-for-4 with a run scored.
CLASS A ADVANCED LAKE ELSINORE (18-23): STORM 6, Rancho Cucamonga 2. 2B Luis Urias, 19, was 3-for-5 with a triple, a RBI and three runs scored to raise his batting average to .303. CF Franchy Cordero (.276) was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.
CLASS A FORT WAYNE (21-19): TIN CAPS 5, Lansing 4. LF Rod Boykin (.226) was 2-for-3 with a triple, three RBIs and a run scored. 3B Carlos Belen (.195) was 2-for-2 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored. Starting RHP Enyel De Los Santos (2.70 ERA) gave up four runs (two earned) on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts in six innings. RHP Trey Wingenter (0.00) allowed a walk with a strikeout in 1 2/3 hitless innings to record his second save.