By Bill Center
The decision by El Paso civic and business leaders to buy the Padres Triple-A affiliate has turned into a booming success.
The Chihuahuas flew past the 500,000 attendance mark Monday night and are averaging 8,085 per date for 63 playing dates thus far at their new Southwest University Park. Through Tuesday night’s game, 509,384 fans had passed through the turnstiles in El Paso.
Shortstop Tyler Greene (.303) hit his 28th double and eighth homer Tuesday night to drive in four runs and lead El Paso to a 6-2 home win over Memphis. He also committed two errors.
Right fielder Yeison Asencio, who is hitting .414 since joining the Chihuahuas from Double-A San Antonio, was 2-for-3 with a RBI.
Center fielder Cameron Maybin was 1-for-3 in his final tuneup game for El Paso. Maybin rejoins the Padres Wednesday after serving a 25-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s drug policy regarding amphetamines.
Left-handed starter Juan Pablo Oramas (7-6, 5.15 earned run average) gave up one unearned run on three hits and four walks with two strikeouts over five innings.
Right-handed reliever Stephen Kohlscheen (3.00) allowed an unearned run on two hits with a strikeout in two innings. Right-handed closer Jerry Sullivan (2.83) struck out all four hitters he faced to get his ninth save. El Paso is now 62-69.
ON THE MOVE: Left-handed reliever Frank Garces, 24, was purchased by the Padres from Double-A San Antonio. Garces was 2-5 with eight saves and a 2.07 ERA in 47 appearances. He had 73 strikeouts and 23 walks in 61 innings with a .199 opponents’ batting average (and a .123 average against left-handed hitters). Right-handed starting pitcher Jesse Hahn was optioned to the Missions. First baseman-outfielder Marcus Davis, the Northwest League Player of the Month in July, returned to the short-season Single-A lineup Tuesday after being out since Aug. 8 with a hamstring injury. Left-handed starting pitcher Robbie Erlin was activated by the Padres from the 60-day disabled list and transferred from San Antonio to El Paso. El Paso infielder Brooks Conrad was designated for assignment.
Around the Farm:
DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (62-65, 26-31): FRISCO 5, Missions 4 – CF-2B Cory Spangenberg (.332) hit a homer in four at-bats. RHP Josh Geer (3.47 ERA) allowed two runs on 11 hits and three walks with four strikeouts in six innings. An error by SS Diego Goris led to three decisive runs in the bottom of the eighth. RHP Luis De La Cruz (2.79) allowed two runs (one earned) on a hit and a walk with three strikeouts in 1 1/3 innings. RHP Michael Dimock (2-7, 3.25) allowed an unearned run on a hit and a walk with s trikeout in two-thirds of an inning to suffer the loss.
SINGLE-A (high) LAKE ELSINORE (70-58, 30-28): STORM 3, Stockton 0 – 3B Gabriel Quintana (.272) was 2-for-3 with his 34th double and two runs scored. 1B Duanel Jones (.239) was 2-for-3 with his eighth homer and two RBIs. C Dane Phillips (.292) had his 15th double in three at-bats for a RBI. Starting RHP Bryan Rodriguez (7-8, 4.16 ERA) allowed three hits and a walk with five strikeouts over six shutout innings. RHP Matt Shepherd (5.54) allowed a hit and two walks with five strikeouts over 2 2/3 innings scoreless innings. LHP Brandon Alger (2.76) retired the only hitter he faced to complete the shutout and pick up his 12th save.
SINGLE-A (low) FORT WAYNE (55-71, 25-32): Great Lakes 5, TIN CAPS 1 – 1B Jake Bauers was 2-for-4. 3B Dustin Peterson had a double in four at-bats to drive in Fort Wayne’s lone run. Starting RHP Cody Hebner (1-4, 3.19 ERA) allowed five runs (three earned) on 12 hits with four walks in six innings. RHP Jorge Guzman (2.76) allowed three hits with three strikeouts in three scoreless innings.
SINGLE-A (short season) EUGENE (27-37, 12-14): Emeralds 9, Everett 4 – LF Yale Rosen (.257) was 3-for-5 with his fifth homer and three RBIs. DH Jose Carlos Urena (.216) was 2-for-4 with his fourth homer and two RBIs. SS Franchy Cordero (.281) was 3-for-5 with two doubles, a RBI and two runs scored. CF Auston Bousfield (.326) was 3-for-5 with a double and a triple for a RBI and two runs scored. C Miguel Del Castillo (.227) was 2-for-5 with a double. Starting RHP Zech Lemond (4.09 ERA) allowed three runs on five hits and two walks with five strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. RHP Aaron Cressley (2-1, 4.20) struck out two in 1 2/3 perfect innings. RHP Samuel Holland (2.27) allowed two hits with three strikeouts in two scoreless innings. RHP Colby Blueberg (0.59) allowed a run on a hit and a walk in an inning.
ARIZONA ROOKIE PADRES (14-33, 6-13): The Arizona Rookie Padres were off Tuesday.
DOMINICAN SUMMER LEAGUE PADRES (17-50): TWINS 9, Padres 8 – C Fabian Castillo (.248) hit a homer in three at-bats for three RBIs. SS Westhers Magdaleno (.193) was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Starting LHP Eisler Cordova (2.04 ERA) allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks with four strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings. RHP Adonis Diaz (5.03) allowed five runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk with four strikeouts in two innings. RHP Carlos Lora (2-3, 2.23 ERA) allowed an unearned run on two hits and a walk with three strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings to suffer the loss. The Padres committed six errors that led to six unearned runs.
See the full scoreboard from yesterday on the farm here.
