PADRES ON DECK: Martorella caps strong month with 2-run double; pitchers Wolf, Pinales sharp

By Bill Center

First baseman Nathan Martorella had a double in three at-bats with two RBIs and a walk Tuesday night for Double-A San Antonio. Martorella, the Padres’ №14 prospect, is also the Missions’ Player of the Month for April — hitting .293 with six doubles, two home runs, 14 RBIs and 14 walks in 22 games for a .388 on-base percentage and a .439 slugging percentage for a .827 OPS.

Center fielder Jakob Marsee (.177) , the Padres’ №9 prospect, also had a double and a walk in 3 at-bats for the Missions Tuesday and scored a run. Designated hitter Brandon Valenzuela (.267), the Padres’ №17 prospect, was 1-for-4.

Left-handed starter Austin Krob, the Padres’ №15 prospect, gave up three runs on seven hits and two walks with five strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings — raising his earned run average to 6.16.

Right-hander Enmanuel Pinales became the first starting pitcher at High Single-A Fort Wayne to go six innings this season, giving up two hits and a walk with seven strikeouts — the scoreless outing lowering his ERA to 3.00.

Catcher Ethan Salas, 18, (.219), the Padres’ №1 prospect, was 1-for-4 for the TinCaps. Center fielder Homer Bush Jr. (.213), the Padres’ №11 prospect, was 0-for-2 with a walk.

Left-hander Jackson Wolf (5.95 ERA) held Sugar Land to one run on four hits and two walks with 10 strikeouts with Triple-A El Paso. Right-handed reliever Alek Jacob, the Padres’ №20 prospect, gave up a hit and a walk with two strikeouts in a scoreless inning.

Former Top-30 prospect Tirso Ornelas hit a two-run walk-off homer for the Chihuahuas. Ornelas (.250) was 3-for-5 with a triple and ninth-inning homer with three RBIs and three runs scored.

AROUND THE FARM:

TRIPLE-A EL PASO (12–16) — CHIHUAHUAS 8, Sugar Land 6: DH Donovan Solano (.286) was 2-for-5 behind Ornelas with a double, a RBI and a run. CF Tim Locastro (.322) was 1-for-3 with 2 RBIs, a hit-by-pitch, 2 stolen bases and a run. 2B Clay Dungan (.287) had a 2-run triple in 4 at-bats with a walk and a stolen base. 3B Matthew Batten (.219) was 1-for-4 with a walk. 1B Nate Mondou (.286) was 1-for-5 with a run. RF Oscar Mercado (.198) was 0-for-2 with 2 walks, a stolen base and a run. RH Lake Bachar (1.23 ERA) followed Wolf and Jacob and allowed a run on 2 hits with a strikeout in an inning. RH Matt Festa (3.97) gave up a run on 3 hits and a walk with 2 Ks in an IP. RH Logan Gillaspie (1–0, 8.00) gave up 3 runs on 3 hits in an IP but was credited with the win.

DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (11–11) — ARKANSAS 5, Missions 3: 2B Ripken Reyes (.203) was 1-for-3 with 2 walks and 2 runs scored. LF Cole Cummings (.256) was 1-for-3 with a sacrifice fly. SS Ray-Patrick Didder (.233) was 1-for-3 with a walk. RH Josh Roberson (1.23 ERA) followed Krob and had 2 strikeouts in 1 1/3 perfect innings. RH Yovanny Cruz (1–1, 6.10) gave up 2 runs on 4 hits with 2 Ks in 1 2/3 IPs to take the loss. RH Reggie Lawson (5.79) struck out the only hitter he faced.

HIGH SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (8–13) — LAKE COUNTY 1, TinCaps 0 (10 innings): 3B Devin Ortiz (.302) and RF Kai Murphy (.250) were each 1-for-3 with a walk behind Salas and Bush. LF Tyler Robertson (.241) and SS Nik McClaughry (.167) were each 1-for-4. RH Will Geerdes (5.14 ERA) followed Pinales and gave up a hit with 2 strikeouts in a scoreless inning. RH Francis Pena (0.87) issued a walk with 2 Ks in 2 otherwise perfect IPs. RH Ruben Galindo (0–1, 2.84) gave up an unearned run on 2 hits in two-thirds of an IP to suffer the loss.

SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (9–11) — SAN JOSE 5, Storm 4: RF Braedon Karpathios (.300) was 2-for-2 with a double, 3 walks, a RBI and 2 runs scored. 3B Jay Beshears (.338) was 1-for-4 with a walk and a run. 1B Romeo Sanabria (.307) and LF Ryan Wilson (.250) each had a RBI double in 4 at-bats with a walk. CF Nick Vogt (.211) was 1-for-4 with a run. Starting LH Fernando Sanchez (2.25 ERA) gave up 2 runs (1 earned) on 5 hits with 5 strikeouts in 2 innings. RH Will Marmette (11.57) gave up a hit with 3 Ks in 2 IPs. RH Xavier Ruiz (1–1, 4.00) gave up a run on 2 hits with 3 Ks in 2 IPs to take the loss. RH Breck Eichelberger (8.49) gave up 2 runs on a hit and 2 walks with a K in two-thirds of an IP. RH Dwayne Matos (5.74) worked 1 1/3 perfect IPs.