Padres Down on the Farm: September 11 (Kollar, Krob strong/Batten homers twice in EP)

San Diego Padres affiliates went 1-1 on Wednesday.

Here is a recap of the day’s events.

Photo byEl Paso Chihuahuas

El Paso Chihuahuas (Won 8-4 vs Salt Lake) (55-85 on the season)
Matthew Batten - 3-for-4, Two Home Runs
Cal Mitchell - Home Run, Three RBI
Jared Kollar - 6.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R (3 ER), 4 BB, 4 K (87 pitches - 51 strikes)

In a midweek matinee against the Salt Lake Bees, El Paso erased a three-run deficit with seven unanswered runs to win 8-4. Matthew Batten hit two home runs in the ballgame, his eighth and ninth of the season, while also driving in three runs. Tirso Ornelas blasted off for the 20th time on the season, and Cal Mitchell later launched a three-run homer, his second homer in two days.

Jared Kollar made the start for the Chihuahuas and pitched into the seventh inning for only the second time this season. Kollar went 6.2 innings, striking out four and allowing four runs (three earned). It was a strong outing for the right-hander, who has made his last two appearances in relief. While Kollar allowed seven hits and four walks, he always appeared to be a ground ball away from escaping a jam, and with nine groundouts on the day, he truly was. Reliever Ethan Routzahn was credited with the win, recording the final out of the seventh inning. Logan Gillaspie pitched a scoreless eighth inning, and despite the game not being in a save situation, Austin Davis closed out the win with a scoreless ninth inning, striking out one.

San Antonio Missions (Lost 2-1 vs Springfield) (59-73 on the season)
Ripken Reyes - 2-for-4, Double
Lucas Dunn - 2-for-3, Run Scored
Austin Krob - 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 5 K (89 pitches - 62 strikes)

The Missions emerged on the short end of a tight Texas League pitcher’s duel between Austin Krob and Cardinals’ top prospect Tink Hence. Krob delivered a quality start, firing off six innings of two-run baseball, striking out five batters and walking only one. The 24-year-old left-hander has been on a roll since August 1, tossing 43.1 innings of 2.28 ERA baseball, striking out 41 against 11 walks. This second-half resurgence spells a positive development for the former TCU pitcher, who could be on the cusp of a Triple-A call-up early next season.

The Missions’ offense had two baserunners in 1.1 innings against Cardinals starter Tink Hence, who departed the game with an apparent injury. San Antonio pushed across a run against reliever Benito Garcia, with Romeo Sanabria hitting a towering sacrifice fly to score Lucas Dunn in the third inning. That would be all the Missions could score, as the offense only provided four more baserunners from the fourth inning onwards. As a team, San Antonio struck out a staggering 14 times, and despite bringing the tying run 90 feet away in the ninth inning, Joshua Mears grounded out softly to end the game with a whimper as the Missions dropped another one-run game.

Fort Wayne TinCaps - Season Over

Lake Elsinore Storm - Off Day

Thursday's Probable Pitchers:
El Paso - Nabil Crismatt (2-4, 5.93 ERA)
San Antonio - Henry Baez (4-1, 3.30 ERA)
Lake Elsinore - TBD