Minors: Gore wild in return to Double-A; Hassell homers again for TinCaps

Rounding up the action at the Padres’ minor league affiliates

Sept. 12, 2021 5 AM PT

MacKenzie Gore stuck out eight batters Saturday in his first start at Double-A San Antonio.

That’s the good news.

The concern after he allowed just two runs in five-plus innings was that the Padres’ 22-year-old pitching prospect walked five batters, including three straight to start the sixth inning. The first free pass scored after Gore was lifted and Frisco rallied in the eighth inning of a 7-4 loss.

Gore allowed only three hits, but threw just 55 of his 97 pitches for strikes.

He was making his first start at Double-A since finishing the 2019 in the Texas League. Gore spent all of 2020 at the alternate site and began this year at Triple-A El Paso, where he had a 5.85 ERA in six starts before he was removed from competition to work through both a blister and delivery issues.

Gore resumed game action last month and had a 1.65 ERA in three starts in rookie ball before making one start at high Single-A Fort Wayne (5 IP, 3 ER).

The expectation is that Gore will be in San Antonio through the end of the Missions’ season on Sept. 19. After that, Gore could move to Triple-A El Paso, which plays through Oct. 3.

The organization is also discussing whether Gore can continue to build innings this winter in the Dominican Republic.

Saturday’s scoreboard

TRIPLE-A EL PASO (43-68)

Albuquerque 9, Chihuahuas 2: LHP Daniel Camarena (3-6, 5.29 ERA) allowed six runs on eight hits and two walks in four innings in the start to take the loss. 3B Nick Tanielu (.714 OPS) hit his 14^th homer and 2B Pedro Florimon (.733 OPS) went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. El Paso has lost seven of its last eight games.

DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (54-59)

Frisco 7, Missions 4: After Gore’s exit, RHP Henry Henry (3.80 ERA) allowed a run in two innings and RHP Sam Williams (1-2, 4.79 ERA) allowed four runs in the eighth. CF Esteury Ruiz (.750 OPS) hit his 10^th homer and LF Dwanya Williams-Sutton (.765 OPS) drove in three runs on his fourth homer.

HIGH SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (52-60)

TinCaps 9, Lansing7: DH Robert Hassell III (.872 OPS) drove in three runs on his fourth homer. LF Angel Solarte (1.083 OPS) went 4-for-5 with a double and wo runs scored and RF Tirso Ornelas (.716 OPS), 1B Zack Mathis (.766 OPS) and 2B Chris Givin (.556 OPS) all had two hits. RHP Kevin Kopps (0.00 ERA) walked two but struck out two in a scoreless ninth for his third save.

LOW SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (50-63)

Visalia 7, Storm 5: C Gilberto Vizcarra (.741 OPS) went 2-for-3 and drove in two runs on his fifth homer. 3B Cole Cummings (.935 OPS) and SS Jarryd Dale (.705 OPS) both had two hits. RHP Nick Thwaits (2-9, 7.27 ERA) allowed five runs in two-third of an inning in the loss.

ROOKIE ACL PADRES (23-30)

Mariners 6, Padres 1 (7): RF Justin Farmer’s fifth-inning homer was the Padres’ only hit. RHP Adam Smith (1-2, 2.77 ERA) allowed two runs in three innings in the loss.

Note: The DSL Padres led 2-0 in the top of the fifth when the game was suspended. It will be completed Sept. 14.