Former MLB All-Star Shelby Miller makes first start with Missions

Shelby Miller pitches for the San Antonio Missions on Thursday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Shelby Miller pitches for the San Antonio Missions on Thursday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander
Veteran major league pitcher Shelby Miller struggled as the starting pitcher for the San Antonio Missions on Thursday at Wolff Stadium.

The 28-year-old right-hander pitched two innings and allowed two runs (both in the first inning) with three hits, two strikeouts and four walks.

The Missions beat the Nashville Sounds 5-3 to sweep the four-game series and win their eighth straight.

Miller pitched in the majors for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers. He was released by the Rangers earlier in July and signed a minor-league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers. He appeared in 18 games for the Rangers this season, starting eight and recording a 1-3 record with an 8.59 ERA.

Miller was an All-Star with the Braves in 2015. He had Tommy John surgery in 2017 and missed most of the 2018 season.

Missions’ Cory Spangenberg stays hot at the plate

Missions infielder Cory Spangenberg playing against Nashville on Wednesday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Missions infielder Cory Spangenberg playing against Nashville on Wednesday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander
Cory Spangenberg’s batting average has gone up 43 points in a little over a month.

The San Antonio Missions utility man’s batting average was .276 on June 13. The next day he started an eight-game hitting streak.

Wednesday night, Spangenberg had three hits and scored three runs in a 7-5 victory over the Nashville Sounds at Wolff Stadium. His current hitting streak extended to four games. He is now hitting .319 with 10 home runs, 4 triples, 24 doubles and 44 RBIs.

Spangenberg is hitting an even .400 over the last 10 games (18-of-45).

Listed as a third baseman, Spangenberg has seen action all over the infield this season and has also done duty as an outfielder.

Spangenberg was part of the Double-A Missions when they were a San Diego Padres farm club and won the Texas League championship in 2013. He saw action in the majors with the Padres in the 2014 through 2018 seasons, appearing in 387 games and batting .258 with 27 home runs.

Missions’ Trent Grisham continues to pound the ball

The Missions' Trent Grisham had a bunt single and a solo home run on Tuesday against Nashville at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
The Missions’ Trent Grisham had a bunt single and a solo home run on Tuesday against Nashville at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander
The San Antonio Missions’ most potent offensive threat as of late got the team going – by bunting for a hit.

Leadoff batter Trent Grisham bunted his way on in the bottom of the first inning and scored the Missions’ first run of the game.

About three hours later, he scored the last run of the game. Grisham hit a game-winning home run in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Missions beat the Nashville Sounds 6-5 on Tuesday at Wolff Stadium.

The home run was Grisham’s fourth in the last three games.

Grisham homered twice on Sunday as the Missions’ beat the Omaha Storm Chasers in the final game of that series. Grisham homered again on Monday in the opener of the Missions’ current four-game series against the Sounds.

During Grisham’s current four-game hitting streak, he is 11-of-18 (.611) with 10 runs scored, 4 home runs and 7 RBIs:

CURRENT FOUR-GAME HITTING STREAK
July 16 vs. Nashville, 2 hits, 3 runs, 1 RBI, 1 home run
July 15 vs. Nashville, 3 hits, 2 runs, 2 RBIs, 1 home run
July 14 vs. Omaha, 4 hits, 3 runs, 4 RBIs, 2 home runs
July 13 vs. Omaha, 2 hits, 2 runs, 0 RBIs, 0 home runs

The 22-year-old left-handed outfielder from Fort Worth is batting .314 with 9 home runs in 22 games for the Triple-A Missions. He started the season at Double-A Biloxi and batted .254 with 13 home runs in 63 games.

Brewers’ Gio Gonzales looks strong in rehab appearance with Missions

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Gio Gonzalez made a rehab appearance with the San Antonio Missions on Monday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Gio Gonzalez made a rehab appearance with the San Antonio Missions on Monday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Gio Gonzales looks like he might be getting closer to returning to the majors.

Gonzalez pitched 4 2/3 innings in a rehab start for the San Antonio Missions on Wednesday at Wolff Stadium. He allowed one run on five hits, including a home run. Gonzales was on a pitch count of 70 and left after throwing 68 pitches. Gonzales recorded four strikeouts with no walks.

The 6-foot, left-hander had a 2-1 record in six starts with the Brewers this season. His last game in the majors was May 27. He went on the injured list with a tired arm after that.

Monday’s game was his second rehab appearance in the minors. He pitched on Wednesday in a Class A game. He gave up two runs on four hits in two innings.

Trent Grisham homers twice as Missions pound Storm Chasers again

The Missions' Trent Grisham (12) is congratulated by Blake Allemand (right) and Lucas Erceg after hitting a fourth-inning home run Sunday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
The Missions’ Trent Grisham (12) is congratulated by Blake Allemand (right) and Lucas Erceg after hitting a fourth-inning home run Sunday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander
Trent Grisham lashed out four hits including two home runs as the San Antonio Missions beat the Omaha Storm Chasers 9-5 Sunday at Wolff Stadium.

The Missions swept the four-game series with the Storm Chasers, scoring at least eight runs and piling up double-digit hits in every game:

July 14: W 9-5, 11 hits, 3 home runs
July 13: W 8-2, 11 hits, 2 home runs
July 12: W 10-9, 11 hits, 2 home runs
July 11: W 9-2, 10 hits, 2 home runs

On Sunday, Grisham hit his sixth and seventh home runs in 20 games since joining the Missions from Double-A Biloxi.

Tuffy Gosewisch, a catcher who doesn’t see much playing time for the Missions, hit his second home run of the season. His solo homer gave the Missions a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning and they led the rest of the way.

Bubba Derby was the Missions starting pitcher. He went four innings, allowed five runs and did not get a decision.

Burch Smith had been the expected starting pitcher for the Missions on Sunday. It was announced to the media about an hour before game time that Derby would start instead.

Missions reliever Donnie Hart (3-2) pitched two scoreless innings and got the win.

The Missions' Tuffy Gosewisch hits his second home run of the season Sunday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
The Missions’ Tuffy Gosewisch hits his second home run of the season Sunday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander
The Missions' Trent Grisham trots around the bases in the sixth inning after hitting his second home run of the game Sunday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
The Missions’ Trent Grisham trots around the bases in the sixth inning after hitting his second home run of the game Sunday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander
The Missions' Cory Spangenberg slides into second base on his 23rd double of the season Sunday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
The Missions’ Cory Spangenberg slides into second base on his 23rd double of the season Sunday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander

Brewers’ Hernan Perez trying to rebound with the Missions

Hernan Perez hits an RBI double on Thursday in the Missions' 9-2 victory over the Omaha Storm Chasers at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Hernan Perez hits an RBI double on Thursday in the Missions’ 9-2 victory over the Omaha Storm Chasers at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander
After spending all of the 2017 and 2018 seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers, Hernan Perez finds himself back in the minor leagues with the San Antonio Missions.

The 28-year-old from Venezuela made his MLB debut in 2012 with Detroit Tigers. He has spent all or part of the last five seasons in the majors with the Brewers.

Perez hit .235 with 5 home runs and 11 RBIs in 59 games this season with the Brewers before being sent down to Triple-A San Antonio.

Perez has played second base and left field in the first three games of the Missions’ current homestand and has hits in his last four games overall. He went hitless in his first two games after being sent down. He is currently batting .154 with no home runs and one RBI in his six games with the Missions.

Lucas Erceg, Blake Allemand help Missions blow away Storm Chasers

Missions pitcher Thomas Jankins is 7-0 in his last nine starts after getting the win against the Storm Chasers on Saturday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Missions pitcher Thomas Jankins is 7-0 in his last nine starts after getting the win against the Storm Chasers on Saturday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander
Lucas Erceg and Blake Allemand homered and Thomas Jankins pitched seven strong innings as the San Antonio Missions beat the Omaha Storm Chasers 8-2 on Saturday at Wolff Stadium.

Erceg hit his 12th home run of the season, a solo shot in the second inning. Allemand hit a three-run homer in the 8th inning, his third blast of the season.

Jankins (9-2) gave up one earned run on eight hits with seven strikeouts and no walks. He lowered his season ERA to 3.39. Jankins has seven wins and two no-decisions in his last nine starts.

The Missions' Lucas Erceg celebrates his second-inning home run with third base coach Ned Yoast IV on Saturday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
The Missions’ Lucas Erceg celebrates his second-inning home run with third base coach Ned Yoast IV on Saturday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander
The Missions' Blake Allemand is congratulated at home plate by Jacob Nottingham (right) and Cory Spangenberg after Allemand's eighth-inning home run on Saturday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
The Missions’ Blake Allemand is congratulated at home plate by Jacob Nottingham (right) and Cory Spangenberg after Allemand’s eighth-inning home run on Saturday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander

Drew Smyly earns his first Missions win at Wolff Stadium

The San Antonio Missions' Drew Smyly pitches against the Omaha Storm Chasers on Thursday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
The San Antonio Missions’ Drew Smyly pitches against the Omaha Storm Chasers on Thursday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander
Drew Smyly pitched in his first home game with the San Antonio Missions on Thursday at Wolff Stadium.

The former Texas Rangers starter threw five innings to get the win. He allowed two runs, including a solo home run in the second inning, on three hits with three strikeouts and no walks.

The Missions beat the Omaha Storm Chasers 9-2. Cory Spangenberg and Travis Shaw both hit home runs. Spangenberg finished with three hits and five RBIs.

Thursday’s game was Smyly’s second start for the Missions. On July 7 in New Orleans, in his first appearance after signing a minor-league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers, Smyly went four innings and gave up one run on three hits with seven strikeouts and no walks. He did not get a decision.

The 6-foot-3 left-hander had a 1-5 record and 8.42 ERA in 13 games with the Rangers this season being released.

Missions closer and PCL All-Star Jay Jackson

San Antonio Missions closer Jay Jackson pitching at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
San Antonio Missions closer Jay Jackson pitching at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander
Jay Jackson’s professional baseball career has taken him from San Diego to Milwaukee and from Mexico to Japan.

The San Antonio Missions closer was selected to play for the Pacific Coast League in today’s Triple-A All-Star Game in El Paso.

Jackson leads the Missions in saves (8) and has a 4-2 record with a 1.01 ERA. He is second on the team in games (29) and second among Missions relievers in innings pitched (35 2/3). Jackson stuck out 50 batters with 8 walks. He appeared in three games this season with the Milwaukee Brewers, giving up five runs in 2 1/3 innings.

The 6-foot-1 right-hander was drafted in the ninth round in 2008 by the Chicago White Sox. He made it to the Majors in 2015 when he pitched in six games for the San Diego Padres.

His pitching record includes stints in Mexico between 2012 and 2016.

Jackson spent the 2016 through 2018 seasons pitching for Hiroshima in the Japanese league. In 181 games over three seasons he had a 10-8 record with three saves, all in relief.

Missions catcher and PCL All-Star David Freitas

The San Antonio Missions' David Freitas was selected to play in the 2019 Triple-A All-Star Game. - photo by Joe Alexander
The San Antonio Missions’ David Freitas was selected to play in the 2019 Triple-A All-Star Game. – photo by Joe Alexander
David Freitas started this year in the Majors, playing one game with the Seattle Mariners.

A trade brought the 30-year-old catcher to the Milwaukee Brewers organization and San Antonio Missions.

Freitas has been an offensive force in his 55 games in Triple-A. He leads the Missions in batting (.369), is second in OPS (.957), third in RBIs (43) and fourth in slugging (.523). He has seen time in San Antonio as both a catcher and first basemen, in keeping with the Brewers organization’s philosophy of giving players experience at multiple positions.

Freitas is scheduled to play for the Pacific Coast League team in Wednesday’s Triple-A All-Star Game in El Paso.