Tirso Ornelas drives in Jake Perez with winning run in Missions’ walk-off victory over RockHounds

The Missions celebrate their victory after Tirso Ornelas (second from right) hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning. The San Antonio Missions beat the Midland RockHounds 4-3 on a walk-off single by Tirso Ornelas in the ninth inning on Friday, June 23, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
The Missions celebrate their victory after Tirso Ornelas (second from right) hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning.
After going scoreless for the first six innings, the San Antonio Missions rallied to beat the Midland RockHounds 4-3 on Friday at Wolff Stadium.

The Missions scored three times in the seventh to tie the game 3-3. They ended it in the bottom of the ninth. Jake Perez led off the ninth with a bunt single, went to second when Ripken Reyes was hit by a pitch and scored on a walk-off single to right field by Tirso Ornelas.

Ornelas had a run-scoring hit to tie the game in the seventh inning along with the game-winner in the ninth.

Midland took the lead by scoring twice in the first inning and once in the third. San Antonio relievers combined to pitch four scoreless innings to allow the Missions to get back in the game. Nick Hernandez pitched 1 2/3 scoreless, followed by Aaron Leasher going one inning. Jose Quezada pitched the final 1 1/3 innings and got the win.

Missions starter Daniel Camarena pitched five innings and allowed three runs on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts.

The Missions bats came alive in the seventh inning with RBI singles by Juan Fernandez, Reyes and Ornelas.

Fernandez came in at catcher to start the third inning, replacing Chandler Seagle. Missions catcher Yorman Rodriguez is on the seven-day injured list, so if Seagle goes out with an injury, that would leave Fernandez and Michael De La Cruz to handle that position.

RockHounds’ home runs sink Missions

Pedro Castellanos had an RBI double in the fourth inning, went to third base on an error and scored on a passed ball. The Midland RockHounds beat the San Antonio Missions 10-8 on Thursday, June 22, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Pedro Castellanos had an RBI double in the fourth inning, went to third base on an error and scored on a passed ball.
The Midland RockHounds hit three home runs to beat the San Antonio Missions 10-8 on Thursday at Wolff Stadium.

Shane McGuire, Greg Deichmann and Lawrence Butler hit home runs for Midland. The RockHounds took the lead for good with four runs in the top of the seventh inning.

The Missions had 11 hits including two each from Ripken Reyes, Cole Cummings, Pedro Castellanos and Chandler Seagle. Castellanos and Seagle each had a double.

Efrain Contreras leads combined shutout, Tirso Ornelas homers as Missions clinch first-half title

Tirso Ornelas celebrates his third-inning home run. The San Antonio Missions beat the Midland RockHounds 5-0 on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, at Wolff Stadium to clinch the first half Texas League South Division title. - photo by Joe Alexander
Tirso Ornelas celebrates his third-inning home run.
The San Antonio Missions combined shutout pitching with a rare Wolff Stadium home run to beat the Midland RockHounds 5-0 Wednesday and clinch the first-half Texas League South Division.

The Missions announced they will host Game 2 of the first round of the Texas League playoffs on Sept. 21 at Wolff Stadium.

San Antonio won five of its last seven games on the way to clinching first-half title. The Missions hit home runs in every game of that stretch. They kept it going Wednesday when Tirso Ornelas hit a two-run homer in the third inning to put the Missions up 3-0.

Missions starting pitcher Efrain Contreras combined with Kevin Kopps, Alek Jacob and Nick Hernandez to hold the RockHounds scoreless. Contreras pitched five innings and allowed three hits and three walks with eight strikeouts to earn the win. Missions pitchers finished with 15 strikeouts.

RockHounds ride big inning past Missions; Chandler Seagle homers, doubles

Chandler Seagle celebrates as he rounds the bases for his second-inning home run. The Midland RockHounds beat the San Antonio Missions 7-4 on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Chandler Seagle celebrates as he rounds the bases for his second-inning home run.
The Midland RockHounds scored five runs in the first inning on the way to beating the San Antonio Missions 7-4 on Tuesday at Wolff Stadium.

The RockHounds had three hits and two walks in the first inning. The big blow was a three-run homer by Lazaro Armenteros.

The Missions’ scoring all came in the bottom of the second inning. Daniel Johnson and Juan Fernandez started the rally with a single and a walk, respectively. Chandler Seagle hit his first home run of the season. His two-run blast cut Midland’s lead to 5-4, but the Missions never scored again.

Seagle added a double in the fifth inning. He finished the night with two extra-base hits, two RBIs and a run scored. The Missions catcher also threw out two base runners trying to steal.

Seagle didn’t put up big offensive numbers early in the season but has been hot over his last eight games. He is hitting .358 over that stretch (11-of-31) with three doubles, a triple and a home run. He has raised his batting average 47 points in eight games.

Fernandez had two hits in the game, including a double, a scored once.

Though it was a tough night for some of the Missions pitchers, Jose Quezada and Justin Lopez had solid efforts without giving up any runs. Quezada was the first reliever in for the Missions and went 2 1/3 innings and allowed one hit with no walks and one strikeout. Lopez went two innings and allowed one hit, two walks and one strikeout.

Wichita holds off Missions; Pedro Castellanos, Ray-Patrick Didder homer; Chandler Seagle 4 hits

Chandler Seagle congratulates Ray-Patrick Didder after Didder's ninth-inning home run. The Wichita Wind Surge beat the San Antonio Missions 8-7 on Sunday, June 11, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Chandler Seagle congratulates Ray-Patrick Didder after Didder’s ninth-inning home run.
The San Antonio Missions had a big game at the plate and still came up short on a warm afternoon when the ball was flying out of Wolff Stadium.

The Wichita Wind Surge beat the Missions 8-7 despite 14 San Antonio hits including home runs by Pedro Castellanos and Ray-Patrick Didder. Missions catcher Chandler Seagle had a career-high four hits including his first triple.

Wichita’s Alerick Soularie hit two home runs – a solo shot in the second inning and a three-run homer in the sixth.

Castellanos hit his sixth home run in the season with one on in the seventh inning. Didder hit his first of the season with one on in the bottom of the ninth to get the Missions within one run.

Seagle singled in the second inning in his first at-bat. He tripled in the fourth inning and singled again in the sixth. Seagle’s final-at bat was an RBI single in the eighth that closed Wichita’s lead to 7-5.

Missions use lots of little hits – including 4 by Ripken Reyes – to edge Wind Surge

Ripken Reyes bunts for a run-scoring hit in the fifth-inning. The San Antonio Missions beat the Wichita Wind Surge 5-4 on Friday, June 9, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Ripken Reyes bunts for a run-scoring hit in the fifth-inning.
None of the San Antonio Missions’ run-scoring at-bats were extra-base hits on Friday night.

Instead they piled up 12 hits – including five in the pivotal four-run fifth inning – to beat the Wichita Wind Surge 5-4 at Wolff Stadium.

The Missions’ runs in the inning scored on an RBI single by Chandler Seagle, an RBI bunt single by Ripken Reyes, an RBI single by Tirso Ornelas and a sacrifice fly by Yorman Rodriguez. Ray-Patrick doubled in the frame and later scored, but didn’t drive in a run with his hit.

Wichita, on the other hand, did all its scoring on home runs. Seth Gray had a three-run homer in the second inning and Yunior Severino had a solo shot in the eighth.

Missions starting pitcher Efrain Contreras had a strong night other than Gray’s home run. Contreras pitched six innings to get the win. He allowed three runs on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

Missions reliever Lake Bachar pitched 1 2/3 innings and gave up one run on Severino’s homer. That was the only hit given up by Bachar, who struck out one batters. Missions closer Nick Hernandez went to the mound with two outs in the eighth inning and got the last four outs. Hernandez struck out three batters and earned his sixth save of the season.

The Missions’ first run of the game came when Reyes led off the bottom of the first inning with a single, went to third on a Rodriguez single and scored on a ground out by Daniel Johnson.

Reyes finished with four hits including a double and scored twice. Cole Cummings had two hits and scored once. Didder had two hits including his double and scored once.

Winning pitcher Efrain Contreras walks off the mound after getting a strikeout to finish the top of the sixth inning. The San Antonio Missions beat the Wichita Wind Surge 5-4 on Friday, June 9, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Winning pitcher Efrain Contreras walks off the mound after getting a strikeout to finish the top of the sixth inning.

Wind Surge roll past Missions

Cole Cummings had two hits including a two-run single in the second inning. The Wichita Wind Surge beat the San Antonio Missions 10-3 on Thursday, June 8, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Cole Cummings had two hits including a two-run single in the second inning.
The Wichita Wind Surge piled up 14 hits on Thursday in a 10-3 victory over the San Antonio Missions at Wolff Stadium.

Wichita scored five runs in the top of the second inning and led the rest of the way. The Wind Surge got home runs from DaShawn Keirsey Jr. in the fourth inning and Aaron Sabato in the seventh inning.

The Missions’ scoring came on a two-run single from Cole Cummings in the second inning and an RBI single from Michael De La Cruz in the sixth.

Missions starting pitcher Duncan Snider gave up five runs in 1 2/3 innings. Reliever Alek Jacob was the one Missions pitcher to get through the game unscathed with two scoreless innings on two hits, one walk and three strikeouts.

Michael De La Cruz played catcher and drove in the Missions' final run of the game. The Wichita Wind Surge beat the San Antonio Missions 10-3 on Thursday, June 8, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Michael De La Cruz played catcher and drove in the Missions’ final run of the game.
Missions reliever Alek Jacob pitched the eighth and ninth innings and did not allow a run. The Wichita Wind Surge beat the San Antonio Missions 10-3 on Thursday, June 8, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Missions reliever Alek Jacob pitched the eighth and ninth innings and did not allow a run. The Wichita Wind Surge beat the San Antonio Missions 10-3 on Thursday, June 8, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander

Jackson Wolf dominates, Jorge Ona homers as Missions pound Wichita

Jackson Wolf pitched six shutout innings to earn the win. The San Antonio Missions beat the Wichita Wind Surge 10-4 on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Jackson Wolf pitched six shutout innings to earn the win.
Jackson Wolf earned the win in his third straight start as the San Antonio Missions beat the Wichita Wind Surge 10-4 on Wednesday at Wolff Stadium.

Wolff pitched 6.0 shutout innings and evened his record to 5-5 in 11 starts on the season. The 6-foot-7 lefty held Wichita without a hit through the first five innings before allowing two hits in the sixth. He struck out seven batters and did not give up a walk.

The Missions bats came alive with 14 hits, including Jorge Ona’s third home run of the season.

Michael De La Cruz had three hits, two RBIs and scored three times. Ripken Reyes, Tirso Ornelas, Pedro Castellanos, Juan Fernandez and Ona had two hits each.

Michael De La Cruz had three hits including an RBI double. The San Antonio Missions beat the Wichita Wind Surge 10-4 on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Michael De La Cruz had three hits including an RBI double.
Jorge Ona had two hits including his third home run of the season. The San Antonio Missions beat the Wichita Wind Surge 10-4 on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Jorge Ona had two hits including his third home run of the season.

Missions walk off Wichita on Tirso Ornelas’ 3-run double

Tirso Ornelas rips a walk-off double with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning. The San Antonio Missions beat the Wichita Wind Surge 6-5 on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Tirso Ornelas rips a walk-off double with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning. Connor Hollis (far right) is at third base.
Connor Hollis scores and Ray-Patrick Didder (far right) rounds third as the Missions won on Tirso Ornelas' walk-off double. The San Antonio Missions beat the Wichita Wind Surge 6-5 on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Connor Hollis comes in to score and Ray-Patrick Didder (far right) rounds third as the Missions won on Tirso Ornelas’ walk-off double.
Ray-Patrick Didder crosses home with the run that tied the game and Ripken Reyes (far right) rounds third on Tirso Ornelas' walk-off double. The San Antonio Missions beat the Wichita Wind Surge 6-5 on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Ray-Patrick Didder crosses home with the run that tied the game and Ripken Reyes (far right) rounds third on Tirso Ornelas’ walk-off double.
Ripken Reyes slides into home with the winning run on Tirso Ornelas' walk-off double. The San Antonio Missions beat the Wichita Wind Surge 6-5 on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Ripken Reyes slides into home with the winning run on Tirso Ornelas’ walk-off double.

The San Antonio Missions never led Tuesday night until the final batter of the game.

Tirso Ornelas went to bat with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning and the Missions trailing the Wichita Wind Surge 5-3. Ornelas ripped a line drive to center that drove in Connor Hollis, Ray-Patrick Didder and Ripken Reyes to win the game 6-5.

The Missions’ Pedro Castellanos led off the frame with a walk and was replaced by Hollis, a pinch-runner. Didder walked and then Reyes was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Wichita scored three runs in the top of the first first inning and two runs in the second inning to lead 5-0.

Yorman Rodriguez hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth, his second homer since joining the Missions on May 31. A Cole Cummings ground out drove in a run and Castellanos had an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead to 5-3.

The Missions’ bullpen kept them in the game after the Wind Surge’s fast start. Lake Bachar, Kevin Kopps and Michel Baez (W 2-0) combined to hold Wichita to no runs and two hits over the final seven innings.

Tirso Ornelas celebrates after his walk-off double. The San Antonio Missions beat the Wichita Wind Surge 6-5 on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Tirso Ornelas celebrates after his walk-off double.
Yorman Rodriguez hit a home run in his first home game since joining the Missions. The San Antonio Missions beat the Wichita Wind Surge 6-5 on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Yorman Rodriguez hit a home run in his first home game since joining the Missions.

Sod Poodles beat up Missions in series finale

Missions outfielder Daniel Johnson had three hits on Sunday. The Amarillo Sod Poodles beat the San Antonio Missions 9-3 on Sunday, May 28, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Missions outfielder Daniel Johnson had three hits on Sunday.
The Amarillo Sod Poodles piled up 12 hits to beat the San Antonio Missions 9-3 Sunday afternoon at Wolff Stadium.

Camden Duzenack had three hits including a double to lead the Sod Poodles, Tim Tawa had two hits including a double and Ryan Bliss had two hits. Duzenack and Tawa had three RBIs each.

Daniel Johnson had three hits for the Missions and Juan Fernandez and Michael De La Cruz had two hits each. De La Cruz and Korry Howell both doubled.