Michael Curry’s homer, Osvaldo Hernandez’s pitching help Missions win third straight

San Antonio Missions outfielder Michael Curry hits a two-run homer in the fifth inning against the Corpus Christi Hooks on Saturday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Missions outfielder Michael Curry hits a two-run homer down the left-field line in the fifth inning against Corpus Christi on Saturday at Wolff Stadium.
Michael Curry has a July Fourth birthday.

That means if he is in the San Antonio Missions’ lineup on Sunday, he has a chance to celebrate his birthday with a home run for the third day in a row.

On Friday, Curry scored the Missions’ first run of the game with a solo homer. He followed that up on Saturday with a two-run shot for the Missions’ first runs of the game.

The Missions also got a combined shutout from Osvaldo Hernandez, James Reeves and Nick Kuzia for their third-straight victory, beating the Corpus Christi Hooks 3-0 Saturday at Wolff Stadium.

Curry turns 24 on Sunday. He hit his two-run shot on Saturday in the fifth inning with Yorman Rodriguez on base.

Hernandez went into Saturday’s game with a 1-4 record. Making his 11th start of the season, he pitched six innings and allowed four hits with four strikeouts and no walks to earn his second win.

Reeves held the Hooks hitless in the seventh and eighth innings, striking out five of the six batters he faced and lowering his ERA to 1.02. Kuzia pitched the ninth to pick up his second save of the season.

Olivier Basabe brought home the Missions’ other run of the game when he bunted in Rodriguez in the seventh inning. Rodriguez, in addition to scoring twice, also had three hits.

The Missions wrap up their six-game home series against the Hooks on Sunday. The Missions are off Monday and play six more home games against Amarillo beginning Tuesday.

Adrian Martinez unhittable in return to starter’s role as Missions win 2nd straight

Adrian Martinez started on the mound for the Missions and held the Hooks hitless for six innings Friday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Adrian Martinez started on the mound for the Missions and held the Hooks hitless for six innings Friday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander
Adrian Martinez was a starter for the San Antonio Missions early in the season.

More recently, he was coming in a few innings later when the Missions used Reggie Lawson like an opener.

Martinez was back to being a starter on Friday night. The 6-foot-2 right-hander from Mexico pitched six hitless innings and struck out nine batters.

The Missions beat the Corpus Christi Hooks 3-1 at Wolff Stadium. The Missions have a modest two-game winning streak after going through a rough stretch that included a winless road series against Frisco.

Martinez (3-3) got the win. Mason Fox and Henry Henry followed with one inning each on the mound. Joe Beimel threw a 1-2-3 inning in the ninth for his first save of the season in only his second appearance, both coming this week.

Combined, the four Missions pitchers held the Hooks to two hits and two walks while striking out 10.

Missions batters had only four hits, but came through at the right time and took advantage of two Hooks errors.

Michael Curry hit his first home run of the season in the third inning for the Missions’ first run of the game.

Jack Suwinski smoked a ground ball down the first base line to drive in Jose Azocar in the fifth. Eguy Rosario scored in the eighth on a Juan Fernandez bunt combined with a Hooks error.

Reiss Knehr, Jose Azocar help Missions end slide

San Antonio Missions starting pitcher Reiss Knehr got the win in Thursday's second game at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Missions starting pitcher Reiss Knehr got the win in Thursday’s second game at Wolff Stadium.
Reiss Knehr pitched five scoreless innings and led off a combined seven-inning shutout as the San Antonio Missions beat the Corpus Christi Hooks 3-0 in the second game of a doubleheader Thursday at Wolff Stadium.

The victory ended a nine-game Missions losing streak. The Hooks won Thursday’s first game 5-2.

Knehr (6-1) leads Missions pitchers in wins. He allowed two hits and struck out seven in five innings. James Reeves pitched the sixth. Nick Kuzia pitched the seventh for his first save of the season.

Jose Azocar’s broken bat single to left drove in Olivier Basabe and Chandler Seagle with the first runs of the game in the bottom of the third. Azocar also made a couple of catches against the fence later in the game.

Basabe, getting a start at second base with CJ Abrams out, drove in Allen Cordoba with the Missions’ final run in the bottom of the fourth. Abrams, who left Wednesday’s game after a collision with a teammate, did not see action in either game Thursday.

San Antonio Missions center fielder Jose Azocar tracks down a fly ball on the warning track in Thursday's second game at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Missions center fielder Jose Azocar tracks down a fly ball on the warning track in Thursday’s second game at Wolff Stadium.

Missions pitcher Joe Beimel: a first look

Joe Beimel, a 44-year-old who has pitched in 676 games in the majors, made his season debut on Wednesday, June 30, 2021, with the San Antonio Missions at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Joe Beimel, a 44-year-old who has pitched in 676 games in the majors, made his season debut on Wednesday night with the Missions at Wolff Stadium.
Joe Beimel was drafted as a college player by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1998 – before some of his current San Antonio Missions teammates were born.

The 6-foot-3 left-hander pitched 917 games over his career in the minors and majors that ended in 2016 – until this week. The San Diego Padres signed Beimel to a minor-league contract on June 13 and assigned him to the Missions on Monday.

Wednesday night in the eighth inning at Wolff Stadium, Beimel walked out to the mound as part of a major league organization for the first time in five years. The 44-year-old pitched a 1-2-3 inning with one strikeout in a Double-A game, a Missions loss to the Corpus Christi Hooks.

Wednesday’s game was a possible first step back to the majors.

Beimel orignally made his pro debut in the minor leagues in rookie league in 1998 and made his Major League debut with the Pirates in 2001.

Over the next 15 years, he pitched in 676 games in the majors, all but 23 of those in relief. He spent time with the Pirates, Twins, Rays, Dodgers, Rockies, Nationals, Pirates (again) and Mariners. Beimel has a 29-34 record with five saves and a 4.06 ERA for his career.

Beimel’s final season in the majors was 2015, when he pitched in 53 games in relief with the Mariners.

In 2016 he pitched in 12 games for Triple-A Omaha. And that is where his career statistics ended – until Wednesday night.

CJ Abrams hurt as Missions lose 8th straight

San Antonio Missions shortstop CJ Abrams is helped off the field in the ninth inning Wednesday night, June 30, 2021, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Missions shortstop CJ Abrams is helped off the field in the ninth inning Wednesday at Wolff Stadium.
San Antonio Missions star CJ Abrams left Wednesday’s game in the top of the ninth inning as the team lost to the Corpus Christi Hooks 4-0 at Wolff Stadium.

Abrams is one of the top prospects in the San Diego Padres organization. The 20-year-old shortstop collided with second baseman Eguy Rosario on a ground ball up the middle. Abrams was not putting any weight on his left leg as he was helped off the field.

The Missions’ offense managed only two hits on the night. It was the eighth-straight loss for the Missions, who were swept in their recent six-game road series against the Frisco RoughRiders.

There were some positive signs from the San Antonio pitching. Starter Aaron Leasher (4-3) took the loss, but pitched five innings and allowed one run on six hits with five strikeouts.

Former big league pitcher Joe Beimel made his season debut, going one scoreless inning in relief in the eighth. Beimel last pitched in the majors with the Seattle Mariners in 2015.

Joe Beimel made his season debut on Wednesday, June 30, 2021, with the San Antonio Missions at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Joe Beimel made his season debut on Wednesday with the Missions at Wolff Stadium.

Missions center fielder Jose Azocar photo gallery

Jose Azocar of the San Antonio Missions points to a teammate after scoring against the Midland RockHounds on June 11, 2021, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Jose Azocar of the Missions points to a teammate after scoring against Midland on June 11, at Wolff Stadium.
Jose Azocar has settled into his spot as the San Antonio Missions’ leadoff hitter and center fielder.

The 25-year-old from Venezuela is currently on a seven-game hitting streak, batting 12-of-28 (.429) during that stretch including a home run Thursday night in Frisco.

Azocar is batting .276 on the season and has a .361 on-base percentage with three home runs, 18 RBIs and 21 walks in 44 games.

He was signed as a free agent to a minor league contract by the San Diego Padres in November 2020 after being in the Detroit Tigers Organization.

Flying Chanclas’ home series against Brazos Valley

Kolby Lunsford from O'Connor High School and A&M-Kingsville was the starting pitcher for the Flying Chanclas de San Antonio on Tuesday night at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Kolby Lunsford from O’Connor High School and A&M-Kingsville was the starting pitcher for the Flying Chanclas on Tuesday night at Wolff Stadium.
The Flying Chanclas de San Antonio have the best record in the Texas Collegiate League at 12-3.

The Chanclas, who are part of the San Antonio Missions organization, are currently playing a five-game homestand at Wolff Stadium.

The Brazos Valley Bombers beat the Chanclas 6-4 on Tuesday. The Chanclas and Bombers play again tonight and Thursday. The Chanclas continue the homestand with Friday and Saturday games against the Baton Rouge Rougarou.

San Antonio Missions starting pitcher Caleb Boushley photo gallery

Caleb Boushley made eight starts for the San Antonio Missions this season before being called up to Triple-A. - photo by Joe Alexander
Caleb Boushley made eight starts for the Missions this season before being called up to Triple-A.
Caleb Boushley earned the win for the El Paso Chihuahuas on Wednesday in his first start in Triple-A.

Boushley opened the season with the San Antonio Missions and was with the team until being promoted to Triple-A this week.

The 6-foot-3 right-hander made eight starts for the Missions and recorded a 2-3 record and 3.79 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 35 2/3 innings.

Boushley picked in the 33rd round of the 2017 draft by the San Diego Padres.

UTSA’s Chris Shull plays in San Antonio in summer league

UTSA's Chris Shull playing for the Brazos Valley Bombers against the Flying Chanclas de San Antonio on Tuesday, June 22, 2021, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
UTSA’s Chris Shull playing for the Brazos Valley Bombers against the Flying Chanclas on Tuesday at Wolff Stadium.
UTSA’s Chris Shull was in action for the Brazos Valley Bombers on Tuesday at Wolff Stadium in Texas Collegiate League action.

Shull played left field and had two hits and two runs as the Bombers beat the Flying Chanclas de San Antonio 6-4.

The 6-foot right-hander from MacArthur High School is listed as a pitcher on both the UTSA and Bombers rosters. He is batting .375 in five Bombers games. He also pitched in three games in relief and has not allowed in a run in 4 1/3 innings while striking out seven.

Missions reliever Jose Quezada photo gallery

San Antonio Missions closer Jose Quezada pitching against the Frisco RoughRiders on May 23, 2021, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Missions closer Jose Quezada pitching against the Frisco RoughRiders on May 23 at Wolff Stadium.
San Antonio Missions relief pitcher Jose Quezada was the team’s primary closer when he was promoted to the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas on Monday.

Quezada recorded eight saves in 15 appearances with the Missions this season. He had a 3.93 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 18.1 innings.

The 5-foot-9 right-hander from Mexico was a 10th-round pick by the San Diego Padres in the 2018 draft out of Texas Tech.