Missions 2021 statistical notes on players like Jack Suwinski, Eguy Rosario, Reiss Knehr, Allen Cordoba, Esteury Ruiz

Esteury Ruiz slides into home with the San Antonio Missions' second run of the game in Tuesday's season-opening victory over the Corpus Christi Hooks. - photo by Joe Alexander
Esteury Ruiz slides into home with the Missions’ second run of the game on May 4 in the 2021 season-opening victory over the Corpus Christi Hooks.
Watching the local team’s star players move on is a part of minor league baseball that is fun, gratifying and frustrating.

One example of what the San Antonio Missions lost this season:

– Jack Suwinski led the team in home runs with 15. The 23-year-old outfielder was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization on July 26, so he was the Missions’ leader despite not being with the team for almost the last two months of the season.

More statistical notes:

– Eguy Rosario played more games in a Missions uniform than anyone else this summer at 114. Kyle Overstreet was second at 103.

– Rosario was second on the team in home runs with 12 and second in stolen bases with 30. Rosario was the Missions’ opening day second baseman and was with the team all summer, playing shortstop late in the season.

– Outfielder Esteury Ruiz led the Missions in stolen bases with 36.

– Infielder Allen Cordoba led the Missions in batting average at .299 (not including players who appeared in less than 10 games). Cordoba played in 74 games. He didn’t start playing until June 8.

– CJ Abrams entered the season as the Missions’ most highly regarded prospect. The 20-year-old shortstop was limited to only 42 games due to injuries. He finished second on the team in batting at .296, but went on the injured list for the second time on July 8 and didn’t play again.

– Adrian Martinez (7-3) led Missions pitchers in wins, led their starters in ERA (2.34) and was second in starts (13).

– Reiss Knehr was 6-1 in 11 starts before moving up to pitch for both the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas and San Diego Padres.

– Reliever Carlos Belen led the Missions staff in appearances with 39. Henry Henry (38), Nick Kuzia (37), Jose Quezada (35) and James Reeves (31) all had 30-plus appearances.

Some players were notable for what they did after they moved up.

– Jose Azocar played in 79 games for the Missions, mostly in center field. He batted .276 with nine home runs and six triples. He is batting .324 for El Paso, second on the team, and is currently leading the Triple-A West in triples with seven despite only playing in 37 games at that level so far.

– Robbie Podorsky opened the season with the Missions but never played at Wolff Stadium. After batting .370 in seven road games, the speedy outfielder was promoted to El Paso. He is batting .275 with five home runs in Triple A, but has been limited to 27 games due to injuries.

– Taylor Kohlwey leads El Paso in batting at .339. He was with the Missions on opening day and played in 18 games for San Antonio before moving up.

– Matt Batten is fourth in hitting for El Paso at .301. He was with the Missions on opening day and played in six games before moving up.

– Pitcher Caleb Boushley has made 15 starts with a 3-8 record in El Paso since being called up on June 21. He was 2-3 in eight games with the Missions.

– Knehr has appeared in seven games in El Paso, four as a starter. His role changed after leaving San Antonio, where he was a starter. He was called up to San Diego four times, appearing in eight games and starting twice. He has a 1-0 record and 3.93 ERA with the Padres.

Esteury Ruiz keys rally as Missions top Hooks

Esteury Ruiz had this catch in center field in addition to two run-scoring hits for the San Antonio Missions on Thursday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Esteury Ruiz had this catch in center field in addition to two run-scoring hits for the Missions.
Esteury Ruiz’s three-run double in the seventh inning gave the San Antonio Missions the lead for good in an 8-6 victory over the Corpus Christi Hooks on Thursday at Wolff Stadium.

Ruiz’s key hit was a bases-loaded cracked-bat bloop that landed near the right-field line. That broke a 3-3 tie and put the Missions up 6-3. The Missions weren’t done that inning as they put up five runs with RBI hits by Ethan Skender and Eguy Rosario to surge in front 8-3.

The Hooks made it interesting when they scored a run in the eighth and loaded the bases in the top of the ninth and scored two more.

The Missions’ first three runs came in the second inning. Esteury Ruiz had a two-run hit. Michael Curry doubled to drive in Dwanya Williams-Sutton with the first run of the game.

Missions starting pitcher Jerry Keel went six innings and allowed three runs, two earned. Sam Williams (3-2) pitched a scoreless seventh inning and earned the win.

Sod Poodles pound out another win against Missions

San Antonio Missions shortstop Eguy Rosario makes a throw to first on a grounder to the left side on Saturday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Missions shortstop Eguy Rosario makes a throw to first on a grounder to the left side.
The Amarillo Sod Poodles beat the San Antonio Missions for the third night in a row with a 6-3 decision on Saturday at Wolff Stadium.

Amarillo’s Stone Garrett hit his 18th home run of the season, a two-run shot in the third inning. The Sod Poodles had 10 hits including four doubles and one triple. The Missions had six total hits, including two by Olivier Basabe, and no extra-base hits.

All three Missions runs crossed in the bottom of the third. Basabe scored on Eguy Rosario’s sacrifice fly, Esteury Ruiz scored on a wild pitch and Ethan Skender scored on Kyle Overstreet’s sacrifice fly.

Sod Poodles overpower Missions in series opener

San Antonio Missions infielder Kelvin Melean pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning on Tuesday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Missions infielder Kelvin Melean pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
The Amarillo Sod Poodles hit two home runs and took advantage of San Antonio’s early errors to beat the Missions 9-4 Tuesday at Wolff Stadium.

The game was the opener of a seven-game series. The Missions and Sod Poodles have a 5 p.m. doubleheader Wednesday at Wolff Stadium.

The Sod Poodles scored single runs in the first and second innings while the Missions committed three errors in the first three innings.

Amarillo got a two-run homer from Dominic Canzone in the fourth inning and a three-run shot from Ryder Jones in the seventh.

The Missions got two hits each from Esteury Ruiz and Ethan Skender. Skender had run-scoring hits in the fifth and ninth innings.

Missions starting pitcher Pedro Avila (0-3) went four innings and took the loss. He allowed five runs (three earned), three hits including one home run, one walk and struck out five.

Missions infielder Kelvin Melean pitched the ninth inning. He retired the Sod Poodles in order with most of his pitches in the mid to high 50s on the radar.

Olivier Basabe’s homer, strong relief pitching not enough for Missions in loss to RockHounds

The San Antonio Missions' Dwanya Williams-Sutton (left) greets Olivier Basabe at the plate after they both scored on Basabe's fifth-inning home run on Sunday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
The Missions’ Dwanya Williams-Sutton (left) greets Olivier Basabe at the plate after they both scored on Basabe’s fifth-inning home run.
Olivier Basabe had two hits including a fifth-inning home run but the San Antonio Missions fell to the Midland RockHounds 4-3 on Sunday at Wolff Stadium.

Basabe’s home run came after Dwanya Williams-Sutton led off the bottom of the fifth with a walk. That cut into what had been a 4-1 RockHounds lead. Neither team scored again after Basabe’s homer.

Basabe also scored the Missions’ first run of the game. He doubled with one out in the third and scored on a single by Esteury Ruiz.

Missions starting pitcher Jerry Keel worked five innings, allowed four runs and took the loss. Missions relievers Henry Henry, Sam McWilliams and Sam Williams combined for four innings of scoreless relief.

Williams-Sutton has reached base in 16 straight games. Michael Curry had his 16-game on-base streak come to an end.

The Missions are off Monday and begin a six-day, seven-game home series against the Amarillo Sod Poodles on Tuesday at Wolff Stadium. The series includes a 5 p.m. doubleheader on Wednesday.

Esteury Ruiz homer carries Missions past RockHounds, Tyler Viza picks up first win

The San Antonio Missions' Esteury Ruiz watches his fifth-inning home run fly out in left field on Saturday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
The Missions’ Esteury Ruiz watches his fifth-inning home run fly out in left field.
Esteury Ruiz’s eighth home run of the season lifted the San Antonio Missions to a 4-2 victory over the Midland RockHounds on Saturday at Wolff Stadium.

Ruiz homered in the bottom of the fifth after Augustin Ruiz led off the inning with a single and Chandler Seagle reached base on an error. The three-run blast pushed the Missions in front after the RockHounds had taken a 2-1 lead in the first two innings.

Esteury Ruiz scored the Missions’ first run on a sacrifice fly by Allen Cordoba in the bottom of the first.

Three Missions pitchers combined to hold the RockHounds scoreless over the final seven innings.

Missions starter Tyler Viza picked up his first win since being signed to a minor league contract 10 days earlier by the San Diego Padres – and his first win in affiliated pro baseball since June 20, 2019.

Viza allowed one run in each of the first two innings. He went on to complete six innings and didn’t give up any more runs. The 6-foot-3 right-hander allowed four hits and two walks with four strikeouts.

Tom Cosgrove pitched two scoreless innings in relief and Carlos Belen pitched the ninth inning for his second save of the season.

The Missions’ Michael Curry walked in the fourth inning to extend his on-base streak to 16 games.

Allen Cordoba keeps hitting, Missions pitchers dominate Midland

Allen Cordoba dodges a tag attempt by Midland RockHounds catcher JJ Schwarz to score the San Antonio Missions' final run in the bottom of the eighth inning on Wednesday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Allen Cordoba dodges a tag attempt by Midland RockHounds catcher JJ Schwarz to score the San Antonio Missions’ final run in the bottom of the eighth inning on Wednesday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander
Allen Cordoba didn’t just keep his hitting streak alive at 11 games. The San Antonio Missions cleanup hitter drove in the go-ahead run and scored an insurance run in Wednesday’s 3-1 victory over the Midland RockHounds at Wolff Stadium.

Cordoba doubled in the bottom of the third inning to score Eguy Rosario and give the Missions a 2-1 lead.

Cordoba doubled in the eighth and scored on a hit by Michael Curry to extend the Missions’ lead to two runs.

Cordoba is batting .305 on the season and .377 in the month of August. He has nine RBIs during his hitting streak.

Esteury Ruiz scored the Missions’ first run. He led off the bottom of the first inning with a walk, stole second and went to third on an error on the steal, and scored on a wild pitch.

Five Missions pitchers combined for 13 strikeouts and allowed only two hits. Starter Pedro Avila couldn’t get the win because he only went 4.0 innings, but he allowed just the one run with two hits while striking out five.

Sam McWilliams, the first pitcher out of the Missions’ bullpen, went two scoreless innings and got the win. Nick Kuzia and Tom Cosgrove pitched one scoreless inning each. Jose Quezada pitched the ninth inning and earned his 13th save of the season.

Missions fall to Springfield after reports of trade involving Jack Suwinski; Esteury Ruiz homers in return

Jack Suwinski watches from the San Antonio Missions dugout during the fifth inning of Sunday's loss to the Springfield Cardinals. There were reports that Suwinski will be part of a trade between the San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates. - photo by Joe Alexander
Jack Suwinski watches from the Missions dugout during the fifth inning of Sunday’s loss. There were reports that Suwinski will be part of a trade between the Padres and Pirates.
Jack Suwinski spent Sunday night watching from the dugout in what might have been his final game in a San Antonio Missions uniform.

Suwinski was replaced in the Missions’ starting lineup prior to the game, a 10-6 Springfield Cardinals victory.

According to reports from multiple members of the media who cover Major League Baseball, Suwinski will be part of a trade between the San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates. The big name in the trade is Pirates second baseman/outfielder Adam Frazier going to the Padres.
Trade story on MLB.com

The Missions got a second-inning home run from Esteury Ruiz in his first at-bat since suffering a finger/hand injury on June 13. Dwayna Williams-Sutton homered in the sixth inning.

The Cardinals pounded out 12 hits including home runs by Ivan Herrera and Luken Baker.

The Missions begin a six-game road series on Tuesday in Amarillo. They return Aug. 3 for a six-game series at Wolff Stadium against the Corpus Christi Hooks.

San Antonio Missions outfielder Esteury Ruiz celebrates his home run. He was activated from the injured list on Sunday and played in his first game since June 13. - photo by Joe Alexander
Missions outfielder Esteury Ruiz celebrates his home run. He was activated from the injured list on Sunday and played in his first game since June 13.

Missions split series with Naturals

CJ Abrams doubled for the Missions' only extra-base hit of the game and drove in one of the team's two runs. The Northwest Arkansas Naturals beat the Missions 8-2 on Sunday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
CJ Abrams doubled for the Missions’ only extra-base hit of the game and drove in one of the team’s two runs. The Northwest Arkansas Naturals beat the Missions 8-2 on Sunday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals beat the San Antonio Missions 8-2 on Sunday at Wolff Stadium.

The teams split the six-game series 3-3.

The Missions managed only four hits Sunday. CJ Abrams had an RBI double and Kyle Overstreet had an RBI single. Jose Azocar and Allen Cordoba both singled and scored.

Missions starting pitcher Reggie Lawson left the game with two outs in the first and gave up three runs on two hits and two walks. Dylan Rheault finished the first inning and took care of the second.

Adrian Martinez took over on the mound in the third inning and pitched five innings. He allowed three runs on seven hits. Martinez has been a starter for most of the season but has come on in relief in all three of Martinez’s starts.

Missions outfielder Esteury Ruiz, who is out on the injured list, worked as the first base coach for part of the game.

The Missions are off on Monday and open a six-game road series against the Frisco RoughRiders on Tuesday. Frisco leads the Double-A Central League South Division with the Missions in second place.

Jack Suwinski hits two more homers as Missions take 5 of 6 from Midland

Jack Suwinski hits his ninth home run of the season in the second inning on Sunday at Wolff Stadium. He homered again in the eighth inning. - photo by Joe Alexander
Jack Suwinski hits his ninth home run of the season in the second inning on Sunday at Wolff Stadium. He homered again in the eighth inning.
Right field at Wolff Stadium has historically been a place where most long fly balls die at the warning track.

That hasn’t stopped Jack Suwinski. The San Antonio Missions’ left-handed outfielder hit his ninth and 10th home runs of the season on Sunday in a 12-6 victory over the Midland RockHounds.

Suwinski hit his eighth homer of the season on Saturday night. All three weekend home runs soared out over right field.

Suwinski went 3-for-5 on Sunday and scored three times. The 22-year-old, who is playing his first season above Class A, batted 9-of-22 (.409) in the six-game home series against Midland as the Missions won five of the six games.

Missions third baseman Allen Cordoba, who made his season debut on Saturday, recorded his first two hits of the season including a double on Sunday.

The Missions’ CJ Abrams had three hits, two RBIs and two runs, and Jose Azocar and Michael Curry both had two hits.

Starting pitcher Reiss Knehr went five innings, giving up two runs in the first and holding Midland scoreless the next four innings to get the win (5-1). He allowed four hits and two walks and struck out six.

Missions left fielder Esteury Ruiz left the game in the top of the third. He was shaking his hand after sliding into second base in the bottom of the second.

Kyle Overstreet, who left Friday’s game after being hit in the face by a pitch, was not in the Missions’ lineup for the second day in a row.