Brandon Valenzuela, Korry Howell homer; Jackson Merrill, Marcos Castanon make Missions debut in win over NW Arkansas

Jackson Merrill slides into third base for a triple in his first at-bat in his Missions debut. The San Antonio Missions beat the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Friday, July 14, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Jackson Merrill slides into third base for a triple in his first at-bat in his Missions debut.
Jackson Merrill, Marcos Castanon and Brandon Valenzuela all spent most of this season playing in Class A.

Valenzuela joined the San Antonio Missions when he was promoted on June 27. Merrill and Castanon both made their Missions debuts on Friday night at Wolff Stadium.

Valenzuela had the big hit – a two-run homer in the second inning that made it 3-0 – as the Missions beat the Northwest Arkansas Naturals 4-2. It was his first home run since joining the Missions.

Korry Howell also hit his first home run of the season with a solo shot in the fourth inning that made it 4-0.

Merrill made a quick impact with a triple in his first at-bat. He scored the Missions’ first run of the game later in the first inning on a double by Juan Fernandez.

Castanon had a double and a walk.

The two newest Missions were next to each other on the infield with Castanon starting at third base and Merrill at shortstop.

Merrill is the No. 1 prospect in the San Diego Padres organization. He played in 68 games for the Fort Wayne TinCaps in high Class A and batted .280 with 10 home runs and 33 RBIs. Castanon played 77 games for the TinCaps and batted .287 with 13 home runs and 58 RBIs.

Missions starting pitcher Jose Espada went four innings and did not allow a run. Raul Brito was the first pitcher out of the Missions bullpen and turned in 2 1/3 scoreless innings to earn the win. Jose Quezada got the save.

Manager Luke Montz was not with the team. Bench coach Felipe Blanco, who typically coaches first base, was coaching third base and running the team.

Ray-Patrick Didder has key hit as Missions rally past RoughRiders; Blake Cederlind wins in San Antonio debut

Ray-Patrick Didder's two-run single in the sixth inning put the Missions in front for good. The San Antonio Missions beat the Frisco RoughRiders 3-2 on Thursday, June 29, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Ray-Patrick Didder’s two-run single in the sixth inning put the Missions in front for good.
Ray-Patrick Didder drove in two crucial runs in the San Antonio Missions’ 3-2 victory over the Frisco RoughRiders on Thursday at Wolff Stadium.

Didder’s two-run single was part of a three-run Missions rally in the sixth inning. His hit brought in Michael De La Cruz with the go-ahead run and Juan Fernandez with a run that gave the Missions a 3-1 cushion they would need.

Daniel Johnson led off the bottom of the sixth with a single. He advanced to second when De La Cruz walked, then scored the Missions’ first run on a hit by Fernandez to tie the game 1-1.

Frisco took the first lead of the game with a run in the top of the third inning. After the Missions went ahead 3-1 in the sixth inning, the Rough Riders made it close with a run in the top of the ninth.

Relief pitcher Blake Cederlind made his San Antonio Missions debut and got the win. He pitched the top of the sixth inning and allowed no runs, one hit, two walks and two strikeouts.

Missions starter Daniel Camarena had a strong outing but got no decision. He went five innings and allowed one run on three hits and one walk with four strikeouts.

Jose Quezada pitched scoreless seventh and eighth innings for the Missions. Alek Jacob pitched the ninth inning, allowed one run, and got his fifth save of the season.

Justin Farmer also made his Missions debut and played in right field.

Daniel Johnson led off the bottom of the sixth with a single and scored the Missions' first run later in the inning. The San Antonio Missions beat the Frisco RoughRiders 3-2 on Thursday, June 29, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Daniel Johnson led off the bottom of the sixth with a single and scored the Missions’ first run later in the inning.

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.

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.

Ethan Skender a hit in Missions debut in win over RockHounds

Ethan Skender had two hits including an RBI triple in his San Antonio Missions debut on Friday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Ethan Skender had two hits including an RBI triple in his Missions debut.
Ethan Skender joined the San Antonio Missions on Friday after being promoted by the San Diego Padres.

Skender made a quick impact with an RBI triple in his second at-bat at Wolff Stadium. His big hit was part of a 3-run fourth-inning rally by the Missions in a 3-1 victory over the Midland RockHounds.

Skender, who was the designated hitter, also had a double later in the game.

The 24-year-old infielder was batting .258 with two home runs in 60 games in Class A Fort Wayne before moving up to the Double-A Missions.

Eguy Rosario got a leadoff walk to start the bottom half of the fourth inning. He scored on a double by Michael Curry for the first run of the game. Olivier Basabe’s sacrifice bunt brought in Curry from third to make it 2-0. Skender’s triple drove in Juan Fernandez, who had followed Curry’s hit with a single.

Missions starting pitcher Osvaldo Hernandez pitched five scoreless innings to get the win.

The RockHounds’ scored their only run in the top of the seventh. Missions closer Jose Quezada pitched the ninth inning for his 14th save of the season and second of the current series against Midland.

The Missions’ Allen Cordoba, who entered Friday with a 12-game hitting streak, went 0-for-4 and saw his streak end.

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 lose series finale against Hooks; Jose Azocar has 2 hits including homer

Jose Azocar hits his ninth home run of the season for the San Antonio Missions' only run of the game Sunday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Jose Azocar hits his ninth home run of the season for the Missions’ only run of the game.
Jose Azocar homered and had two of the San Antonio Missions’ four hits Sunday in a 3-1 loss to the Corpus Christi Hooks at Wolff Stadium.

The Hooks won five of six games in the series. The Missions are off Monday and play their next 12 games on the road. The next home game at Wolff Stadium is Tuesday, Aug. 24.

Azocar hit his ninth home run of the season in the bottom of the fourth for the Missions’ only run of the game. Allen Cordoba had the Missions’ other two hits.

Hooks leadoff man Corey Julks started off the game with his third home run of the series. Corpus Christi added a second run in the top of the first and scored an insurance run in the eighth.

Missions starting pitcher Pedro Avila went 2 2/3 innings and allowed two runs to take the loss. He gave up five hits including Julks’ homer, walked two and struck out three.

The Missions got some strong work from their bullpen. Joe Beimel pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings, James Reeves went 2.0 scoreless innings and Jose Quezada pitched a scoreless ninth inning.

Missions pitchers Adrian Martinez, Osvaldo Hernandez dominate in sweep of Cardinals

San Antonio Missions right fielder Jack Suwinski had three hits Saturday including his 15th home run of the season. - photo by Joe Alexander
San Antonio Missions right fielder Jack Suwinski had three hits Saturday including his 15th home run of the season.
San Antonio Missions pitchers Adrian Martinez and Osvaldo Hernandez started combined shutouts in both halves of a doubleheader Saturday at Wolff Stadium.

The Missions won both seven-inning games 2-0.

Jack Suwinski scored three of the Missions’ four runs on the day. He went 3-for-4 in the doubleheader with his team-leading 15th home run, a walk and a hit-by-pitch.

The six-game series concludes on Sunday with a 6:05 p.m. first pitch.

FIRST GAME

Martinez (6-3) went six innings in the first game, allowing two hits with three strikeouts. Jose Quezada pitched the seventh for his 10th save of the season

Eguy Rosario led off the bottom of the first inning with his ninth home run. The Missions’ other run also came in the first when Kyle Overstreet drove in Suwinski.

SECOND GAME

Hernandez (3-6) went 5 2/3 innings in the second game, leaving with a 2-0 lead and a runner on second base. Pedro Avila got the final out of the sixth inning and retired the Cardinals in order in the seventh for his second save.

Suwinski hit a solo shot in the second inning. Allen Cordoba doubled in Suwinski in the bottom of the fourth for the second run.

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.

Jack Suwinski, Missions rally past Naturals

San Antonio Missions left fielder Jack Suwinski drove in two runs including the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh in a 6-5 win over the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Saturday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Missions left fielder Jack Suwinski drove in two runs including the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh in a 6-5 win over the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Saturday at Wolff Stadium.
Jack Suwinski had three hits and drove in San Antonio’s first and last runs of the game as the Missions beat the Northwest Arkansas Naturals 6-5 on Saturday night at Wolff Stadium.

The Missions wore uniforms commemorating the San Antonio Black Aces of the Negro Leagues.

Northwest Arkansas led 3-0 in the middle of the sixth inning and 5-3 in the middle of the seventh. The Missions did all their scoring in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings with three runs in each frame.

Suwinski drove in Eguy Rosario with the Missions’ first run in the bottom of the sixth. Dwanya Williams-Sutton drove in Kyle Overstreet and Suwinski later in the inning to tie the game 3-3.

A Naturals error in the bottom of the seventh allowed Rosario to reach base and Chandler Seagle to score. Overstreet singled in Rosario from second to tie the game 5-5. Chris Givin pinch ran for Overstreet and Suwinski drove him in.

Suwinski’s game-winning double was the only extra-base hit of the game for the Missions, who finished with nine hits.

Reliever Nick Kuzia entered the game in the seventh. He pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings and got his first win of the season in 10 relief appearances. Jose Quezada pitched the ninth inning and picked up his eighth save of the season.

The Missions have won their last two games and seven of their last nine. The six-game Missions-Naturals series concludes Sunday with a 2:05 p.m. start.