Tag: Kevin Kopps

Missions pitchers Jackson Wolf, Edwuin Bencomo, Kevin Kopps fend off Frisco

Jackson Wolf pitched six innings struck out five Frisco batters. The San Antonio Missions beat the Frisco RoughRiders 2-1 on Saturday, July 1, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Jackson Wolf pitched six innings struck out five Frisco batters. The San Antonio Missions beat the Frisco RoughRiders 2-1 on Saturday, July 1, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander
Jackson Wolf showed off the form that makes him one of the San Diego Padres’ top pitching prospects on Saturday night at Wolff Stadium.

Wolf pitched six innings and allowed one run as the San Antonio Missions beat the Frisco RoughRiders 2-1. Wolff gave up three hits and two walks and struck out five to earn the win and even his record to 7-7.

Wolf is currently the No. 16 prospect in the Padres’ minor league system (according to MLB.com) and is No. 3 left-handed pitcher on the team’s top 30 list.

Edwuin Bencomo made a successful return to the Missions by pitching two scoreless innings in relief. He allowed two hits, no walks and struck out two batters. Bencomo started the season in San Antonio, went down to Class A Fort Wayne on May 23 and pitched in seven games. He was promoted back to the Missions on Saturday.

Kevin Kopps pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his third save of the season. He did not allow a hit or a walk and struck out two of the three batters he faced.

The Missions’ first run of the game came on a Ray-Patrick Didder solo home run in the fourth inning.

Kervin Pichardo accounted for the team’s other run in the fifth. He got on base vi hit-by-pitch and advanced to third on a Cole Cummings single. Pichardo scored on a bad pickoff throw.

Edwuin Bencomo pitched two scoreless innings in relief. The San Antonio Missions beat the Frisco RoughRiders 2-1 on Saturday, July 1, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Edwuin Bencomo pitched two scoreless innings in relief.

RockHounds win pitcher’s duel with Missions

Missions pitcher Bobby Milacki tosses the ball to first baseman Cole Cummings after fielding the ball on the right side of the infield. The Midland RockHounds beat the San Antonio Missions 2-1 on Saturday, June 24, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Missions pitcher Bobby Milacki tosses the ball to first baseman Cole Cummings after fielding the ball on the right side of the infield.
The Midland RockHounds beat the San Antonio Missions 2-1 Saturday at Wolff Stadium on a night when all the scoring happened in the ninth inning.

Midland’s Drew Swift had a two-run double in the top of the ninth.

Ripken Reyes scored the Missions’ only run in the bottom of the ninth. Reyes led off with a single, went to third on a Tirso Ornelas single and scored on a wild pitch.

San Antonio starting pitcher Jose Espada went four shutout innings and allowed two hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. Reliever Bobby Milacki pitched three scoreless innings and didn’t allow a hit or a walk with two strikeouts.

Kevin Kopps pitched the final two innings for the Missions and took the loss.

Midland starter Ryan Cusick pitched seven shutout innings and allowed two hits and one walk with seven strikeouts.

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.

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.

Tirso Ornelas’ winning hit gives Missions 3rd straight victory

Tirso Ornelas' two-run double in the seventh inning put the Missions in front for good. The San Antonio Missions beat the Amarillo Sod Poodles 5-4 on Thursday, April 25, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Tirso Ornelas’ two-run double in the seventh inning put the Missions in front for good.
One night after winning on a walk-off hit in the ninth inning, the San Antonio Missions got the job done two innings earlier on Thursday.

Tirso Ornelas lashed a double to center field and drove in the tying and go-ahead runs in the bottom of the seventh inning at Wolff Stadium. That gave the Missions a one-run lead they held on to in a 5-4 victory over the Amarillo Sod Poodles.

San Antonio batters produced nine hits, including two in the seventh inning. Jorge Ona led off the seventh with a single. Ripken Reyes was hit by a pitch with one out. Ona and Reyes both scored on Ornelas’ double.

Ornelas, Ona and Reyes had two hits each and combined for four RBIs and four runs. In the fifth inning, Ona had an RBI double and Reyes had a sac fly.

Juan Fernandez recorded a hit in his seventh straight game and is batting .323.

Missions reliever Kevin Kopps (3-0) pitched the sixth and seventh innings and earned the win. Alek Jacob pitched the last two innings and got his first save.

Jorge Ona had two hits and one RBI and scored twice. The San Antonio Missions beat the Amarillo Sod Poodles 5-4 on Thursday, April 25, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Jorge Ona had two hits and one RBI and scored twice.

Starter Nolan Watson holds Hooks in check, Pedro Castellanos homers in Missions win

Pedro Castellanos hit his fifth home run of the season. The San Antonio Missions beat the Corpus Christi Hooks 5-2 on Friday, May 12, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Pedro Castellanos hit his fifth home run of the season.
The San Antonio Missions got a big effort from their starting pitcher for the second night in a row on Friday.

Missions starter Nolan Watson pitched six innings and got his first win of the season in a 5-2 victory over the Corpus Christi Hooks at Wolff Stadium. On Thursday night, starter Efrain Contreras got his first win of the season.

Watson, a 6-foot-2 right-hander, allowed two runs on seven hits, but walked only one and struck out two.

Kevin Kopps pitched the final two innings for his second save of the season. He did not allow a hit and struck out three.

The Missions went in front for good with three runs in the second inning. Michael De La Cruz had a sacrifice fly and Ripken Reyes hit a two-run double to make it 3-2.

Reyes, a switch-hitting middle infielder, has hits in six of his last seven games with three doubles and a triple in that stretch.

Pedro Castellanos hit a solo home run in the third inning, his fifth homer of the season, to make it 4-2.

Connor Hollis scored from third base on a De La Cruz groundup in the sixth inning to complete the scoring.

Daniel Johnson and Tirso Ornelas had two hits each for the Missions.

Missions starter Nolan Watson allowed two runs in six innings. The San Antonio Missions beat the Corpus Christi Hooks 5-2 on Friday, May 12, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Missions starter Nolan Watson allowed two runs in six innings.

Jackson Wolf’s pitching, Michael De La Cruz’s homer power Missions past NW Arkansas

Michael De La Cruz celebrates his fifth-inning home run. The San Antonio Missions beat the Northwest Arkansas Naturals 10-2 on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Michael De La Cruz celebrates his fifth-inning home run.
San Diego Padres prospect Jackson Wolf struck out a season-high 10 batters and switch-hitting catcher Michael De La Cruz hit his second home run as the San Antonio Missions beat up Northwest Arkansas 10-2 on Wednesday afternoon at Wolff Stadium.

Wolf, the only Missions starter to earn a win in the first 16 games of the season, ran his record to 2-2. The 6-foot-7 left-hander pitched five complete innings, allowed one run on four hits with one walk and double-digit strikeouts.

De La Cruz hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning. He finished with three hits, four RBIs and two runs scored.

The Missions piled up 11 hits. Ripken Reyes, another switch-hitter, had two hits, two RBIs and scored a run. Pedro Castellanos had two hits and an RBI and was hit by a pitch. Juan Fernandez had two hits, doubled for the second game in a row, had one RBI and scored twice.

Missions reliever Kevin Kopps pitched the final three scoreless innings for his first save of the season. The former University of Arkansas pitcher allowed one hit with no walks and struck out four.

Starting pitcher Jackson Wolff went five innings and got the win. The San Antonio Missions beat the Northwest Arkansas Naturals 10-2 on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Starting pitcher Jackson Wolff went five innings and got the win. The San Antonio Missions beat the Northwest Arkansas Naturals 10-2 on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander

Kevin Kopps, Javy Guerra pitch in Missions’ loss to Hooks

Former Arkansas star Kevin Kopps pitched the ninth inning for the San Antonio Missions on Saturday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Former Arkansas star Kevin Kopps pitched the ninth inning for the Missions.
Two players at different stages of their careers saw action on the mound for the San Antonio Missions on Saturday at Wolff Stadium in a 6-1 loss to Corpus Christi.

Javy Guerra pitched in a combined 22 games in relief for the San Diego Padres in 2019 and 2020. He hasn’t pitched in the majors this season due to an elbow issue.

The 6-foot, right-hander from Panama was assigned to the Missions on a rehab assignment Saturday and pitched the fifth inning on Saturday night. He retired the side in order with no hits, walks or strikeouts.

Kevin Kopps, playing in his first summer of pro ball after a stellar college career at Arkansas, pitched at Wolff Stadium for the second time this week. He worked the scoreless ninth inning, allowing no hits, one walk and no strikeouts.

Eguy Rosario scored the Missions’ only run in the fourth inning. He doubled, went to third on a wild pitched and went home on Dwanya Williams-Sutton’s sacrifice fly.

Kevin Kopps makes Missions debut in loss to Hooks

Kevin Kopps, a 2021 San Diego Padres draft pick and former Arkansas star, made his San Antonio Missions debut on Wednesday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Kevin Kopps, a 2021 San Diego Padres draft pick, made his Missions debut on Wednesday at Wolff Stadium.
Kevin Kopps was a third-round pick by the San Diego Padres in the 2021 draft in July.

Over the course of the summer he has jumped from the University of Arkansas to rookie ball to Class A Fort Wayne and then to Double-A.

Kopps made his Double-A debut on Wednesday night at Wolff Stadium. He pitched the ninth inning for the San Antonio Missions in a 4-0 loss to the Corpus Christi Hooks.

The 6-foot, right-hander struck out two batters, had a hit-by-pitch and got the other out on a fly ball. He is expected to see more action with the Missions before their season ends Sunday.

The Houston native pitched in 92 games in his college career at Arkansas, mostly as a reliever. He had seven starts and 13 saves.

Kopps earned the Golden Spikes Award, Dick Howser Trophy, first-team All-American honors and D1Baseball and Collegiate Baseball national player of the year for the 2021 college season.