Bullpen Comes Through, Three Missions Record Three Hits in Toppling of Tumba Vacas

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Bullpen Comes Through, Three Missions Record Three Hits in Toppling of Tumba Vacas

July 11, 2025 - Texas League (TL)
San Antonio Missions News Release


WICHITA, Kan. - When starter Braden Nett left the game with an apparent injury and the bases loaded in the fourth, the San Antonio Missions (8-8, 47-38) appeared to be in real trouble against the Wichita Wind Surge (9-8, 46-39), who tonight played as the Tumba Vacas. However, reliever Ryan Och put out the fire and kicked off the bullpen's masterful coverage of 5.2 innings to fuel San Antonio's 7-2 victory.

Albert Fabian, Moisès Gòmez and Romeo Sanabria each recorded three hits to help supply the runs against Christian MacLeod and Aaron Rozek. MacLeod took the loss, but four late runs off Rozek helped the Missions breathe a little easier. Och appropriately received credit for the win-his first of the year.

Wichita landed the opening blow off Nett in the first inning. With runners at the corners and two away, Rubel Cespedes rifled a double down the right field line. Kyler Fedko scored easily, but as Moisès Gòmez bobbled the ball in right, Kala'i Rosario got the wave around to try and score from first. A perfect relay into the first baseman Sanabria made it to catcher Brandon Valenzuela, who applied the tag on Rosario in time to limit the damage.

MacLeod kept the 1-0 lead through a clean first, but San Antonio turned the tables in the third. Anthony Vilar led off with a single and Ripken Reyes reached with a walk. Vilar stole third, which proved valuable when he scored on Francisco Acuña's fielder's choice to tie the game.

MacLeod recorded the second out of the third, but Sanabria singled to extend the inning. Gòmez took advantage with an RBI single to give San Antonio the lead. Then on a fly ball that looked like it might end the inning off the bat of Kai Murphy, left fielder Ricardo Olivar made an error getting to it, so it dropped and let another run in. By the end of the frame, the Missions led 3-1.

The Tumba Vacas mounted a major threat by loading the bases in the fourth via three straight walks. Nett jumped ahead of Jorel Ortega with an 0-2 count trying to escape the mess he created, but after a foul ball, Missions trainer Juan Peña came from the dugout and ended up pulling Nett in the middle of the at bat. Och answered the sudden call to the bullpen and struck out Ortega before getting Jake Rucker to line out sharply to left. The Houdini act by Och maintained San Antonio's 3-1 advantage.

Och returned for the fifth and set down the Tumba Vacas in order to complete his clutch pitching performance. He passed the baton to J.B. Wendelken, who looked sharp with his three strikeouts across two scoreless frames.

MacLeod finished five innings with only those three third inning runs allowed before Wichita turned to Aaron Rozek. The veteran lefty pitched two solid innings before facing obstacles in the eighth. Sanabria and Gòmez again followed each other with singles, and when Murphy grounded the ball to the second baseman Jake Rucker, Rucker made a long throw to second that sailed into left field. Sanabria scored, and two more runners advanced into scoring position. Fabian showed his appreciation for the golden opportunity as he looped his third hit of the night into center field to bring home two more and make it 6-1 San Antonio.

Ricardo Olivar scratched one across for Wichita on a solo homer against Ethan Routzahn in the eighth, but the Missions responded by adding another tally in the ninth thanks to Sanabria's RBI double. With a 7-2 lead, Jake Higginbotham became the fourth San Antonio reliever to get the job done, as his three outs slammed the door on the Missions' win.

UP NEXT:

The Missions continue their six-game series with the Wichita Wind Surge on Saturday with first pitch at 6:05 p.m. Righty Henry Baez (3-2, 2.23) goes for the Missions while righty CJ Culpepper (0-0, 0.54) starts for the Wind Surge. Catch all the action on Country Legends KKYX, 680 AM, 104.9 FM and kkyx.com. Tickets are available at samissions.com or by calling 210-675-7275.

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