TL San Antonio Missions

Bullpen Sparkles as San Antonio Defeats Wichita

Published on June 10, 2023 under Texas League (TL)
San Antonio Missions News Release


SAN ANTONIO - The San Antonio Missions continued their six-game series against the Wichita Wind Surge on Saturday night. Both squads exchanged leads in the first two innings and were stuck in a tie after five frames. In the bottom of the sixth, the Missions strung together four consecutive base hits good enough for two runs to jump ahead. Those tallies ultimately made the difference as the Missions bullpen threw 4.2 scoreless innings to hold onto a 5-3 San Antonio win.

San Antonio's bats got going in a hurry against David Festa, who got the start for Wichita. Ripken Reyes led off the first inning with a walk and hustled to third on a Tirso Ornelas single. With runners at the corners and nobody out, Yorman Rodriguez plated Reyes on a fielder's choice. Festa limited the damage, so the Missions led 1-0 after one inning.

Nolan Watson, San Antonio's starter, gave up the lead swiftly after gaining it. Yoyner Fajardo sparked the chaos with a single to start the second inning. He proceeded to steal second base and advanced to third on a throwing error. After a walk filled the corners, Seth Gray knotted things up with a run-scoring single that brought home Fajardo. The Wind Surge kept the inning going by loading the bases, and DaShawn Kiersey, Jr. hit a sacrifice fly that put Wichita ahead 2-1.

In the bottom of the second inning, the first two runners agained got on base for the Missions as Pedro Castellanos singled and Ray-Patrick Didder reached with a walk. They both advanced to scoring position, but with two outs, it looked like Festa would escape as Reyes rolled a weak grounder to second base. However, the second baseman bobbled it and let two runs come across, lifting the Missions back over the Wind Surge by a score of 3-2.

Watson quieted the Wichita offense for back-to-back frames before they woke up in the fifth. Keirsey Jr. started the inning with a single and immediately stole second. This helped him slide home safely on a Patrick Winkel single to even the game. After a walk, Michel Baez entered from the bullpen and kept the game tied at 3-3.

With Festa out of the game, Denny Bentley took over on the mound for Wichita. In the home-half of the sixth, Daniel Johnson and Michael De La Cruz arrived in scoring position with a single and double respectively. On the first pitch to Castellanos, he whacked a go-ahead single into left field that still left the Missions with runners at first and third with just one out. Didder followed up with a nearly identical base hit that scored another run and knocked Bentley out of the game. Alex Scherff came in and calmed the storm for Wichita, but San Antonio held a 5-3 advantage through six innings of play.

Aaron Leasher got the next turn on the bump for San Antonio. He threw a scoreless seventh but exited after a leadoff walk made it to third with one out in the eighth. San Antonio called on Kevin Kopps, and Kopps answered. He recorded a strikeout and flyout to end the inning and maintain the Missions' lead of 5-3.

In the ninth inning, the Missions asked Alek Jacob to shut things down. Jacob obliged. He worked around a one-out single and earned the save to ignite the fireworks after a Saturday night win.

Post-Game Notes

Final Score: 5-3

With the win, San Antonio improves to 31-25 on the season

Michael De La Cruz extends his hit streak to 12 games and on-base streak to 15-game

Jackson Wolf (#16 Padres prospect): DNP

Alek Jacob (#26 Padres prospect): SV, IP, H, K

Tirso Ornelas (#28 Padres prospect): 2-4

Nolan Watson (Missions starter): 4.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R (2 ER), 4 BB, 2 K

Brooks Lee (#1 Twins prospect, #23 MLB): DNP

David Festa (Wind Surge starter): 4.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 4 K

The San Antonio Missions will continue their six-game homestand with the Wichita Wind Surge on Sunday, June 11th. Left-hander Daniel Camarena (1-2, 8.41) is scheduled to pitch for the Missions. Right-hander Blayne Enlow (2-1, 3.31) is scheduled to pitch for the Wind Surge. First pitch is slated for 1:05 p.m. from Nelson Wolff Stadium.

Check out the San Antonio Missions Statistics

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