Snelling Punches Out Nine, Missions Even Series in Wichita

August 30, 2023 - Texas League (TL)
San Antonio Missions News Release

SAN ANTONIO - The San Antonio Missions continued their six-game series with the Wichita Wind Surge on Wednesday night. The newly transferred Missions players stole the show as Robby Snelling and Nathan Martorella dominated against Wichita. Snelling struck out nine batters in five hitless frames while Martorella homered and drove in three runs. The Missions evened the series with a final score of 9-2.

Jaylen Nowlin was the starting pitcher for the Wind Surge. The southpaw tossed two scoreless frames before allowing four runs on four hits in the third inning. Jakob Marsee singled and stole second base. Graham Pauley drew a walk to put two runners on with one out. Nathan Martorella drove in Marsee with a base hit to center field. Marcos Castanon drove in Pauley with a single to right field. A wild pitch allowed two runners to be in scoring position. Cole Cummings plated one with a sacrifice fly and Ethan Salas extended his hit streak with an RBI single. The Missions took a 4-0 lead.

San Antonio made it a 5-0 ballgame in the fifth inning. Korry Howell was hit by a pitch to start the frame. He stole second base and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Marsee. Jackson Merrill drove him in with a sacrifice fly.

The Missions added their sixth run of the night in the following frame. Martorella started the inning with a single. With one man down, a wild pitch allowed Martorella to advance. Cummings singled to put runners on the corners. Denny Bentley entered the game for Nowlin. He unloaded a wild pitch which allowed Martorella to score.

Robby Snelling was the starting pitcher for the Missions and he stole the show in just his second Double-A start. The 19-year-old did not allow a hit in five innings pitched. He issued three walks while striking out nine batters. This was the third time in his career he had struck out nine batters in a game.

Michel Baez took the mound in the sixth inning and Wichita quickly ended the no-hit bid. With one man down, Tanner Schobel doubled to right field.

With Baez still in the game, Wichita ended the shutout by scoring twice in the seventh inning. Alerick Soularie began the frame with a double. Dalton Shuffield put two runners on with a base hit. Willie Joe Garry Jr. scored Soularie with a double. Lake Bachar took over for Baez and retired the next batter. A sacrifice fly from Michael Helman allowed the second run to score. The Missions had a 6-2 advantage.

San Antonio made it a 7-2 game in the eighth inning. Facing Miguel Rodriguez, Salas drew a one-out walk. Ripken Reyes drove in the 17-year-old with a double to right field.

Sean Mooney took the mound for Wichita in the ninth inning and surrendered two runs on three hits. With one out and Pauley at first, Martorella hit a two-run home run to right field. His first Double-A long ball made it a 9-2 Missions lead.

Post-Game Notes

* Final Score: 9-2

* With the win, San Antonio improves to 26-27 & 63-59 on the season

* Salas: 4-game hit streak (Longest active streak for Missions hitters)

* Robby Snelling (Missions starter): W, 5.0 IP, 0 H, 3 BB, 9 K

* Snelling: 3rd career game with nine strikeouts (Tied career high)

* Jaylen Nowlin (Wind Surge starter): L, 4.1 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

Prospect Recap

* Ethan Salas (#1 Padres prospect, #5 MLB): 1-3, RBI, R, BB, HBP

* Jackson Merrill (#2 Padres prospect, #9 MLB): 0-2, RBI, 2 BB, SF

* Robby Snelling (#3 Padres prospect, #64 MLB): W, 5.0 IP, 3 BB, 9 K

* Jairo Iriarte (#6 Padres prospect): Scheduled to pitch Saturday, September 2nd

* Adam Mazur (#7 Padres prospect): Scheduled to pitch Thursday, August 31st

* Nathan Martorella (#10 Padres prospect): 3-5, HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, K

* Graham Pauley (#11 Padres prospect): 1-4, 2B, 2 R, BB

* Jakob Marsee (#12 Padres prospect): 1-4, R, SB, SAC, K

* Ryan Bergert (#16 Padres prospect): Scheduled to pitch Friday, September 1st

* Marcos Castañon (#23 Padres prospect): 2-5, RBI, R

* Marco Raya (#4 Twins prospect): Scheduled to pitch Friday, September 1st

* Tanner Schobel (#7 Twins prospect): 1-4, 2B, BB, K

The San Antonio Missions will continue their six-game series with the Wichita Wind Surge on Thursday, August 31st. Right-hander Adam Mazur (0-2, 4.84) is scheduled to pitch for the Missions. Right-hander Carlos Luna (2-7, 5.38) is scheduled to pitch for the Wind Surge. Thursday's first pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m.

San Antonio Missions' Robby Snelling on the mound

Texas League Stories from August 30, 2023

• Riders Drop Pitchers' Duel to Even Series - Frisco RoughRiders
• Travs Use Team Effort to Trounce Tulsa - Arkansas Travelers
• Mendlinger Tallies 4 Hits; Cards Top Naturals, 6-5 - Springfield Cardinals
• Hooks Strike Late to Level Series - Corpus Christi Hooks
• Surge Win Streak Ends with Loss - Wichita Wind Surge
• Travelers Pound Drillers 12-2 - Tulsa Drillers
• Snelling Punches Out Nine, Missions Even Series in Wichita - San Antonio Missions
• Vukovich Walks off RockHounds in Game One - Amarillo Sod Poodles
• Drillers Fall to Travelers in Extras - Tulsa Drillers
• Antico Breaks Steals Record; Cards Race to 5-3 Win - Springfield Cardinals
• Travs Top Tulsa in Ten - Arkansas Travelers

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