Valenzuela's Ninth-Inning Single Catapults Missions over Wind Surge
TL San Antonio Missions

Valenzuela's Ninth-Inning Single Catapults Missions over Wind Surge

July 9, 2025 - Texas League (TL)
San Antonio Missions News Release


WICHITA, Kan. - As the game sat tied at four with two outs in the ninth, late-inning lightning, better known as Brandon Valenzuela, drove in the two game-winning runs with a single to give the San Antonio Missions (6-8, 45-38) an electrifying 6-4 win over the Wichita Wind Surge (9-5, 46-37). The game featured four lead changes and three ties, but San Antonio ultimately left Equity Bank Park on top.

Valenzuela is now hitting .318 with 16 RBIs in the seventh inning or later this season. He is responsible for four walk-off wins, and this became yet another game-winning hit in 2025. Andrew Moore's two crisp innings secured both a personal and team win while Valenzuela gave Cole Percival the loss.

For the second straight game, San Antonio scored first, this time against Wind Surge starter Connor Prielipp. Moisčs Gņmez tripled in the first inning and came home on Valenzuela's infield single, so San Antonio jumped ahead 1-0. Similarly to yesterday, Wichita barely blinked before answering with a Gabby Gonzalez RBI double, so the game left the first frame even at 1-1.

The Missions got right back to work in the second by loading the bases with two walks and a Wyatt Hoffman single. Francisco Acuña hit a sacrifice fly to score Ripken Reyes, but on the throw in, Addison Kopack got caught trying to head to third. Still, the Missions captured a lead they held for several innings.

San Antonio starter Jagger Haynes was the one who maintained that lead into the fifth by retiring nine of 10 batters after the first. However, Nate Baez broke that rhythm by leading off the fifth with a solo shot that tied the game.

Just like they did after Wichita tied it the first time, the Missions answered by immediately breaking the tie in the sixth. Valenzuela and Kai Murphy reached with a walk and single respectively, and they advanced into scoring position thanks to a wild pitch by reliever Jaylen Nowlin. Marcos Castañon went out and got what would have been a ball, but instead he poked it up the middle and past a drawn-in infield to give San Antonio the lead.

Before Nowlin could take a breath, his next pitch went to Ripken Reyes, who yet again set down a perfect suicide-squeeze bunt. With Murphy breaking from third on the pitch, Reyes made contact and forced Nowlin to bounce off the mound to try and snag it, which he didn't, so everyone made it to their base safely and the Missions doubled their lead to 4-2.

Haynes did well to retire the first man in the home half of the sixth, but then things unraveled. Haynes hit Walker Jenkins, and when Haynes tried to pickoff Jenkins, the throw got so far away that Jenkins made it all the way to the third. Jenkins then scored on a wild pitch to trim San Antonio's advantage by one. After consecutive walks, manager Luke Montz pulled Haynes and brought in José Geraldo.

A fielder's choice brought Geraldo an out away from leaving the inning with lead, but Baez had other plans. He looped a single just in front Murphy in center field to bring home Gonzalez and tie the game at 4-4. Geraldo escaped further trouble, but the game essentially began again.

John Stankiewicz held the Missions down for a pair of innings, and Geraldo did the same in a clean seventh. Andrew Moore took over for San Antonio and mowed down the Wind Surge in the eighth, setting the Missions up for a fun ninth.

Percival entered for Wichita, and he walked Hoffman and Acuña. With Gņmez at the plate, both runners took off and executed the double steal. Gņmez struck out, but up came Valenzuela in a familiar spot. The catcher attacked Percival's first pitch and ripped it into right field, bringing in two runs to leap San Antonio ahead 6-4.

Moore stayed on for the ninth, but now he had a lead. A two-out single brought the tying-run to the dish, and Rubel Cespedes came into pinch hit, but Moore fanned him to close an exciting 6-4 win.

UP NEXT:

The Missions continue their six-game series with the Wichita Wind Surge. First pitch on Thursday is at 7:05 p.m. Righty Enmanuel Pinales (4-4, 46.87) goes for the Missions while righty Darren Bowen (2-4, 4.64) 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.

Check out the San Antonio Missions Statistics



Texas League Stories from July 9, 2025


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