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Edwin Rodriguez will return as manager of the El Paso Chihuahuas in 2020, the Chihuahuas and San Diego Padres announced Friday. Rodriguez led the 2019 Chihuahuas to 80 wins, the second-most victories in team history.

“We are excited to welcome back Edwin Rodriguez, Morgan Burkhart and Lance Burkhart from the field staff and Dan Turner, Dan Leja and A.J. Russell from the training staff,” Chihuahuas Senior Vice President and General Manager Brad Taylor said.

“All were here last year when the Chihuahuas compiled a second-best ever team record of 80-60 and smashed Minor League Baseball’s home run record with 258 homers. We also look forward to having Pete Zamora join our field staff. As the Padres continue to strengthen themselves at the Major League level, El Paso continues to be integral in the Padres player development.”

Rodriguez is entering his fourth season in the Padres organization, having spent the 2017 and 2018 seasons managing the High-A Lake Elsinore Storm. He was the Major League manager for the Florida Marlins for parts of the 2010 and 2011 seasons, becoming the first Puerto Rican manager in MLB history.

Rodriguez managed Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic in 2013 and 2017. As a player, Rodriguez reached the Major Leagues for parts of three seasons with the New York Yankees (1982) and the Padres (1983 and 1985).

Pitching coach Pete Zamora is the lone newcomer to the coaching staff. Zamora was the pitching coach for Lake Elsinore the past two seasons and helped the Storm post the lowest team ERA in the California League in 2019. He also coached in the Padres organization with Rookie-Level Peoria from 2016-2017.

As a player, Zamora was drafted in the 20^th round by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1997 out of UCLA and pitched eight seasons professionally in the Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Yankees, Milwaukee Brewers and Arizona Diamondbacks organizations.

Hitting coach Morgan Burkhart will return for his fifth season with El Paso and eighth in the Padres organization. Morgan’s brother Lance will return as El Paso’s fielding coach, his third year with the Chihuahuas and sixth in the Padres organization.

The Chihuahuas 2020 training staff will include Athletic Trainers Dan Turner and Dan Leja, as well as Strength Coach A.J. Russell.

The Chihuahuas have had six consecutive winning seasons and will begin their seventh season on Thursday, April 9 at Salt Lake against the Bees (Los Angeles Angels affiliate) with the El Paso home opener coming Tuesday, April 14 versus the Las Vegas Aviators (Oakland A’s affiliate).

The Chihuahuas have 70 regular season home games scheduled in 2020. For more information on new 2020 Season Seat Memberships, call or text an Account Executive at (915) 533-BASE

For more information on Groups, Premium Hospitality Events, and single-game suite call (915) 533-BASE, email tickets@epchihuahuas.com or visit EPChihuahuas.com.

The El Paso Chihuahuas announced today that for the first time in its history, Opening Day and Saturday games for the upcoming season will be available for purchase prior to the traditional on-sale date in the spring.

A limited number of tickets for Opening Day and the 11 Saturdays of the 70-game 2020 season will go on sale to the general public at midnight on November 20 until 11:59 p.m. on November 29. Tickets will be available for purchase online.

“Heading into our seventh season, we want to respond to input from our fans and give access for Opening Day and Saturday tickets earlier than we ever have,” said MountainStar Sports Group Sr. Vice President and General Manager Brad Taylor. “Our fans will have the best opportunity ever to lock down early these very popular Opening Night and weekend Chihuahuas tickets.”

Due to the popular demand of Opening Day and Saturday games, patrons are encouraged to purchase early to reserve seats now!

Opening Day is slated for Tuesday, April 14, 2020 versus the Las Vegas Aviators (Oakland A’s affiliate) at Southwest University Park.  Saturdays will once again include the very popular Chihuahuas postgame Fireworks Spectaculars – choreographed to the respective evening’s theme. Theme nights and promotions will be announced at a later date.

A complete schedule of individual game tickets available for purchase is below.

The Chihuahuas are currently taking deposits for NEW 2020 Season Seat Memberships. Six levels of Memberships are available offering members unprecedented in-Ballpark access during the season, year-round membership benefits new for 2020 and exclusive VIP treatment to its members.

For more information on NEW 2020 Season Seat Memberships, call or text an Account Executive at (915) 533-BASE.

Groups, Premium Hospitality Events, and single-game suites are also on sale and dates are filling up fast! For more information call (915) 533-BASE, email tickets@epchihuahuas.com, or visit the Chihuahuas website.

WHO: El Paso Chihuahuas

WHAT: 2020 Opening Day & Saturday Games Individual Game Ticket Flash Sale

WHEN: Midnight on November 20 and will end at 11:59 p.m. on November 29

WHERE: Available online only at epchihuahuas.com.

GAMES AVAILABLE DURING ON-SALE

DATE                  TEAM                                                AFFILIATE

April 14*            Las Vegas Aviators                        Oakland A’s

April 18              Salt Lake Bees                                Los Angeles Angels

May 2                  Tacoma Rainiers                            Seattle Mariners

May 9                  Sacramento River Cats                San Francisco Giants

May 16                Salt Lake Bees                                Los Angeles Angels

May 30                Albuquerque Isotopes                 Colorado Rockies

June 6                  Las Vegas Aviators                        Oakland A’s

June 20               Memphis Redbirds                        St. Louis Cardinals

July 11                 Fresno Grizzlies                             Washington Nationals

August 1             Omaha Storm Chasers                 Kansas City Royals

August 15          Reno Aces                                        Arizona Diamondbacks

August 29          Fresno Grizzlies                             Washington Nationals

* Opening Day

Ballpark Digest announced Wednesday that the El Paso Chihuahuas are the recipient of the Continued Excellence Award given annually to a Minor League Baseball organization that has “continued to be a standard of excellence in baseball, create an atmosphere of family fun entertainment and exemplify great community partnership.”

“It is an honor to be recognized by Kevin Reichard, Ballpark Digest and their entire staff with the award,” said MountainStar Sports Group Sr. Vice President and General Manager Brad Taylor. “They have their finger on the pulse of the Minor League Baseball community and to have them recognize our work is very gratifying for our ownership, front office and gameday staff.”

“With the Continued Excellence Award, we look for those teams that stand out year after year, continually bringing fans the best experience possible,” said Ballpark Digest Publisher Kevin Reichard. “The Chihuahuas have been a leader in the industry since the team was founded, and the great successes of the 2019 season were built on the foundations of that continued excellence.”

The Chihuahuas are coming off one of the most successful seasons yet having eclipsed the 3-million fan mark, surpassed 500,000 guests through the gates for the sixth consecutive season, and hosted two Minor League Baseball (MiLB) premier events – the RMHC Triple-A All-Star Game and Jarritos Home Run Derby and the MiLB Innovators Summit.

These achievements are only a small part of what MountainStar Sports Group (MSSG) – who own the Chihuahuas – had in mind when they purchased the team in 2012.

Franchise officials say that with four local owners, Woody Hunt, Josh Hunt, Paul Foster and Alejandra de la Vega Foster, and led by President Alan Ledford and Taylor, MSSG is quickly seeing their mission come to fruition: to improve the quality of life and foster economic growth in El Paso, Juarez and Southern New Mexico region.

“Since Opening Day in 2014, downtown El Paso has benefited and will continue to benefit from more than $350 million in completed and under development private investment, with public investment in current and future projects underway in an effort to create a more vibrant downtown,” Chihuahuas officials shared via a news release.

“MSSG takes significant pride in ensuring that Southwest University Park is always a first-class facility recognized as one of the best venues in the minor leagues. For this reason, MountainStar sports Group has invested more than $19 million over six years (including $3.25 in 2019) into the City-owned property to continue to innovate, design and build new, exciting attractions,” club officials added.

The Chihuahuas, who have welcomed 3.3 million guests in just six seasons, have also been named to MiLB’s list of Top 25 teams in licensed merchandise since its October 22, 2013 debut.

Branding success has led the Chihuahuas to sell more merchandise than any other team since 2014. This success is also evident in the 260-thousand followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat, the largest social media following in all MiLB.

“On October 22, 2013, when we announced and became the Chihuahuas, we made a commitment to believe in our brand and to promote it urgently, passionately and excessively. For six years, fans nationwide have bought in as well.”

But officials sat that it’s not all about a baseball and branding. The Chihuahuas are more than their successes. They are community driven and aim to make a difference in a community that has embraced them since their arrival.

In an effort to make the community better by participating in it, one of the core values of the Chihuahuas, the organization launched the Chihuahuas Volunteer Pack presented by Helen of Troy in 2015, an El Paso-wide volunteer force created to give back to the community. The Pack, made up of fans, players, coaches and front office staff, makes a positive impact in our community. Together, they contribute to more than 300 community service hours annually.

Chico, the Chihuahuas mascot, also contributes to the community outreach, making more than 500 community appearances each year. His education programs have become popular among area schools who request Chico for his Turn Up the Volume on Reading Program, Anti-Bullying Campaign, and Red Ribbon Week Rallies to name a few.

But perhaps the largest community impact has been the El Paso Chihuahuas Foundation.

Created to help make an impact to families and children in the El Paso region, the foundation has helped local organizations raise more than $1.5 million through in-stadium fundraising, have provided $300,000 in monetary donations and $150,000 in in-kind donations.

“From the beginning,” Taylor said, “our ballpark and our efforts were about more than baseball. We view this building as a community center and our platform as El Paso’s team as opportunities to do good things for and with our region.”

The success isn’t just off the field and in the community, as the Chihuahuas have been the Padres’ Triple-A affiliate since MountainStar Sports Group acquired the team in 2013 as the Tucson Padres, renewing the PDC through the end of the 2022 campaign, fostering development among the top prospects in MLB.

Since making the move to El Paso, 59 former Chihuahuas have made their Major League debut in Major League Baseball since playing for the Chihuahuas.

 The Chihuahuas have had five consecutive winning seasons and won four consecutive Southern Division titles from 2015-2018 en route to two conference championships and two consecutive appearances in the Pacific Coast League Championship Series including a PCL title in 2016.

The team has garnered two PCL MVPs in Hunter Renfroe (2016) and most recently Ty France (2019) and three PCL Rookies of the Year (Alex Dickerson, 2015; Carlos Asuaje, 2016; France, 2019).

To further the mission of providing quality entertainment, Southwest University Park has also become a premier downtown venue, hosting more than 300 events annually, with large-scale events such as the Michelob Ultra El Paso Marathon, the Way Out West Country Music Festival, premier boxing events to name a few.

The Chihuahuas under MountainStar Sports Group have continually delivered unparalleled and memorable service to their guests and clients and will continue to provide quality family fun entertainment for years to come.

“As we enter our seventh season our aim is to provide as much fun, as much value and as many memories as we did in our first season,” said Taylor. “We are always looking for ways to improve our product and the guest experience.”

The El Paso Chihuahuas Team Shop is cleaning out the warehouse to make room for new merchandise via a very special sale.

The first ever Brown Bag Sale will take place on Saturday, November 2, 2019 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Santa Fe Plaza gate entrance of Southwest University Park.

Shoppers may purchase one grocery-sized brown bag for $10. Customers will be able to fill the purchased bag with as many items that can fit inside the bag. Selections include but are not limited to polos, t-shirts, caps, sweatshirts and name brands such as Nike, Under Armor, 57 Brand and more.

Colors, sizes, and styles are limited and all items are on a first come first served basis.

There is a one bag limit per customer per visit however, buyers may repeat the process and wait their respective turn if they would like to purchase another bag. Other restrictions apply. No refunds or exchanges will be allowed.

Only cash, credit and debit will be accepted. For more information, contact the Chihuahuas Team Shop at (915) 533-BASE or via email at retail@epchihuahuas.com.

WHO: The El Paso Chihuahuas Team Shop

WHAT: Brown Bag Sale

WHEN: November 2, 2019 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

WHERE: Santa Fe Plaza Gate at Southwest University Park; Durango entrance will be closed!

HOW: $10 Brown Bag All-You-Can-Fill; Limit one (1) per person per visit; Reentry will be accepted but patrons must repeat the process; Restrictions Apply

The El Paso Chihuahuas announced their 2020 season home schedule on Monday. Opening night is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, April 14 versus the Las Vegas Aviators (Oakland A’s) at Southwest University Park.

The home season includes 70 home games of a 140-game schedule that will run through Sunday, August 30.

The Chihuahuas open their seventh season at Southwest University Park with nine home games in April including a seven-game series against the Aviators and the Salt Lake Bees (Los Angeles Angels), respectively.

The Chihuahuas will play 13 and 15 games in May and June, including Mother’s Day (May 17) and Father’s Day (June 21). The Chihuahuas will play 16 games in July and August is the heaviest month of the home schedule with 17 games.

As members of the Pacific Coast League’s (PCL) Pacific Conference, the Chihuahuas will face Albuquerque, Fresno, Las Vegas, Reno, Sacramento, Salt Lake and Tacoma twice.

The Chihuahuas will take on each member of the American Conference once, including visits from Nashville (June 17-19), Memphis (June 20-23), Iowa (July 28-July 30) and Omaha (July 31-August 3).

The complete 2020 Chihuahuas home schedule as well as a home schedule breakdown follows.

The Chihuahuas are currently taking deposits for NEW 2020 Season Seat Memberships! Six levels of memberships are available offering members unprecedented in-ballpark access during the season, new year-round membership benefits and exclusive VIP treatment to its members.

For more information on NEW 2020 Season Seat Memberships, call or text an Account Executive at (915) 533-BASE!

Groups, Premium Hospitality Events, and single-game suites are also on sale and dates are filling up fast! For more information call (915) 533-BASE, email tickets@epchihuahuas.com, or visit EPChihuahuas.com.

Individual game ticket sales, game times and promotions will be announced at a later date.

***

2020 Chihuahuas Home Schedule

DATE                                       TEAM                                                   AFFILIATE

April 14-16                              vs. Las Vegas Aviators                         Oakland A’s

April 17-20                              vs. Salt Lake Bees                                  Los Angeles Angels

April 29-May 3                       vs. Tacoma Rainiers                             Seattle Mariners

May 8-11                                  vs. Sacramento River Cats                 San Francisco Giants

May 16-19                                vs. Salt Lake Bees                                  Los Angeles Angels

May 30-June 2                        vs. Albuquerque Isotopes                  Colorado Rockies

June 3-7                                    vs. Las Vegas Aviators                         Oakland A’s

June 17-19                               vs. Nashville Sounds                            Texas Rangers

June 20-23                               vs. Memphis Redbirds                         St. Louis Cardinals

June 30-July 3                         vs. Reno Aces                                         Arizona Diamondbacks

July 8-12                                   vs. Fresno Grizzlies                              Washington Nationals

July 13-15                                 All-Star Break

July 20-23                                 vs. Sacramento River Cats                 San Francisco Giants

July 28-30                                 vs. Iowa Cubs                                         Chicago Cubs

July 31-August 3                    vs. Omaha Storm Chasers                  Kansas City Royals

August 13-16                          vs. Reno Aces                                         Arizona Diamondbacks

August 17-20                          vs. Albuquerque Isotopes                  Colorado Rockies

August 25-27                          vs. Tacoma Rainiers                             Seattle Mariners

August 28-30                          vs. Fresno Grizzlies                              Washington Nationals

HOME SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN

By Month                                          By Day of Week                               By Team

April                     9                            Sunday                11                         Albuquerque                    8

May                      13                         Monday              8                            Fresno                                8

June                     15                         Tuesday              9                            Iowa                                   3

July                       16                         Wednesday       10                         Las Vegas                          8

August                 17                         Thursday            11                         Memphis                           4

                                                            Friday                  10                         Nashville                           3

Saturday             11                         Omaha                               4

                                                                                                                        Reno                                   8

                                                                                                                        Sacramento                      8

                                                                                                                        Salt Lake                            8

                                                                                                                        Tacoma                              8

For the second time in 2019, the El Paso Chihuahuas will host one of Minor League Baseball’s (MiLB) premier events – the Minor League Baseball Innovators Summit and the Minor League Baseball Innovators Summit Trade Show.

“The Minor League Baseball Innovators Summit is an official proclamation and accurate depiction that our 160 teams are all industry leaders in creativity, inclusion and showmanship,” said Minor League Baseball President & CEO Pat O’Conner. “Simply put, there is nothing minor about Minor League Baseball, and this event proves that.”

The summit will take place at the El Paso Convention Center and Performing Arts Center including the Abraham Chavez Theatre and the Judson F. Williams Convention Center, as well as Southwest University Park, home of the El Paso Chihuahuas and the El Paso Locomotive FC.

The summit will bring more than 500 MiLB executives from nearly all MiLB teams, trade show exhibitors and event partners from around the country to downtown El Paso for four days of industry workshops, seminars, sharing of ideas and best practices and will culminate in an event and awards presentation at Southwest University Park.

Alan Ledford, president of MountainStar Sports Group and the Chihuahuas said, “Part of the vision for Southwest University Park was for it to serve as a catalyst for economic development and a means to improve the quality of life in this region. We are honored to once again welcome hundreds of executives and show vendors from around the country to El Paso.

“This represents another opportunity to show off our unmatched hospitality and the great things happening throughout our community and downtown.”

Started as the El Paso Promotional Seminar in 1976 by Jim Paul, former owner of the El Paso Diablos, the meeting brought together industry leaders to discuss challenges facing the business and to explore innovative ways to give baseball fans the best experiences when attending a baseball game.

The meeting quickly grew and has become an annual premier event for executives and staff in Minor League Baseball.

Brad Taylor, senior vice president and general manager of MountainStar Sports Group, began working on bringing the seminar back to its original home in El Paso during the 2014 inaugural season of the El Paso Chihuahuas.

During the 2018 MiLB Promotional Seminar in Des Moines, Iowa, Taylor’s hard work was rewarded when it was announced that El Paso would become the host city for the newly-rebranded MiLB Innovators Summit in 2019.

“It is only appropriate in an anniversary year that this event comes full circle and returns home to El Paso,” Taylor said. “Our goal was to bring the new generation of Minor League operators to our great city to learn from each other and to celebrate and remember what Jim Paul and the Diablos started. Now the Chihuahuas carry it forward.”

With the return to El Paso in 2019, the MiLB Promo Seminar now has a new name and logo – the Minor League Baseball Innovators Summit. The summit will include four days of presentations, keynote speakers, including Paul, workshops including a Ticketing Symposium presented by Tickets.com, charity events, a trade show and a Women in Baseball event to name a few.

Attendees will participate in the MiLB CommUNITY Service Project, presented by Musco Sports Lighting and Uncle Ray’s, on Monday, Sept. 23 at the Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) located at 7060 Comington St.

The four-day summit culminates with an event at Southwest University Park on Thursday, Sept. 26, that includes the annual Golden Bobblehead Awards, honoring those teams that have had the most unique and creative promotions or events during the 2019 season.

Southwest University Park has seen its share of premier MiLB events since it opened its doors in 2014. The Chihuahuas hosted the Gildan Triple-A National Championship in 2015 in front of a nationally-televised standing room only crowd.

On the heels of the success of the game and during the 2017 season, MiLB announced that MountainStar Sports Group and the El Paso Chihuahuas, would host another nationally-televised premier event – the 2019 RMHC Triple-A All-Star Game and Jarritos Home Run Derby, two events that brought thousands of visitors to downtown El Paso and more than 16,000 patrons to Southwest University Park.

Ledford added, “MountainStar Sports Group has, as its mission, to bring a variety of events and activities to our ballpark. Events like the Innovators Summit fill our hotel rooms, restaurants, and bars while providing a perfect setting for out-of-town visitors.”

The two events have brought in nearly 2,000 out-of-town guests and an estimated $2 million in external revenue to downtown El Paso.

Since the inaugural season the Chihuahuas have welcomed more than three and a half million guests through the Southwest University Park gates paving the way for the acquisition of a United Soccer League team – the El Paso Locomotive FC.

More importantly, the ballpark has become a showcase venue in El Paso, hosting non-sporting events such as the Way Out West Country Music Festival, the Michelob Ultra El Paso Marathon and the El Paso Strong city-wide celebration.

The scale of such events as the Innovators Summit and the Way Out West Festival continue to have an impact on the City of El Paso.

“With the Chihuahuas and Locomotive entering their seventh and second seasons, respectively, it is certain Southwest University Park will continue to thrive and serve as a gathering place for the community,” officials added.

The summit begins Monday, Sept. 23 and concludes on Thursday, Sept. 26.

The Sacramento River Cats scored eight unanswered runs to come back and beat the El Paso Chihuahuas 8-4 Monday afternoon.

Michael Cantu hit a solo home run in the second inning for the Chihuahuas, his third Triple-A home run, with all three coming in Sacramento.

The Chihuahuas hit 258 home runs this year, the most in all of Minor League Baseball.

Taylor Kohlwey went 2-for-3 with three RBIs in the loss for El Paso Monday. Sacramento won three of the four games in the series.

The Chihuahuas finished the season with a 44-26 road record.

The Chihuahuas finished their 2019 season with an 80-60 record, the second-most wins in team history. Only three Triple-A teams had more wins than El Paso this season.

Sacramento 8 El Paso 4 – Monday   |   Box Score   |   Team Records: El Paso (80-60), Sacramento (73-67)

WP: Jerez (4-4)  |  LP: Wilson (1-3)  |  S: None  |  Time: 2:40  |  Attn: 7,032

The Sacramento River Cats shut out the El Paso Chihuahuas 5-0 Sunday in the penultimate game of the Pacific Coast League regular season.

El Paso’s loss combined with Sunday night’s win by first-place Las Vegas clinched the Southern Division title for the Aviators. The Aviators’ playoff appearance ends El Paso’s streak of consecutive division at titles at four.

Las Vegas will meet Sacramento in the Pacific Conference finals on Wednesday, while the American Conference finals matchup will be Iowa (Cubs’ affiliate) vs. Round Rock (Astros’ affiliate).

El Paso relievers Emmanuel Ramirez, Travis Radke and Evan Miller all pitched scoreless outings in Sunday’s loss. The Chihuahuas’ offense was held to four hits, all singles. Sacramento has taken two of the first three games of the series.

It was the fifth time El Paso was shut out this season.

Monday is the final game of the Pacific Coast League regular season.

Sacramento 5 El Paso 0 – Sunday    |    Box Score   |   Team Records: El Paso (80-59), Sacramento (72-67)

Next Game: Monday, 2:05 pm at Raley Field. El Paso LHP Jerry Keel (10-7, 6.81) vs. Sacramento LHP Steven Okert (8-2, 5.08). The game will air on 600 ESPN El Paso and www.epchihuahuas.com.

WP: Venditte (6-2)  |  LP: Enns (11-11)  |  S: None  |  Time: 2:45  |  Attn: 9,988

Dillon Overton pitched six shutout innings in the El Paso Chihuahuas’ 3-0 win over the Sacramento River Cats Saturday night.

Overton hasn’t allowed a run in his last 12 innings. Saturday was El Paso’s fourth shutout win of the season.

Matt Batten drove in two of El Paso’s three runs Saturday, with one coming on a sacrifice fly and the other on a fielder’s choice. The El Paso-Sacramento series has had only six combined runs in 19 innings.

Two-time MLB All-Star Johnny Cueto pitched six shutout innings for Sacramento on injury rehab Saturday.

The Chihuahuas’ win combined with Saturday’s loss by first-place Las Vegas puts the Chihuahuas one game back with two to play.

In the event of a first-place tie at the end of the season, the Chihuahuas would win the division through the Pacific Coast League’s tiebreaker rules.

Next Game: Sunday, 6:05 pm at Raley Field. El Paso LHP Dietrich Enns (11-10, 6.62) vs. Sacramento RHP Carlos Navas (0-5, 5.58). The game will air on 600 ESPN El Paso and www.epchihuahuas.com.

El Paso 3 Sacramento 0 – Saturday   |    Box Score   |   Team Records: El Paso (80-58), Sacramento (71-67)

WP: Overton (10-5)  |  LP: Wolff (0-1)  |   S: Megill (6)  |  Time: 2:43  |  Attn: 14,014

Jaylin Davis hit a game-ending single in the bottom of the 10th inning Friday, as the Sacramento River Cats beat the El Paso Chihuahuas 2-1 in 10 innings.

It was the second straight win for the River Cats, who clinched the Northern Division title Thursday night with a victory over Reno.

San Diego Padres pitcher Jacob Nix threw six innings in an MLB injury rehab assignment and allowed only one run Friday. Nix has a 0.82 ERA in 11 Triple-A rehab innings this season.

The Chihuahuas are now 6-2 in extra-inning games in 2019, while Sacramento advanced to 9-4.

The first-place Las Vegas Aviators also lost Friday, positioning the Chihuahuas in second place, two games back with three regular season games remaining.

In the event of a first-place tie, El Paso would advance to the playoffs.

Next Game: Saturday, 8:05 pm at Raley Field. El Paso LHP Dillon Overton (9-5, 5.76) vs. Sacramento RHP Johnny Cueto (MLB rehab). The game will air on 600 ESPN El Paso and www.epchihuahuas.com.

Sacramento 2 El Paso 1 – Friday – 10 Innings   |   Box Score   |  Team Records: El Paso (79-58), Sacramento (71-66)

WP: Venditte (5-2)  |  LP: Wilson (1-2)  |  S: None  |  Time: 2:56  |  Attn: 13,443

ROUND ROCK, Texas – After being named Rookie of the Year earlier this week, El Paso Chihuahuas infielder Ty France was named the 2019 Pacific Coast League Most Valuable Player on Friday.

France joins outfielder Hunter Renfroe (2016) as the only players in El Paso’s short PCL history to win the award.

France, who was tabbed by Baseball America as San Diego’s No. 28 prospect entering the season, had been the Chihuahuas everyday third baseman prior to his promotion to the Padres.

In 76 games with the Chihuahuas, France hit .399 (118-for-296), with 118 hits and 27 home runs. His .399 average would have set a new modern era PCL record (.384, Jose Martinez, Omaha, 2015) and would have been the highest batting average since Ox Eckhardt also hit .399 in 1935, but France did not meet the minimum number of at-bats to qualify.

The all-time PCL record is also held by Eckhardt, which he set in 1933 with a .414 batting average.

The Downey, Calif., native did not hit below .359 for a 30-day period that he was in Triple-A, and his batting average for the season never fell below .303. His average dipped to .303 just eight games into the 2019 season on April 11, and never went below .351 from that point on.

Frances’s most prolific offensive month came in June, when he hit .359 (28-for-78) with 10 home runs and 27 RBI while posting a 1.272 OPS in just 21 games.

France adds another accolade to a growing list for his play this season, as the 25-year-old was named both a mid- and postseason All-Star as well as the aforementioned Rookie of the Year award. France, who started at third base for the PCL in the Triple-A All-Star Game, was the All-Star MVP after hitting a solo home run in the PCL’s victory over the International League.

France was also named PCL Player of the Week twice during the 2019 season (April 21 and June 16).

The Padres 34^th round selection of the 2015 draft out of San Diego State University began the season with the Chihuahuas and hit.418 (33-for-79) with nine home runs and 28 RBI in 19 games before making his Major League debut on April 26 against the Washington Nationals.

In his only at-bat of the game, France notched his first Major League hit off Nationals relief pitcher Kyle Barraclough as a pinch-hitter.

In his minor league career, the seventh-year professional has played in 534 career games, hitting .294 (575-for-1957) with 69 home runs and 352 RBI. He has been a mid-season

All-Star each of the last three seasons including back-to-back midsummer classic nominations in 2017 and 2018 with the San Antonio Missions, then in the Double-A Texas League.

Since 1932, the PCL has named an MVP in every year except 1973, and from the years 1976-79 when no award was given. From 1932-47, Sporting News selected the PCL’s MVP and beginning in 1948, the Charles H. Graham memorial Award was established to honor the League’s Most Valuable Player.

Along with France, four other players received votes including; Kevin Cron (Reno), Kyle Tucker (Round Rock), Seth Brown (Las Vegas) and Mike Gerber (Sacramento). France joins Robb Quinlan (2002), Adam Eaton (2012), Chris Owings (2013), Joc Pederson (2014) and last year’s winner, Josh Fuentes, as the only players in PCL history to win both Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season.

The El Paso Chihuahuas defeated the Salt Lake Bees 12-5 Wednesday, winning their fourth game in their last five tries.

First-place Las Vegas also won Wednesday, keeping the Chihuahuas two games out of first place with five games remaining.

The Chihuahuas sent 12 batters to the plate in a nine-run bottom of the fourth inning, collecting nine consecutive hits in the rally, two consecutive hits shy of the Pacific Coast League record.

The nine runs fell one run shy of the team record for runs in an inning. Michael Gettys hit his 31^st home run of the season in the fourth, setting a new Chihuahuas single-season home run record, previously held by Hunter Renfroe (30 in 2016).

The top three hitters in El Paso’s batting order – Rodrigo Orozco, Travis Jankowski and Aderlin Rodriguez had three hits each.

Jerry Keel was the winning pitcher Wednesday and he hasn’t lost in six August starts this year.

Next Game: Thursday, 7:05 pm at Southwest University Park. Salt Lake TBA vs. El Paso RHP Bryan Mitchell (0-3, 10.33). The game will air on 600 ESPN El Paso and www.epchihuahuas.com.

El Paso 12 Salt Lake 5 – Wednesday  |  Box Score   |    Team Records: Salt Lake (57-77), El Paso (79-56)

WP: Keel (10-7)  |  LP: Klonowski (1-8)  |  S: None  |  Time: 3:01  |  Attn: 7,279

Gallery by Andres ‘Ace’ Acosta – Chief Photographer – El Paso Herald Post

ROUND ROCK, Texas – In a deep pool of candidates, El Paso Chihuahuas infielder Ty France emerged at the top, narrowly beating out Albuquerque Isotopes outfielder Sam Hilliard, to earn the Pacific Coast League’s 2019 Rookie of the Year.

France joins outfielder Alex Dickerson (2015) and infielder Carlos Asuaje (2016) as the players in El Paso’s short history to win the award.

France, who was tabbed by Baseball America as San Diego’s No. 28 prospect entering the season, had been the Chihuahuas everyday third baseman prior to his promotion to the Padres. In 76 games with the Chihuahuas, France hit .399 (118-for-296), with 118 hits and 27 home runs.

His .399 average would have set a new modern era PCL record (.384, Jose Martinez, Omaha, 2015) and would have been the highest batting average since Ox Eckhardt also hit .399 in 1935, but France did not meet the 2.7 at-bats per team game minimum to qualify. The all-time PCL record is also held by Eckhardt, which he set in 1933 with a .414 batting average.

The Downey, California-native did not hit below .359 for a 30-day period that he was in Triple-A, and his batting average for the season never fell below .303. His average dipped to .303 just eight games into the 2019 season on April 11, and never went below .351 from that point on.

Frances’s most prolific offensive month came in June, when he hit .359 (28-for-78) with 10 home runs and 27 RBI while posting a 1.272 OPS in just 21 games.

France adds another accolade to a growing list for his play this season, as the 25-year-old was named both a mid- and postseason All-Star. France, who started at third base for the PCL in the Triple-A All-Star Game, was the All-Star MVP after hitting a solo home run in the PCL’s victory over the International League.

France was also named PCL Player of the Week twice during the 2019 season (April 21 and June 16).

The Padres 34^th round selection of the 2015 draft out of San Diego State University began the season with the Chihuahuas and hit.418 (33-for-79) with nine home runs and 28 RBI in 19 games before making his Major League debut on April 26 against the Washington Nationals.

In his only at-bat of the game in his debut, France notched his first Major League hit off Nationals relief pitcher Kyle Barraclough as a pinch-hitter.

In his minor league career, the seventh-year professional has played in 534 career games, hitting .294 (575-for-1957) with 69 home runs and 352 RBI. He has been a mid-season All-Star each of the last three seasons including back-to-back midsummer classic nominations in 2017 and 2018 with the San Antonio Missions, then in the Double-A Texas League.

Since 1998, the PCL’s field managers, media representatives and broadcasters have voted for the best first-year Triple-A player.

Along with France and Hilliard, a total of 10 players, from eight different teams, received vote(s). France joins the likes of Felix Hernandez (2005), Howie Kendrick (2006), Adam Eaton (2012) and last year’s recipient, Josh Fuentes, to have won this award.