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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.

The El Paso Chihuahuas lost to the Salt Lake Bees 11-3 in the opener of a four-game series at Southwest University Park Monday night.

El Paso’s three runs in the bottom of the ninth stopped the club from being shut out for the fifth time this season.

Salt Lake’s Drew Hutchison pitched seven shutout innings, his longest start of the season. Michael Gettys went 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Chihuahuas. El Paso’s Jason Vosler went 0-for-4, ending his 16-game hitting streak.

Position players Peter Van Gansen, Boog Powell and Matthew Batten all pitched for the Chihuahuas in the loss.

Both teams lost their designated hitter, as Salt Lake DH Jared Walsh came in to pitch the ninth inning for the Bees.

The first-place Las Vegas Aviators also lost Monday night, so the Chihuahuas are in second place, three games back with seven to play in the regular season.

Next Game: Tuesday, 7:05 pm at Southwest University Park. Salt Lake RHP Nick Tropeano (4-6, 6.15) vs. El Paso RHP Emmanuel Ramirez (2-3, 10.99).

The game will air on 600 ESPN El Paso and www.epchihuahuas.com.

Salt Lake 11 El Paso 3 – Monday  |  Box Score  |  Team Records: Salt Lake (57-75), El Paso (77-56)

WP: Hutchison (2-0)  |  LP: Enns (11-10)  |  S: None  |  Time: 3:16  |  Attn: 7,681

ROUND ROCK, Texas – With a week left in the 2019 regular season, the Pacific Coast League announced Monday its end of the year All-Star team.

The 12-man roster, which is assembled through a vote of the League’s field managers, media representatives and broadcasters, features three players on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospect list – Kyle Tucker (No. 13, Round Rock), Carter Kieboom (No. 21, Fresno) and Isan Diaz (No. 84, New Orleans).

Of the 12-man roster, nine members of the postseason All-Star team also received mid-season All-Star honors.

Kieboom and Diaz, elected as the team’s middle infielders, are joined in the infield by first baseman Kevin Cron (Reno), and third baseman Ty France (El Paso). Cron, who was also named a PCL postseason All-Star as designated hitter in 2018,  leads the PCL in home runs (38), slugging percentage (.789), OPS (1.227) and is fourth in RBI (101).

His infield corner mate France, who was the PCL’s All-Star Game MVP, has enjoyed a breakthrough year; prior to his MLB promotion, he sat at or near the top of numerous offensive categories, including topping the circuit in average (.399) and home runs (27).

Diaz, the team’s second baseman, leads the Baby Cakes in hits (115), HR (27), RBI (70) and doubles (21). For Kieboom, he is tied for eighth in the league in walks with 63.

Tucker, and Albuquerque’s Sam Hilliard and Yonathan Daza make up the outfield. Tucker became just the fifth player in the 116-year history of the PCL to have a 30-30 season, hitting 30 home runs while also having 30 stolen bases.

Hilliard and Daza both place amongst the top ten in several offensive categories.

Joining the rest of the position players are catcher David Freitas (San Antonio) and designated hitter Jared Walsh (Reno).

Freitas leads the league in batting average at .386 and is the front runner for the batting title, and in doing so would become the third full-time catcher in PCL history and first since Jesse Gonder in 1962 with San Diego.  The Angels farmhand, Walsh, is fourth in the league in home runs (34), and ranked third in on-base percentage (.430).

Colin Rea (Iowa), was named the right-handed starting pitcher. The Indiana State product leads the league in ERA (3.74) and wins (14) and has been a key catalyst for the Iowa Cubs in their quest for the American Northern Title. The team’s left-handed starter is Omaha’s Foster Griffin. The southpaw has racked up 103 strikeouts in 117.2 innings on the campaign.

Nashville Sounds closer David Carpenter, who has saved more games than any other PCL pitcher this season (20), was named the team’s reliever.

The El Paso Chihuahuas had two different seven-run innings in their 18-8 win over the Sacramento River Cats Saturday night at Southwest University Park.

El Paso’s Rodrigo Orozco and Matthew Batten both reached base five times in the win.

Jason Vosler went 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs, advancing his hitting streak to 15 games. Seth Mejias-Brean drove in four runs Saturday for the Chihuahuas with a two-run double and a two-run home run, his 11^th homer of the season.

Saturday was the fourth time this season El Paso scored 18 or more runs in a game.

Sacramento’s pitching staff entered Saturday with the second-fewest walks in the Pacific Coast League but the River Cats walked 10 Chihuahuas in eight innings Saturday.

The Chihuahuas remain in second place, three games back with nine to play, as first place Las Vegas won Saturday night in Tacoma.

Next Game: Sunday, 6:05 pm at Southwest University Park. Sacramento RHP Burch Smith (1-0, 1.86) vs. El Paso LHP Dillon Overton (8-5, 6.10).

The game will air on 600 ESPN El Paso and www.epchihuahuas.com.

El Paso 18 Sacramento 8 – Saturday  |   Box Score   |  Team Records: Sacramento (69-62), El Paso (76-55)

WP: Higgins (4-1)  |  LP: Johnson (1-2)  |  S: None  |  Time: 3:32  |  Attn: 10,025

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

The El Paso Chihuahuas lost an early lead for the second straight night Friday and fell to the Sacramento River Cats 11-5.

Sacramento’s victory moved the River Cats’ magic number to two in their attempt to clinch the Northern Division title.

Austin Allen went 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs, his second straight game with a homer. Allen has at least one extra-base hit in his last 11 games.

Jason Vosler went 1-for-3 before being removed in a double switch, advancing his hitting streak to 14 games.

Sacramento’s Joey Rickard reached base six times Friday, going 4-for-4 with two walks.

The Chihuahuas’ loss, combined with the Las Vegas Aviators’ win at Tacoma, puts El Paso in second place, three games back, with 10 regular season games remaining.

Next Game: Saturday, 7:05 pm at Southwest University Park. Sacramento RHP Chase Johnson (1-1, 7.59) vs. El Paso RHP Bryan Mitchell (0-3, 11.01).

The game will air on 600 ESPN El Paso and www.epchihuahuas.com.

Sacramento 11 El Paso 5 – Friday   |   Box Score  |  Team Records: Sacramento (69-61), El Paso (75-55)

WP: Haley (2-1)  |  LP: Megill (2-2)  |  S: None  |  Time: 3:10  |  Attn: 8,834