Gore continues stingy Cal League stint

If you're going to beat MacKenzie Gore, it's likely to be in a pitchers' duel.
The Padres' No. 2 prospect was strong again on Friday night, allowing a run and two hits over five innings, as Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore pulled away for an 8-2 victory over Modesto at John Thurman field. Gore struck out six while tying a season high by issuing two walks.

Gore (4-1) held the Nuts scoreless before finding trouble in the fourth. Connor Kopach drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a double by 13th-ranked Mariners prospectCal Raleigh. After Matt Sanders plated Kopack with a sacrifice fly, Gore retired Luis Liberato on a groundout and fanned Manny Pazos to limit the damage.
MLB.com's No. 8 overall prospect has allowed one run or fewer in eight of his nine starts in his first season at the Class A Advanced level. Only Rancho Cucamonga on April 17 was able to score twice against the left-hander.
Gameday box score
Over 47 innings, Gore leads the California League with a 1.15 ERA, 0.72 WHIP and .152 opponents' batting average. He ranks second with 64 strikeouts and has allowed five earned runs, 24 hits and 10 walks. 
"His professionalism, showing up every day and hammering out his routine. Not many things knock him off," Storm pitching coach Pete Zamora said after Gore's last start. "Even if things don't go his way, he has a plan and he knows where he wants to go. He makes it look real easy, but there's a lot of hard work put into it."
Left-hander Fred Schlichtholz came on for the sixth and gave up a run on three hits and a walk while striking out one over two innings. Jordan Guerrero pitched a scoreless eighth and fellow righty Trevor Megill closed it out with a perfect ninth.

Padres No. 13 prospect Tirso Ornelas delivered a two-run double and scored twice for the Storm, while 19th-ranked Jeisson Rosario singled in a run and drew a bases-loaded walk.
Modesto starter Scott Boches (1-5) went 2 2/3 innings and was charged with two runs on two hits, walking one and striking out three. Kopach went 2-for-2 with a pair of walks to extend his hitting streak to seven games.