Minor league opening day on Thursday saw just two of the four Dodgers full-season affiliates get their games in, with rain washing away both Class-A affiliates.
Player of the day
Cody Bellinger doubled in each of his first two at-bats of 2017, then singled and walked for a perfect night at the plate for Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
The season opener was a scoreless tie until the ninth inning, when Iowa (Cubs) scored a run for a 1-0 victory over Oklahoma City.
Brandon Morrow allowed a pair of singles in the top of the ninth, but it was a two-out wild pitch that brought home the go-ahead run. OKC rallied to load the bases with one out in the ninth but Chris Taylor, with Bellinger on deck, grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the game.
O`Koyea Dickson had three hits in the loss. The Dodgers as a team were 0-for-16 with runners on base.
Trevor Oaks started the opener for OKC and threw four scoreless innings, but was pulled after 70 pitches. He struck out two, walked two, and allowed three hits.
We knew Julio Urias would eventually join Oklahoma City, and on Thursday Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed the date. Urias will start Monday for OKC, and is expected to pitch 3-4 innings.
Double-A Tulsa
Offense was tough to come by for the Drillers on Thursday in a 4-1 road loss to the Midland RockHounds (A’s). Edwin Rios started at third base, and doubled in Tulsa’s only run. Jose Miguel Fernandez doubled, singled, and walked in his U.S. pro debut, and Kyle Farmer had two singles.
Class-A Rancho Cucamonga
The Quakes opened their season up north, but their game against the Stockton Ports (A’s) was rained out. The two teams will try to play a doubleheader on Friday, beginning at 6:10 p.m. PT.
Class-A Great Lakes
Stop me if you have heard this before, but the Loons’ season opener was postponed due to weather. The rain, cold and high winds in Michigan made the field conditions unplayable, so the Loons and Lansing Lugnuts (Blue Jays) will try a doubleheader beginning on Friday at 1 p.m. PT.
This is nothing new for Great Lakes, which saw their first three games in 2015 postponed, then in 2016 saw the first two games and three of the first four games postponed. April weather in the Midwest League is unforgiving.
What made this postponement extra unfortunate was that the Loons were set to celebrate their 2016 Midwest League championship on Thursday, but now those festivities will be held on May 6.
Transactions
Oklahoma City: In addition to infielder Drew Maggi and catcher Brant Whiting, both of whom began the year on the 7-day DL, outfielder Henry Ramos was placed on the DL by OKC as well. Ramos suffered a groin strain during spring training.
Great Lakes: Jordan Sheffield, the Dodgers first-round supplemental pick from 2016, will start in extended spring training, as will outfielder Darien Tubbs. Pitcher Parker Curry and outfielder Shakir Albert were added to the Loons roster. In addition, the Loons added seven players and placed them on the 7-day disabled list — infielders Cristian Gomez and Matt Jones, and pitchers Victor Gonzalez, Garrett Harrison, Joe Mortillaro, Jeremiah Muhammad, and Jeff Paschke.
In addition, catcher Julian Leon was traded last week to the Angels for right-handed pitcher Zach Hartman, per Matt Eddy of Baseball America.
Thursday scores
Rancho Cucamonga at Stockton, ppd.
Great Lakes vs. Lansing, ppd.
Friday schedule
1 p.m. - Great Lakes (Leo Crawford, Lenix Osuna) at Lansing (Justin Maese, TBD), doubleheader
5 p.m. - Tulsa (Isaac Anderson) at Midland (James Naile)
5:05 p.m. - Oklahoma City (Wilmer Font) vs. Iowa (Alec Mills)
6:10 p.m. - Rancho Cucamonga (Caleb Ferguson, Mitch White) at Stockton (Brett Graves, Logan Shore), doubleheader