Dodgers minor league report April 29: Mike Baxter has 5 hits, Chris Anderson strikes out 7

Three one-run losses, including two extra-inning defeats, marked the day on Tuesday on the farm for the Dodgers.

By Eric Stephen@ericstephen Apr 30, 2014, 6:00am PDT

All three Dodgers minor league affiliates in action on Tuesday lost their games by one run on Tuesday.

Minor League Player of the Day

Mike Baxter went 5-for-5 for Triple-A Albuquerque and became the first Isotope with two triples in a game since Nick Buss, all the way back on June 24, 2013. Since Baxter was outrighted to Triple-A, he is hitting .348/.412/.547 for the Isotopes.

Games

Triple-A Albuquerque: Baxter went 5-for-5 with a pair of triples and the Isotopes held a 3-0 lead heading into the eighth inning. But recent trade acquisition Colt Hynes and Sam Demel combined to allow four runs in an 11-inning 4-3 loss to the Salt Lake Bees (Angels). Steve Smith pitched five scoreless innings with two strikeouts but got a no-decision. Joc Pederson singled and walked in five plate appearances.

Perhaps more importantly, Albuquerque on 50-cent hot dog night sold 11,768 hot dogs at Isotopes Park.

Double-A Chattanooga: Off day

Advanced Class-A Rancho Cucamonga: 2013 first-round draft pick Chris Anderson struck out seven and walked two in five innings, but suffered the loss by giving up two runs in the Quakes' 2-1 road defeat to the Inland Empire 66ers (Angels). Rancho Cucamonga was limited to five hits, including a double by converted pitcher Aaron Miller, who scored the Quakes' only run. 2013 third-round pick Brandon Dixon tripled for the Quakes to drive in Miller, but the 22-year-old second baseman Dixon is hitting just .143 (12-for-84) with no walks and 25 strikeouts in 89 plate appearances this season.

Class-A Great Lakes: The Loons tied the game in the ninth inning on an RBI single by Paul Hoenecke, but ultimately fell 7-6 in 10 innings to Fort Wayne TinCaps (Padres). Joey Curletta has yet to homer with the Loons but was 2-for-5 on Tuesday with a double, his ninth of the year. Curletta, 20, has hit in 12 of his last 13 games and is hitting .360/.385/.450 on the season. Brandon Martinez pitched three scoreless innings in relief, and Mark Pope, at 24 the oldest pitcher on the Great Lakes roster, struck out three in two scoreless innings. Pope entered the year with a 13.4% career strikeout rate in three minor league seasons but with a league full of people younger than him - by a little over two years, on average - the right-hander has a 34.2% strikeout rate in 2014 and has allowed one run in 10 innings with the Loons.

Coming up

Clayton Kershaw is scheduled to make his second minor league rehab start on Wednesday evening at 4:15 p.m. PT against the Tennessee Smokies (Cubs). Dodgers 2013 17th-round pick Greg Harris starts for the Loons in morning baseball (8:05 a.m. PT) against the TinCaps. Julio Urias, fresh off four walks and two outs recorded in relief last Friday, starts for the Quakes at 11 a.m. PT at Inland Empire. The Isotopes have yet to name their Wednesday starter, but will host Salt Lake at 5:35 p.m. PT.

Minor League Transactions

Paco Rodriguez got recalled to the Dodgers, with infielder Carlos Triunfel optioned to the Isotopes. In a series of paper moves on Tuesday, Albuquerque activated catcher John Cannon from the disabled list and right-handed pitcher Justin Souza was promoted from rookie-level Ogden and pitched 2⅔ scoreless innings against the Bees. The Isotopes also transferred right-handed pitcher Josh Judy to Ogden, which doesn't begin play until June 16. Right-handed pitcher Scott Barlow was added to the Loons roster from extended spring training.