Dodgers minor league news

Pablo Fernandez earns 1st U.S. win, Cody Bellinger homers twice

By Eric Stephen@ericstephen Jul 29, 2015, 6:17am PDT

Pablo Fernandez struck out six and walked none on Tuesday in Great Lakes for his first win since joining the Dodgers.

The minor league side for the Dodgers on Tuesday featured the $8 million man collecting his first win in the organization, plus strong games from a pair of fourth-round picks.

Player of the day

Cuban import Pablo Fernandez continues to get stretched out, and on Tuesday garnered his first professional win in the United States with six strong innings for Class-A Great Lakes. The 25-year-old right-hander struck out six and walked none, and didn't allow a hit until a home run in the fourth inning.

"Especially to start the game, when you get nine guys in a row it gives us all the momentum," third baseman Michael Ahmed told reporters. "The quicker our pitcher gets us off the field, the better and more confident we are going to feel."

That was the only run allowed by Fernandez, who in 22⅓ minor league innings this year has 23 strikeouts and three walks.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

OKC fell on the road 7-6 to the Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals). First baseman Andy Wilkins with 2-for-4 with a home run in defeat and Eliot Johnson, starting at third base, was 2-for-4 with a double. Adam Liberatore pitched a scoreless inning.

Corey Seager was 1-for-5 with a home run, his first in his fourth game back since returning from missing a week with a stomach virus.

Double-A Tulsa

Chris Anderson tied a season-high with five walks, allowing five runs in six innings in the Drillers' 6-5 home loss to the Springfield Cardinals. Relief pitcher Juan Jaime struck out three in two innings, but took the loss allowing a run on a hit and a walk.

Juan Jaime pitched at 96-98 mph in the 7th inning. Not much life, but overpowered hitters. Sweeping BB could be sharper.
— David Hood (@davidchood) July 29, 2015

Kyle Farmer, whose start at catcher and first-inning move to third base had him very loosely connected to trade rumors, was 2-for-4 with a walk and three RBI, including a two-run triple that tied the game in the ninth inning.

[Recap]

Class-A Rancho Cucamonga

Cody Bellinger homered twice, leading the Quakes to a 9-6 road win over the Lancaster JetHawks (Astros). Bellinger, drafted by the Dodgers in the fourth round in 2013, leads Rancho Cucamonga with 20 home runs and 69 RBI, though has had a weird July. This month the 20-year-old Bellinger has seven home runs in 23 games but he also has 28 strikeouts and 12 walks in 103 plate appearances, hitting .195/.304/.494.

Caleb Dirks, acquired from Atlanta on July 2 for international bonus slot space, allowed a home run in the ninth inning but struck out three. It was his first run allowed since joining the Quakes. In nine innings, Dirks has allowed one run on seven hits and two walks, with 16 strikeouts.

Low Class-A Great Lakes

In addition to Fernandez pitching well, the Loons got off to a hot start, riding a three-run first inning to a 4-1 home win over the South Bend Cubs. Leadoff man Michael Ahmed started the game with a home run, and 2015 draftee Kyle Garlick added a two-run triple in the opening frame.

[Recap]

Rookie-level Ogden

Two errors fueled a four-run ninth inning, leading the Grand Junction Rockies to a 9-6 win over the Raptors. In defeat, Willie Calhoun, playing second base and batting leadoff, had two doubles and a triple. Calhoun, the Dodgers' fourth-round pick this year, in addition to his 18 extra-base hits in 36 games has more walks (20) than strikeouts (17).

Edwin Rios, the Dodgers' sixth-round pick in 2015 who signed on the final deadline day of Aug. 17, missed Tuesday's game after suffering a hamstring injury on Monday in his fifth professional game.

[Recap]

Transactions

Triple-A: OKC swapped catchers, with Shawn Zarraga placed on the seven-day disabled list, and Ryan Scott called up from Ogden. In addition, pitchers Steve Smith and Grant Dayton were placed on the nebulous temporary inactive list. Those were to make room for the additions of Josh Ravin and Ian Thomas to the active roster.

Miscellany

Playing catch-up from earlier in the week, Quakes pitcher Chase DeJong was named on Monday the California League Pitcher of the Week after striking out nine in five perfect innings of relief on Friday.

Also on Monday, three players from Ogden were named Pioneer League All-Stars - Willie Calhoun, Matt Jones, and Nick Sell. Infielder a Nick Dean also made the team, receiving the most fan votes, but won't play because he was already promoted to Class-A Great Lakes.

Your 2015 Ogden Raptors All-Stars: @11WillieCalhoun, @nick_sell, and @who_mattjones_. pic.twitter.com/UTfpmgMntk
— Robbie Bullough (@Raptors_Voice) July 27, 2015