Dodgers minor league news

Yusniel Diaz extends hitting streak for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga

By Eric Stephen@ericstephen Apr 22, 2016, 6:00am PDT

Yusniel Diaz has had a hot bat of late for the Quakes.

Thursday in the Dodgers' minor leagues included one rehab assignment starting, one veteran pitcher making his organizational debut, and a 19-year-old outfielder staying hot with his bat.

Player of the day

Yusniel Diaz had three more hits for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga, driving in two while scoring once. He was also caught trying to steal second base. The 19-year-old Cuban outfielder has a five-game hitting streak, and in his last seven games is 11-for-28 (.393) with six extra-base hits.

Diaz began his professional career in a 1-for-17 (.059) slump, but is now (through 12 games) already up to .267/.314/.600.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

OKC dropped a home game to the Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals), 6-5. Corey Brown went 4-for-5 with a double and drove home two runs. Carl Crawford went 0-for-4 in his first rehab game, and played seven innings in left field.

Joe Thatcher joined the roster on Thursday and pitched a scoreless sixth inning, allowing one single. The one runner who did reach base was promptly picked off trying to steal second base by Thatcher.

Double-A Tulsa

A five-run third inning did in Felipe Gonzalez and the Drillers in a 5-2 loss to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Royals). The good news for Tulsa is that the bullpen — Rob Rogers, Ralston Cash and Dale Thayer — combined for 5⅔ scoreless innings with six strikeouts. Rogers retired all eight batters he faced.

First baseman Lars Anderson homered in the loss, and third baseman Drew Maggi was 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Class-A Rancho Cucamonga

The Quakes beat the Visalia Oaks (Diamondbacks) 7-6 behind Diaz and another seven-inning outing from Josh Sborz. Read more from Craig Minami's full recap.

Class-A Great Lakes

The Loons got three home runs in a 7-5 win over the Bowling Green Hot Rods (Rays). All three home runs were solo shots, by shortstop Brendon Davis (at designated hitter Thursday), catcher Garrett Kennedy and left fielder Jordan Paroubeck. Kennedy added a single, a walk, and scored three runs in the win.

[Local recap]