Chase De Jong throws 2-hitter in doubleheader split

All three affiliates in play Wednesday earned a win, with the Drillers the only losers in splitting a doubleheader on the road in Springfield.

Player of the day

Chase De Jong came close to matching his best start of the season, going the distance in the first seven inning game of a doubleheader Wednesday evening.  De Jong held the Springfield Cardinals to just two hits and no runs, striking out seven while walking two.  This coming two starts after De Jong allowed just one hit over seven innings against Arkansas.  De Jong lowered his season ERA to 3.14 as Double A hitters are now batting just .188 against him on the season.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City was off on Wednesday.  They start a new series against the Salt Lake Bees (Angels) on Thursday with Sam LeCure toeing the rubber.

Double-A Tulsa

The Drillers and Springfield Cardinals traded a pair of seven inning 3-0 two hit victories in a doubleheader.  Chase De Jong held the Cardinals down in the first game in a complete game.  The runs came in support of De Jong from Alex Verdugo and Cody Bellinger, the two hitting back to back homers in the seventh inning.  Verdugo would also add a single in his three at bats.

The Drillers were far less fortunate in game two, with the Cardinals returning the two hit favor.  Alex Verdugo had one of the Drillers' hits with his sixth double of the season.  Tim Shibuya made the spot start for Tulsa and took the loss, allowing one run in five innings, striking out four while walking none.

High Class-A Rancho Cucamonga

The Quakes rode seven hits and twelve walks to an easy 7-2 victory over the Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres).  Kyle Garlick was the offensive star, hitting home runs nine and ten on the season.  Each Quake starter reached base by either run or walk on the evening, with Jordan Tarsovich and Joey Curletta going hitless but each drawing three walks from a struggling Storm pitching staff.

Andrew Sopko had a strong start, allowing two runs across six innings, striking out five to earn his fifth win of the season.  Luis De Paula throw a pair of perfect innings, striking out four, while Jeff Malm finished the game with a clean ninth inning.

Low Class-A Great Lakes

The Loons jumped out to a quick lead that they would not relinquish, defeating the South Bend Cubs 5-4.  The Loons scored three runs in the first with only one hit, with the Cubs committing a two-run error.  Omar Estevez would pad the lead with a fifth inning home run, his first in the Dodger organization.  Estevez would finish with two of the Loon's four hits, with Ariel Sandoval also adding a hit, walk, and two runs scored.

Omar Estevez smacks his first home run of the season, aiding the #Loons in their win. #DiveIn #LoonsBaseballhttps://t.co/aZnYQCWVlz

— Great Lakes Loons (@greatlakesloons) May 19, 2016

Chris Powell would earn the win with three scoreless innings in relief of Nolan Long.  Adam Bray also received his first save of the season, allowing one unearned run in the ninth inning but holding on to the lead.

Transactions

Triple A: Needing to free up a Major League roster spot for Mike Bolsinger, Charlie Culberson was officially optioned to the Oklahoma City Dodgers.

Tuesday box scores

Tulsa 3, Springfield 0 in Game 1

Springfield 3, Tulsa 0 in Game 2

Rancho Cucamonga 7, Lake Elsinore 2

Great Lakes 5, South Bend 4

Thursday schedule

7:35 a.m. PT: Great Lakes (Imani Abdullah) vs. South Bend (Kyle Twomey)

5:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Sam LeCure) vs. Salt Lake (Kyle McGowin)

5:10 p.m.: Tulsa (Scott Barlow) at Springfield (Andrew Morales)

7:00 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Grant Holmes) at Lake Elsinore (TBD)