Dodgers minor league news

Trevor Oaks pitches Tulsa to big win

By Craig Minami Jun 14, 2016, 6:00am PDT

Trevor Oaks (w/Rancho Cucamonga) earlier in 2016

OKC, Tulsa and Rancho Cucamonga win, Great Lakes loses two in first of two doubleheaders scheduled this week and both Dominican Summer League teams win.

Player of the day

Reigning Texas League Pitcher of the Week Trevor Oaks started the Drillers' biggest game of the first half and pitched six innings of one-run baseball and his eighth win of the season moved the Drillers back into first place.

Note that Tulsa second baseman Willie Calhoun was named Texas League Player of the Week for the second time in three weeks and Rancho Cucamonga third baseman Michael Ahmed was named California League Player of the Week.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

Brock Stewart made his Pacific Coast League debut and retired the Storm Chasers (Royals) in order in the top of the first. By the time Stewart returned to pitch the second inning, the Dodgers did their own chasing and took a four run lead on their way to a 9-3 win.

Stewart struck out seven in 5⅔ innings but also allowed two home runs that accounted for the three runs he gave up. But Stewart did pick up the win, making him a winning pitcher at three different affiliates (Quakes, Drillers and Dodgers) this season.

The Dodgers sent nine batters up in the first inning and the first four would score. With two on and no out, Zach Walters singled home Daniel Field who had just been promoted from Great Lakes. The next run scored on a bases-loaded walk to Micah Johnson.

O'Koyea Dickson would then double home the final two runs of the inning. Dickson would also hit his fifth home run of the season. In the eighth inning, a throwing error gave the Dodgers two of the three runs they scored in that inning.

Double-A Tulsa

The Drillers dropped the first two games of their series against the Cardinals but they brought both Trevor Oaks and their bats to the ballpark and won the game 9-4. By winning, the Drillers moved into first place with seven games left in the first half.

Trevor Oaks pitched six innings and allowed a run on six hits while striking out three. The bullpen allowed three runs to score but Caleb Dirks struck out two to close it out in the ninth.

While Willie Calhoun and Alex Verdugo each had good days at the plate, Andrew Toles and Jordan Tarsovich were the offensive stars for the Drillers. Toles has provided extra-base pop (16 extra-base hits) and speed (12 stolen bases in 14 attempts) since his arrival from Rancho Cucamonga. In this game, Toles was 3-for-5 with a double and a triple.

Tarsovich, a 22nd round pick in 2015, played shortstop on Monday, was 3-for-5 with two doubles and a home run.

Class-A Rancho Cucamonga

The Quakes had won five in a row as they began a short one-series homestand against the JetHawks (Astros). They made six straight when they beat the JetHawks 8-1 at LoanMart Field. The Quakes are 40-24 and yet still find themselves one game behind with six games left in the first half.

Outfielder Yasiel Puig was Monday's rehabbing Dodger and he went 1-for-2 with a home run and a walk. He played five innings and will play with the Quakes tomorrow and then finish up the with them in their four game set in San Jose this weekend.

Josh Sborz pitched five innings, gave up a run and struck out eight but also walked four. Three pitchers closed it out for the Quakes, Kevin Brown had another scoreless appearance, striking out two in the ninth inning.

Julian Leon hit a two-run home run. Yusniel Diaz had a two-run single.

Class-A Great Lakes

The Loons only scored one run in both games of their doubleheader and thus were swept by the Lugnuts (Blue Jays) 4-1 and 11-1.

In the first game, two 2015 draft picks had their moments, fifth round pick Brendon Davis hit his third home run (to account for the Loons one run) and 11th round pick Imani Abdullah pitched four innings, allowing two runs (one earned) five hits, one walk and two strikeouts.

In the second game, the Loons had two hits and a run. Nolan Long returned from the disabled list and in three innings, gave up three runs and four hits.

Dominican Summer League - Dodgers 1 and 2

Both Dodger teams won on Monday. For the Dodgers1 team, a player to watch is Oneil Cruz, who was signed on July 2, 2015 as a shortstop and has being playing third base in his first professional season. The 17-year old from the Dominican Republic was 3-for-3 with two doubles and a triple.

On the Dodgers2 team, Starling Heredia has now hit in four straight games after going 0-for-8 in his first two games. Heredia was 2-for-5 with two RBI.

Transactions

Triple-A: Outfielder Daniel Fields assigned to Oklahoma City from Great Lakes; placed outfielder Rico Noel on 7-day disabled list. Class-A: Los Angeles sent outfielder Yasiel Puig on a rehab assignment to Rancho Cucamonga. Great Lakes activated right-handed pitcher Nolan Long from the 7-day disabled list. Rookie: Right-handed pitcher Confesor Inoa assigned to DSL Dodgers1; right-handed pitcher assigned to DSL Dodgers2 from DSL Dodgers1.