Dodgers minor league news

Alex Verdugo has 3 hits in All-Star Game, Hyun-jin Ryu rehab start cut short by rain

By Eric Stephen@ericstephen Jun 29, 2016, 8:12am PDT

Alex Verdugo shined in the Texas League All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Springfield.

Dodgers pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu saw his rehab start cut short by rain on Tuesday in Oklahoma City, not even allowing him to complete two innings.

The left-hander was making his fourth start in this incarnation of his rehab assignment, and was up to 77 pitches in his previous outing last Thursday for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga. On Tuesday Ryu allowed a run on two hits, and struck out two, but with two outs in the second inning the rains came.

After a delay of two hours, 13 minutes, the game finally resumed, but by then it was too late for Ryu to remain in the game. So he has to settle for a shortened 26-pitch effort that only saw him record five outs.

It is unknown exactly what the next step is for Ryu, who missed all of 2015 after shoulder surgery. He last pitched in a major league game in Game 3 of the 2014 NLDS.

Player of the day

Double-A Tulsa center fielder Alex Verdugo was 3-for-5 with a double and scored a run for the North Division in the Texas League All-Star Game on Tuesday night. He was one of a whopping nine Drillers to play in the game.

Verdugo, the Dodgers' second-round pick in 2014, started in right field, batting cleanup, and played all nine innings.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

O`Koyea Dickson homered for the third time in four games but Oklahoma City dropped their series finale at home to Iowa (Cubs), 3-2. After the rain delay, Ross Stripling made his return to Oklahoma City, off the disabled list to throw 2⅓ innings, allowing two runs on three hits with two strikeouts and a walk.

With a doubleheader on Monday and rain putting a damper on Tuesday's plans, Oklahoma City ran out of pitchers in the ninth and had to use outfielder Alex Hassan to get the final two outs in the ninth inning in a two-run game. Dickson's home run in the bottom of the inning pulled OKC within a run, but the game ended with Hassan on deck.

Double-A Tulsa

Despite nine different Drillers playing for the North, the South Division won the Texas League All-Star Game, 8-5. In addition to Verdugo, Tulsa saw second baseman Willie Calhoun (0-for-2, RBI), left fielder Jacob Scavuzzo (1-for-4) and shortstop Drew Maggi (1-for-3, walk, 2 runs) started, and catcher Paul Hoenecke (0-for-2) appeared in reserve.

Chase De Jong got the start on the mound and struck out the only hitter he faced. Other Drillers on the mound included Scott Barlow (1 run, 2 hits, 2 strikeouts in 3rd inning), Caleb Dirks (1 run, 3 hits, 2 strikeouts in 7th) and Jordan Schafer (walk, strikeout to 2 batters faced in 9th).

Very fortunate to represent the @TulsaDrillers and @Dodgers with my teammates at the All Star Game in Springfield pic.twitter.com/LdTfK5ixzR
— Paul Hoenecke (@phenny8) June 29, 2016

Tulsa is off until Thursday.

Class-A Rancho Cucamonga

The Quakes beat Visalia (Diamondbacks) 3-1 behind home runs from Garrett Kennedy and Garrett Rios. Andrew Sopko has walked one or two batters in all 13 starts with Rancho Cucamonga this season, going 8-1 with a 3.25 ERA in the Cal League, with 70 strikeouts and 19 walks in 69⅓ innings.

Andrew Sopko (8-1), showed why he was an All-Star. 6 innings of one run ball tonight. Stuck out seven. What a find he's been.
— Max Gun (@Max_Gun) June 29, 2016

Kevin Brown struck out three in his two innings in relief. Now with 12 K in 6 IP. Fastball 91-93 but moves like crazy. Confuses hitters.
— Max Gun (@Max_Gun) June 29, 2016

Class-A Great Lakes

The Loons fell 4-1 to Ogden but got a strong start from Isaac Anderson, who allowed three runs in six innings but also struck out nine with no walks. The Dodgers' 40th-round draft pick in 2015 has 17 strikeouts and no walks in his last two starts, and on the season has 76 strikeouts and 14 walks in 70 innings in 2016.

[Local recap]

Rookie-level Ogden

The Raptors won a pitchers duel over the Idaho Falls Chukars (Royals) 12-11 thanks to a three-run ninth inning. A trio of 2016 draftees figured greatly in the win. Left fielder Luke Raley (seventh round) was 3-for-5 with a triple, three RBI and scored the winning run. Shortstop Errol Robinson (sixth) went 2-for-5 with two doubles, two runs and an RBI. Center fielder Saige Jenco (24th) went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored and an RBI.