Great Lakes one win away from championship, Oklahoma City eliminated

Oklahoma City's season came to an end of Saturday while Great Lakes' win in Game 3 of their best-of-5 series puts them just one win away from winning the Midwest League championship.

Player of the day

Caleb Ferguson was brilliant as the Loons starter on Saturday as he allowed just one hit over 4⅔ innings. The 2014 38th-round pick actually had a no-hitter going through four frames before finally allowing a lead-off single in the fifth.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

The Dodgers quest to win the PCL championship came to an end on Saturday as Oklahoma City fell to the Chihuahuas (Padres) 4-3 in 11 innings. El Paso won the series three games to one, for the first championship in their short three-year history.

The Dodgers got on the board first in the very first inning as Alex Verdugo doubled in a run, but El Paso came back with three runs over the next few frames. A Will Venable homer and another RBI from Verdugo, this on on a grounder, tied the game at 3-3, which is where the score would stay until the top of the 11th. A lead-off single off Lisalverto Bonilla followed by a sacrifice bunt and an error put the eventual winning run on third base, and that run would score on an unusual bunt single. OKC threatened to tie the game in the bottom of the 11th as Brandon Hicks connected on a one out double off the left field wall, but there would be no miracle in this one.

Other highlights in the final game of the season include a 3-for-5 game from Kyle Farmer, who was playing third base in this contest, and a two-hit night from Cody Bellinger. The Dodger bullpen also put in good work as five relievers combined for four shutout innings prior to Bonilla coming into the game in the 11th.

Class-A Great Lakes

The Loons pitching staff put together their second shutout in a row as they blanked the LumberKings (Mariners) 4-0 to move within a win of the Midwest League Championship. After allowing 16 runs in Game 1 of the series, Great Lakes has been outstanding on the mound. Player of the day Ferguson started the game with great pitching, then reliever Andrew Istler got through three frames of relief while allowing just two hits. Shea Spitzbarth then got the final four outs for his third save of the postseason.

On offense the Loons did all of their damage in the sixth inning. After a couple of walks, back to back doubles by DJ Peters and Zach McKinstry plated three runs, then Steve Berman capped the scoring with a single. That was all the pitching staff needed to secure the victory.

The Loons will look to win their first Championship in franchise history on Sunday, and they will send top prospect Yadier Alvarez to the mound.

Saturday Scores

El Paso 4, Oklahoma City 3

Great Lakes 4, Clinton 0

Sunday Schedule

11:05 a.m. PT: Clinton (Nick Neidert) at Great Lakes (Yadier Alvarez)