Dodgers minor league news

Julio Urias strikes out eight, Oklahoma City wins 10-5

Willie Calhoun and Joc Pederson homer again, Alex Verdugo has two extra-base hits

By Craig Minami Jun 11, 2017, 6:00am PDT

Oklahoma City —— Five of the Dodger affiliate teams won on Saturday. The fifth winner, Rancho Cucamonga had to get a double play to close out their game. Only Great Lakes took a loss on Saturday.

Player of the Day

Julio Urias had a lot of competition in just his game as the offense put up ten runs, hit two home runs, three doubles and a triple. However, the night belonged to Urias who had both good command of his fastball, peaking at 92, sitting 90-91 mph and his off-speed pitches.

That meant one inning where he struck out the side and two innings that had two Urias strikeouts. His one mistake was giving up a home run to Travis Snider, otherwise he didn’t allow that much hard contact at all.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

If you came to this game to see the big names perform, you got a perfect one to watch. The Dodgers defeated the Round Rock Express (Rangers) 10-5 with Julio Urias, WIllie Calhoun and Joc Pederson providing highlights for the 10,079 fans at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark at Oklahoma City.

As noted in his player of the day comments, Urias pitched well to pick up his third win for Oklahoma City. Urias would pitch 5⅔ innings, giving up two runs, five hits, walked one and struck out eight.

Joc Pederson hit his second home run in as many days of his rehab assignment, he also drove in a run on a sacrifice fly.

Oklahoma City had two big innings - a four-run second inning and a five-run sixth inning - and those were highlighted by big hits from Alex Verdugo, O’Koyea Dickson and Willie Calhoun.

Verdugo doubled in second and tripled in the sixth; Dickson doubled in each of those innings and Calhoun hit another home run, his 13th of the season.

Calhoun has now hit home runs in the last three games and the last time an Oklahoma City Dodger hit home runs in three consecutive games was last July. Corey Brown hit one home run on July 29th and July 30th. Brown hit two home runs on July 31st.

Double-A Tulsa

The Drillers trailed for the entire game but then scored two runs in the eighth to defeat the Springfield Cardinals 3-2 on Saturday night.

Yaisel Sierra pitched two scoreless innings and struck out four and for his efforts, he got his fifth win. Corey Copping closed it out for his fourth save.

Down by one going to the eighth, the Drillers were recipients of some mistakes by the Cardinals. With one out and one on, Wynston Sawyer hit a ball to center field that was misplayed. That allowed the tying run to score and Sawyer went to third.

Jose Miguel Fernandez came up to pinch-hit for Sierra and during his plate appearance, Sawyer scored the winning run on a wild pitch.

Class-A Rancho Cucamonga

The Quakes really needed a win on Saturday and they got it, beating the Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres) 5-3. Adam Bray got the win, he pitched five innings, gave up seven hits, a run, a walk and struck out three.

The top of the lineup did a solid job for the Quakes, Errol Robinson made his California League debut with two doubles, Yusniel Diaz had two hits and two walks, and Luke Raley also had two hits.

The bullpen arms of Michael Boyle and Parker Curry did good work until the ninth when the Storm got off the ground and scored twice with the winning run at the plate.

But Andrew Istler got a ground ball double play to end the game and end the Quakes short two-game losing streak.

Class-A Great Lakes

The Loons dropped this one to the South Bend Cubs by a 5-3 score. Dustin May pitched five innings and he gave up five hits, three runs, walked three and struck out seven.

The next two pitchers, Gavin Pittore and Miguel Urena each gave up a run and that proved to be detrimental to the Loons.

The three Loons runs were scored by the top and the bottom of the lineup, Gavin Lux hit at two-run homer, the other runner on base was the ninth man in the lineup, Saige Jenco. Jenco scored the third run of the game with his own solo home run.