Dodgers minor league news

Yusniel Diaz continues to swing hot bat, Quakes lose 7-2 to dampen division hopes

Yusniel Diaz had a poor May but is hitting well in June

By Craig Minami Jun 17, 2017, 6:00am PDT

yusniel-diaz-2016-rancho-tomo-san — Yusniel Diaz

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Dodger minor league system was almost shutout as all the full-season teams lost on Friday night, only the DSL Dodgers1 team won today.

Player of the day

Yusniel Diaz had some bad luck on Friday as one line drive got caught with a runner in scoring position and another time the runner was held after he got hit. Diaz went 3-for-5 with two doubles on Friday.

Diaz hit .172/.248/.264 in 97 plate appearances in May. Before Friday’s game, Diaz was hitting .382/.424/.636 in 59 plate appearances in June.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

With the recent injury to Julio Urias and the suspension of Jair Jurrjens, Oklahoma City had to have a bullpen game against the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals). That did not end well as the Dodgers dropped the final game of the home stand, 10-6 on Friday night.

Jason Wheeler made the start for the Dodgers and he was greeted with six straight hits, the first five resulting in five runs. The Dodgers would bounce back with four runs in the bottom of the inning, two scoring on Max Muncy’s fifth home run with the Quakes.

However, that is as close as the Dodgers got, Wheeler would give up a total of ten runs in 3⅔ innings, he also gave up 12 hits and one walk. Wheeler did not record a strikeout.

The rest of the bullpen did keep the Storm Chasers off the scoreboard but it was too late. The Dodgers did have chances as they went 4-for-12 with runners in scoring position but ultimately could not get the key hit as Trayce Thompson representing the tying run in the ninth, grounded out to the pitcher to end the game.

Double-A Tulsa

The Drillers were eliminated in the first half race for their division title as they were shutout 4-0 by the NW Arkansas Naturals (Royals).

Scott Barlow took the loss as he gave up four runs in six innings pitched. Two of the runs were unearned due to two errors by Erick Mejia. Barlow gave up five hits and four walks. Barlow did strike out nine.

Jose Miguel Fernandez did get two of the Drillers four hits but scoring opportunities were limited as they went 0-for-1 with runners in scoring position.

Class-A Rancho Cucamonga

The Quakes lost 7-2 to the Lancaster JetHawks (Rockies) and that meant the Quakes have win both on Saturday and Sunday to force a playoff game for the first half division title.

Los Angeles right-handed reliever Sergio Romo continued his rehab with two innings of work, he gave up a run and three hits.

Yadier Alvarez followed Romo and he did have his moments, at one point retiring ten in a row, including striking out the side in the fourth.

He bookended those moments by giving up two runs in the 3rd inning and three runs in the 7th inning. Alvarez would pitch five innings, give up five hits, five runs (four earned), he walked one and struck out five.

Even with that, the most frustrating part of the game were all the missed opportunities by the Quakes. They left 16 runners on base and they were 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

Class-A Great Lakes

The Loons were leading 4-2 until the Bowling Green Hot Rods (Rays) scored eight runs in the fifth to take control to ultimately win 12-5.

Chris Mathewson took the loss, he gave up six runs in 4⅓ innings, he also gave up four hits and three walks.

Oneil Cruz had two hits and two RBI, Cody Thomas doubled and had two RBI. Darien Tubbs went 2-for-3 with a run scored.

Transactions

Triple-A: Los Angeles recalled right-handed pitcher Josh Ravin from Oklahoma City; Left-handed pitcher Jeremy Bleich assigned to Oklahoma City from Tulsa.

Class-A: Left-handed pitcher Chris Cotton assigned to Rancho Cucamonga; Rancho Cucamonga placed right-handed pitchers Adam Bray and Ivan Vieitez on the temporarily inactive list; right-handed pitcher Andrew Thurman assigned to Rancho Cucamonga from Tulsa.