Rob Segedin homers as OKC sweeps series

Oklahoma City swept their first home series and Tulsa celebrated a real walk-off win to win on their opening night. Rancho Cucamonga fell short at their home opener and Great Lakes fell victim to a walk-off loss.

Player of the day

Rob Segedin was 2-for-15 in his first four games at Oklahoma City this season. But on Thursday, Segedin singled home a run and then hit his first home run season as Oklahoma City continued their good start to this season.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

The Dodgers won 3-1 to sweep their three-game series against the Round Rock Express (Rangers). The Dodgers outscored the Express 27-2 from the eighth inning on Tuesday through Thursday’s game.

Manny Bañuelos won his first game as a Dodger, going six innings and giving up one run and two hits. Bañuelos struck out four and walked one.

Right-handed reliever Yimi Garcia began his rehab assignment with one scoreless inning. Pat Venditte made his fourth appearance and his second straight scoreless outing with an inning of work with two strikeouts. Brian Schlitter recorded his first save.

The Dodgers took an early lead when Rob Segedin singled home Alex Verdugo who had started the second inning with a double. Segedin took second on the attempt to throw out Verdugo and he would score on a Breyvic Valera single.

Segedin provided the third run with his first home run of the season.

Double-A Tulsa

The Drillers participated in their first extra-inning game under the new rules and they beat the Frisco RoughRiders (Rangers) 4-3 in 11 innings. The Texas League had not had an extra-inning game in their first week of play and then on Thursday, there were two games that were played with the new rule of putting a runner on second to start the extra-inning.

The Drillers and RoughRiders did not score in the tenth inning as both teams did not attempt to sacrifice the runner on second to third. But in the eleventh, the RoughRiders not only bunted with their first batter, he got a bunt single to put runners on the corners with no outs.

However, a failed suicide squeeze squelched the rally and the Drillers escaped that threat.

The Drillers got a walk to put runners on first and second with no outs in the bottom of the eleventh. A sacrifice bunt (on a 3-1 count) put runners on second and third. Errol Robinson struck out and then Luke Raley was intentionally walked to load the bases.

DJ Peters, who was 3-for-5, came up next and he worked out a walk to score the winning run and give the Drillers their home opener win. That walk was the first one for Peters this season.

Besides that walk, it was the work on the Drillers bullpen that made the victory possible. Three pitchers threw 6⅓ scoreless innings and that was highlighted by the winning pitcher, Josh Sborz’s work in extra-innings.

Sborz gave up the one bunt single and struck out three, Shea Spitzbarth and Corey Copping also pitched well.

Four Drillers had multi-hit games, besides Peters, Luke Raley, Kyle Garlick and Will Smith each had two hits. Garlick hit a two-run homer.

Class-A Rancho Cucamonga

The Quakes fell behind early and eventually fell short in their 5-4 loss to the Inland Empire 66ers (Angels). The Quakes lost their fourth straight game after splitting their first four games last weekend.

Jordan Sheffield started and took the loss as he gave up four runs (three earned), four hits and two walks. In his 3⅓ innings, Sheffield struck out eight. Nolan Long and Stetson Allie followed with scoreless outings.

An error extended the eighth inning and Andrew Istler’s wild pitch scored the 66ers fifth run.

Jeren Kendall and Gavin Lux each had two hits. Kendall led off the fifth inning with a triple but was left on third base. That potential run loomed large as two-run ninth inning rally left the Quakes a run short at the end of the game.

Class-A Great Lakes

The Loons tied the game in the top of the ninth only to see West Michigan Whitecaps (Tigers) walk-off with a 4-3 win. The Whitecaps loaded the bases and after a force out at the plate, the game ended with a walk to Zac Shepherd to score the winning run.

Walks were again part of the story as the Loons gave the Whitecaps 12 walks on Thursday. Great Lakes pitchers have given up 52 walks in 63⅓ innings thus far this season.

Brandon Montgomery, Carlos Rincon and Moises Perez each had two hits. The Loons also went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, leaving nine runners on base.

Transactions

Triple-A: Los Angeles sent right-handed pitcher Yimi Garcia on a rehab assignment to Oklahoma City.

Thursday’s scores

Oklahoma City 3, Round Rock 1

Tulsa 4, Frisco 3 (11)

Inland Empire 5, Rancho Cucamonga 4

West Michigan 4, Great Lakes 3

Friday’s schedule

3:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Melvin Jiminez) vs. Dayton [Reds] (Wendolyn Bautista)

5:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Brock Stewart) vs. New Orleans [Marlins] (Ben Meyer)

5:05 p.m.: Tulsa (Justin DeFratus) vs. Frisco (Wes Benjamin)

7:05 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Tony Gonsolin) vs. Inland Empire (Connor Riley)