Oklahoma City homers 4 times for 9th straight win

Oklahoma City continued its winning streak on the road, the only Dodgers minor league affiliate to win on Tuesday

Player of the day

Caleb Ferguson struck out nine in five scoreless innings in a no-decision for Double-A Tulsa. The left-hander, drafted in the 38th round in 2014, has a 0.87 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 10 innings this season.

“I’m not overpitching anymore,” Ferguson told Marisa Ingemi of MiLB.com. “Last year, I became too aware of everything and was trying to throw as hard as I can and beat everyone with whatever pitch I’m going to throw, instead of locating each pitch well. Trying to keep my body under control now, and focus on what I’m doing now to set up the next pitches.”

Triple-A Oklahoma City

OKC hit four home runs to beat Round Rock (Rangers) 8-4 for their ninth straight win. Tim Locastro, Henry Ramos and Alec Burg all went deep, but it was Rob Segedin’s blast, a two-run shot in the third inning, that had everyone talking.

All that was to back Manny Banuelos, who struck out seven while allowing one run in six innings. Edward Paredes pitched two scoreless innings for the win, and has pitched five scoreless frames to start the season.

For a glimpse into minor league life, Monday’s OKC game notes listed Alec Asher and Zach Neal as the starting pitchers Thursday and Friday, but on Tuesday Asher was claimed off waivers by Milwaukee and Neal was traded to Cincinnati. Then right-hander Guillermo Moscoso was penciled in to start Thursday until he threw 32 pitches in relief on Tuesday night.

Double-A Tulsa

The Drillers reached base nine times (six hits, three walks) but never scored in a 1-0 loss to the Midland RockHounds (A’s) on Tuesday night in Tulsa. Midland didn’t score until the ninth but might have scored earlier were it not for the arm of Kyle Garlick.

Advanced Class-A Rancho Cucamonga

The Quakes lost 11-7 on the road to the Lancaster JetHawks (Rockies), but the offense was cooking. Cristian Santana and Gavin Lux each doubled twice, with Santana adding a single and Lux also walking twice. Rancho Cucamonga walked eight times and hit six doubles in the loss.

Jordan Sheffield allowed five runs (four earned) and three walks in his 4⅔ innings, with five strikeouts in a no-decision.

Class-A Great Lakes

The Loons fell behind early on another cold night in the Midwest League, falling 7-5 to the Fort Wayne TinCaps (Padres) on Tuesday night on the road.

Melvin Jimenez, 18, struggled mightily out of the gate, retiring just one of his eight batters faced. He walked three, hit a batter and threw a wild pitch, throwing 20 balls and 12 strikes while allowing six runs.

First baseman Nick Yarnall and shortstop Zach McKinstry each homered and had three hits in the loss.

Awards

Justin De Fratus on Tuesday was named the Texas League Pitcher of the Week for the season-opening period from Apr. 5-15, after striking out nine with a 0.00 ERA in 9⅔ innings over two starts for Double-A Tulsa.

Transactions

Triple-A: Alec Asher was claimed off waivers by Milwaukee; Zach Neal was traded to Cincinnati; Max Muncy was called up to the Dodgers; pitcher Leo Crawford joined OKC from Rancho; pitcher Emmanuel De Leon was promoted to OKC from Tulsa.

Double-A: First baseman Wes Darvill was activated from the disabled list.

Class-A: Great Lakes activated pitcher Zach Pop from the disabled list, and pitcher Vinny Santarsiero was sent to extended spring training.

Tuesday scores

Oklahoma City 8, Round Rock 4

Midland 1, Tulsa 0

Lancaster 11, Rancho Cucamonga 7

Fort Wayne 7, Great Lakes 5

Wednesday schedule

8 a.m. PT: Great Lakes (Edwin Uceta) at Fort Wayne (Aaron Leasher)

9:35 a.m.: Oklahoma City (Brock Stewart) at Round Rock (Adrian Sampson)

6:35 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Tony Gonsolin) at Lancaster (Brandon Gold)