Drillers and Quakes start title series today

What began back in April will end by this Sunday as two Dodger minor league affiliates begin their championship series today.

Both series are Best-of-5 with the first two games being played today and tomorrow. Then each series will have Thursday off for travel. The remaining three games will be played over the weekend.

Player of the Game

Several Drillers played well in their first series, Gavin Lux had at least one hit in all five games and for the series, he hit .429/.478/.819 with five doubles and a home run. Ben Holmes came up big in a key Game 2 win. Holmes pitched 6⅔ scoreless innings in the Drillers 6-0 win.

Cody Thomas and Carlos Rincon each played well for the Quakes, Thomas hit .444 with five runs scored, a home run and three runs driven in. Rincon hit two home runs and drove in six.

But Parker Curry was singled out by manager Drew Saylor as having the series turning performance. Curry only pitched once in the four games against Lancaster but his Game 2 relief appearance was perfect.

By perfect, I mean, he pitched four innings, retired all 12 batters he faced, striking out six in the process. That save would even the series at a game apiece and set up the Quakes winning in four games.

Double-A Tulsa

The Drillers are returning to the Texas League Championship Series. Last year, the Drillers came within a win of the championship but could not close out their series after taking a 2-0 lead.

Their opponent, the San Antonio Missions could be making their final appearance as a Texas League team. Plans are in the works for a new Texas League team in Amarillo will begin play in 2019. That team will replace the San Antonio Missions as a Texas League member.

The Missions will become a Triple-A team in the Pacific Coast League. No details are known about the affiliate relationship for these teams.

The Texas League Championship Series schedule is as follows:

Game 1 and Game 2 will be played today and tomorrow at Tulsa.

After an off-day, the series will head to San Antonio for the weekend with Game 3 scheduled on Friday and then Saturday and Sunday if necessary.

The teams split their 12 games against each other in 2018. The Drillers have won five of the last six games played back in August.

Class-A Rancho Cucamonga

The Quakes traveled last night to play the Visalia Rawhide (Diamondbacks) for Games 1 and 2 of the Best-of-5 series. The Quakes had the luxury of one full day off on Sunday while Visalia had to travel to and from Stockton.

The Quakes last played in the California League Championship Series in 2015. That series ended in three games with the Quakes sweeping the San Jose Giants.

Visalia has not won the California League since 1978. They were in the Championship Series in both 2014 and 2016, losing in 2014 to Lancaster and in 2016 to High Desert.

The California League Championship Series schedule is as follows;

Games 1 and Game 2 will be played today and tomorrow at Visalia.

After taking Thursday off for travel, Rancho Cucamonga will host the series. Game 3 is scheduled for Friday and if necessary, Games 4 and 5 will be played on Saturday and Sunday.

The Rawhide won six of the eleven games played against the Quakes this season. However, they have not played each other since May 14th.

Transactions

Triple-A: Los Angeles recalled left-handed pitcher Julio Urías from Oklahoma City.

Monday’s scores

There were no games scheduled

Tuesday’s schedule

5:05 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Tony Gonsolin) vs. San Antonio [Padres] (Michael Baez)

7:05 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Leo Crawford) at Visalia [Diamondbacks] (Riley Smith)