Dodgers minor league news

Smith homers in fourth straight game, OKC loses 10-7 to El Paso

Dodger prospect hits fifth home run since he was optioned

By Craig Minami Jun 17, 2019, 8:00am PDT

Philadelphia Phillies v Los Angeles Dodgers

Great Lakes was able to finish their first half with a win while Rancho Cucamonga took a loss before their All-Star break. OKC and Tulsa also lost while Ogden remains undefeated at 3-0 to start their season.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

The Dodgers tied the game with two runs in the top of the seventh but then the Chihuahuas (Padres) scored three runs and they went on to beat the Dodgers 10-7.

Justin Grimm took the loss, he retired two of the six batters he faced. Before he left the game, he gave up one run and then left with the bases-loaded and one out.

Jaime Schultz would relieve Grimm and he would allow two of his inherited runners score on a walk and a sacrifice fly.

The Dodgers did score first when Will Smith hit a solo home run. This was the fourth straight game Smith had put one over the wall. And apparently not for the first time in his minor-league career.

Going once, going twice ... make it homers in FOUR consecutive games for @okc_dodgers' Will Smith. It's the third time in less than a year the No. 5 #Dodgers prospect has gone deep in four straight contests.

https://t.co/HhzpDxHfk4 pic.twitter.com/BW0zUvsnR9
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) June 17, 2019

But the Dodgers were unable to keep the Chihuahuas from scoring either and on Sunday that meant a win for El Paso.

Double-A Tulsa

The Drillers lost by the slimmest of margins in their 2-1 defeat to the Sod Poodles (Padres) on Sunday.

With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Taylor Kohlwey singled home Owen Miller with a ground ball to second base. That gave Shea Spitzbarth the loss.

Earlier, Victor Gonzalez had started for the Drillers and he pitched six innings and gave up one run and five hits. The Drillers scored first when Cody Thomas doubled home Gavin Lux.

However that was the extent of the Driller’s offense. Lux went 3-for-3 and Keibert Ruiz had two hits. But they went 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position and only one of those produced a run.

Class-A Rancho Cucamonga

The Quakes lost 11-5 to the Storm (Padres) on Sunday at LoanMart Field. The loss meant despite winning their first-half division title, the Quakes finished under .500 at home with a 16-17 record.

The star of this game was not a vaunted Padre prospect but it was Elliot Ashbeck, a 25-year old right-hander who was making his third start of the season. Ashbeck pitched seven innings and gave up one run and three hits. He also struck out 15 Quakes and did not walk a batter.

The Quakes would eventually score four runs in the ninth inning but it was not enough to overcome their deficit.

Gerardo Carrillo has had few moments in 2019 that reminded you of the numbers you may have looked at from his 2018 season.

The 20-year old pitcher retired two hitters in the first inning and he would give up two runs, one hit and one walk before leaving for the day.

Starling Heredia had two hits, Jeter Downs went 1-for-2 with a double and Devin Mann also went 1-for-2.

The Quakes will be off for the next three days as they take their All-Star break, they will return to action on Thursday.

Class-A Great Lakes

The Loons finished off the Dragons (Reds) with a 6-3 win. They would end the first-half with 43 wins and they would finish four games better than the Lake County Captains.

The Loons had three pitchers each pitch three innings on Sunday with Mark Washington collecting his first win of the season and Joel Inoa got his second save.

The Loons had eight hits, all singles and five walks. Gersel Pitre was the only Loon with more than one hit, Pitre went 2-for-4.

Like the Quakes, the Loons are now on their All-Star break and they will begin play again later this week,

Advanced Rookie Ogden

The Raptors remained undefeated and they won their third-straight game with a walk-off 7-6 win over the Rockies. Rolando Lebron hit his first home run of the season and his leadoff homer won it for the Raptors.

Lebron also tripled and he had three RBI. Three other Raptors had two hits apiece, Andy Pages, Marco Hernandez and Andrew Shaps.

Drew Finley made his first pitching appearance with the Raptors and he pitched two innings. He gave up an unearned run and had three walks. He also struck out four.

Transactions

Outfielder Logan Landon assigned to Oklahoma City from Tulsa
Oklahoma City placed right-handed pitcher Joe Broussard on the 7-day injured list retroactive to June 14, 2019
Oklahoma City Dodgers activated left-handed pitcher Rob Zastryzny from the 7-day injured list
Outfielder Drew Avans assigned to Tulsa from Rancho Cucamonga