Jonny DeLuca hits third home run in two games for Rancho Cucamonga

Friday night in the Dodgers minors saw a blowout win, a blowout loss, and a doubleheader with two excruciating defeats. One of the wins included an outfielder heating up.

Player of the day

Low-A Rancho Cucamonga left fielder Jonny DeLuca continued his red-hot July on Friday with a two-run home run against Lake Elsinore.

DeLuca, who hit two home runs on Thursday, had two hits on Friday. The 2019 25th-round draftee out of Oregon in July is 11-for-28 with four home runs and three doubles, hitting .393/.485/.929 with 11 runs batted in and seven runs scored in seven games.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

Down 7-0 after two innings was no problem for Oklahoma City, who scored 15 unanswered runs before holding on late to beat the El Paso Chihuahuas (Padres). DJ Peters had four hits, including a home run, and drove in three in the win.

First baseman Matt Davidson homered, doubled, and drove in four. Second baseman Carlos Asuaje had three hits and scored twice. Zach Reks had a pinch-hit double, and plans to release more details on his upcoming nonprofit coffee company on Instagram on Saturday.

Reks shared some details on the motivation behind the project — to raise money for minor league players — back in May.

Double-A Tulsa

Tulsa pitchers Michael Grove and Edward Cuello got bombed for 12 runs in the first three innings in a blowout loss to the Springfield Cardinals. Grove got two outs in the first inning but also gave up a grand slam. The Dodgers’ second-round pick in 2018 has allowed 34 runs in 34 innings this season, with 31 walks and 42 strikeouts.

Cuello’s home run allowed was a solo shot, but he also allowed two doubles, seven total hits and eight runs while recording only four outs. The 22-year-old right-hander started the season in Triple-A, but after allowing 13 runs in 9⅓ innings was sent to Tulsa. In two games with the Drillers, Cuello has allowed nine runs (seven earned) in four innings.

Despite the blowout loss, Tulsa still scored nine runs, thanks in large part to five home runs. Donovan Casey hit two homers, while Carlos Rincon and Jacob Amaya each went deep once. All those were solo shots, and Michael Busch contributed a two-run shot.

High-A Great Lakes

The Loons allowed only four runs on 10 hits in a doubleheader, but that was enough to get swept by the Lansing Lugnuts (A’s). Shortstop Leonel Valera scored both total runs for Great Lakes, homering in the first game, then singling and stealing home on a double steal in Game 2.

Even in defeat, the Loons got a pair of solid pitching performances. Alec Gamboa struck out five in 5⅓ scoreless innings of relief in the opener, and Jose Martinez allowed a run on four hits in the nightcap.

Low-A Rancho Cucamonga

In addition to Deluca, the Quakes also got home runs from shortstop Alex De Jesus and right fielder Ismael Alcantara in a rout of the Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres). Rancho Cucamonga has won five straight, and in the first four games of their series against Lake Elsinore they’ve scored 47 runs.

On the pitching side, the Quakes got three strikeouts in two scoreless innings from two different right-handed relievers — Daniel Cruz and Carlos De Los Santos, with Cruz earning the win.

Transaction

Triple-A: Alex Vesia was called up to the majors.

Friday scores

• Oklahoma City 15, El Paso 11
• Springfield 16, Tulsa 9
• Game 1: Great Lakes 2, Lansing 1
• Game 2: Great Lakes 2, Lansing 1
• Rancho Cucamonga 9, Lake Elsinore 1

Saturday schedule

4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Bobby Miller) vs. Lansing (Reid Birlingmair)

5:05 p.m.: Tulsa (Ryan Pepiot) at Springfield (Tyler Pike)

6:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Josiah Gray) at El Paso (Caleb Boushey)

6:30 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Jimmy Lewis) vs. Lake Elsinore (Noel Vela)