Zac Ching homers twice for Great Lakes, Rancho wins in extras

If not for an extra-inning win from Rancho, it would have been all losses for Dodgers minors.

Player of the Day

There were a total of eight multi-hit efforts for the organization across the four games Wednesday night. The player that gets the nod here is infielder Zac Ching for Great Lakes.

In the first game of the doubleheader, third baseman Brandon Lewis was hit by a pitch and had to leave the game. Ching came off the bench and delivered two homers, including a two-run shot and solo bomb that brought the Loons within one in the seventh.

It was the first multi-homer night of Ching’s career since being drafted in the 10th round (311th overall) by the Dodgers back in 2019.

Double-A Tulsa

After a solid five scoreless in his Double-A debut August 5, Landon Knack was pushed around early and often as the Drillers were handed a 10-5 loss at the hands of Wichita (Twins).

Knack surrendered six runs on seven hits and a walk over 3.2 IP, striking out five. The right-hander allowed four home runs, including three in the first six batters of the night.

Tulsa rallied for five runs in the seventh inning after the first three batters of the inning reached by walk. But it was too little too late for the Drillers as the loss dropped the Drillers six games behind Wichita in the Double-A Central North Division standings.

High-A Great Lakes

The Loons dropped both ends of the doubleheader Wednesday and have now dropped five straight.

Great Lakes had the tying run aboard in the seventh inning of the first game but dropped it 8-7 as the final three batters would strike out to end it. There was a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning of the second game before it disintegrated into a 6-3 loss.

It was a big inning that did in the Loons in both losses. Wisconsin (Brewers) used a six-run fifth in the first game and a five-run fourth in the second game to pull off the sweep.

Low-A Rancho Cucamonga

The Quakes came out on top in a 10-inning barnburner, scoring two runs in the extra frame to hold off Inland Empire (Angels) for a 10-9 win.

After loading the bases with no outs in the 10th, Rancho utilized a sacrifice fly and a groundout to push the runs across. It was just enough to cover the ghost runner scoring for the 66ers on a wild pitch in the home half.

The bottom of the order did the heavy lifting with the 5-8 spots in the lineup going 8-for-16 while driving in eight of the runs. Shortstop Alex De Jesus went 3-for-4 in what would be his 11th multi-hit game since July 7, going 35-for-98 (.357) over that time.

Wednesday scores

• Wichita 10, Tulsa 5
• Wisconsin 8, Great Lakes 7 (Game 1)
• Wisconsin 6, Great Lakes 3 (Game 2)
• Rancho Cucamonga 10, Inland Empire 9

Thursday schedule

• 5:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Cole Percival) at Wisconsin (Victor Castaneda)
• 5:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Yefry Ramírez) vs Round Rock (Yerry Rodriguez)
• 5:05 p.m.: Tulsa (Michael Grove) vs. Wichita (Chris Vallimont)
• 7:05 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Carlos Duran) at Inland Empire (John Swanda)