Ryan Pepiot tosses five scoreless for OKC, Ryan Ward homers twice for Tulsa

Friday in the Dodgers minor leagues saw a shutout, a season-high in team hits, a big comeback and a postponed game.

Player of the day

Two players share the honor Friday, with Ryan Pepiot staying hot on the mound for Oklahoma City and Ryan Ward pacing the offense in Tulsa.

Pepiot turned in his best start of the opening month, going five scoreless with eight strikeouts to lower his ERA to a sparkling 1.15. The No. 6 prospect in the Dodger system has only allowed two runs in 15 ²⁄₃ innings over four starts in 2022.

On the other side of the ball, Ward crushed two long balls in a 3-for-5 night to drive in five of the 10 runs for Tulsa. The 24-year-old also homered Thursday, giving him three homers in his last seven at-bats after a slow start.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

In a well pitched game on both sides, only one came across for either side. A two-out double off the bat of Andy Burns to bring Miguel Vargas in to score would be the only run needed for Oklahoma City in a 1-0 win over Sacramento (Giants).

The bullpen followed Pepiot’s strong start with four scoreless of their own to lock down a tight game.

For the first time this season, the Dodgers were held to fewer than three runs in a game. They also finished with a season-low four hits.

Double-A Tulsa

For a game that featured 17 runs and 24 hits combined, Friday night’s contest between Tulsa and Springfield (Cardinals) featured most of its action before the fourth inning was completed.

After the Cardinals scored six in the home half of the third, the Drillers roared right back with seven of their own in the top of the fourth. That was more than enough for the bullpen to make stand and Tulsa came away with a 10-7 win.

The Drillers jumped out to an early lead on Ward’s first home run of the night, a three-run blast into the left field bullpen. But the wheels fell off for Tulsa pitching in the third, giving up three homers to quickly get behind 7-3.

Tulsa would have the lead back six batters later. Four straight singles to leadoff the top of the fourth scored a pair to cut the lead in half and two batters later, Andy Pages launched a three-run shot to put the Drillers on top.

Right-hander Mark Washington stabilized the pitching with three scoreless for Tulsa and they never looked back.

Three separate Drillers had three hits among the season-high 16 hits for the team, including Ward, Jacob Amaya and Jeren Kendall.

High-A Great Lakes

Low-A Rancho Cucamonga

Rancho needed two five-run innings to overcome Modesto (Mariners) in an 11-8 road win Friday. The latter coming in the top of the ninth to help seal the win.

The Quakes took a 6-4 lead in the sixth inning when they sent 10 men to the plate. After Jose Ramos doubled to leadoff the inning and Diego Cartaya was hit by a pitch, Luis Rodriguez, Luis Yanel Diaz and Austin Gauthier strung together three hits to bring in four runs. Another hit batter and two walks would bring home another run.

Modesto immediately took the lead back in the bottom half of the frame, taking advantage of a hit batter and two walks of their own. The score would stay 8-6 until the ninth.

Rancho’s first three batters singled to load the bases with nobody out in the ninth. A wild pitch and a single each for Gauthier and Julio Carrion later and they had the lead. Yeiner Fernandez grounded out to bring home the 11th and final run for the Quakes.

Friday scores

• Oklahoma City 1, Sacramento 0
• Tulsa 10, Springfield 7
• Great Lakes vs Lake County (Postponed)
• Rancho Cucamonga 11, Modesto 8

Saturday schedule

• 10:05 a.m. PT: Great Lakes (TBD) vs. Lake County (TBD)
• Game 2: Great Lakes (TBD) vs. Lake County (TBD)
• 3:35 p.m.: Tulsa (John Rooney) at Springfield (Domingo Robles)
• 6:05 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Edgardo Henriquez) at Modesto (Yuery Tatiz)
• 6:37 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Robbie Erlin) at Sacramento (TBD)