Dodgers minors: Robbie Peto strikes out 7, Jake Lamb homers again

Sunday in the Dodgers minors saw a few strong pitching performances, and we check in on how Dellin Betances is doing at Camelback Ranch.

Player of the day

Robbie Peto entered the High-A Great Lakes game with the bases loaded and one out in the fifth, Great Lakes trailing 2-1. The right-hander escaped that jam with no further damage, then pitched into the ninth. Peto struck out seven in his 4⅓ scoreless innings, allowing only a single and two walks.

Peto was an undrafted free agent signed by the Dodgers out of Stetson in 2020. In 13 appearances between Rancho Cucamonga and Great Lakes this season, he has a 2.83 ERA in 41⅓ innings, with 42 strikeouts (25-percent K rate) and 23 walks.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

A five-run top of the first wasn’t enough for Oklahoma City, who lost on the road to the Reno Aces (D-backs). Andre Jackson was staked to that lead but when he left in the fourth inning the advantage was down to one run. The right-hander this season has more walks (37) than strikeouts (30) in his 38⅓ innings pitched, and a 6.34 ERA.

Jake Lamb homered again for OKC, his third in two games, and is hitting .386/.493/.737 in fifteen June games. Jacob Amaya reached base four times with two singles and two walks.

Miguel Vargas had two hits, including a double. Ryan Noda doubled, singled, walked, and twice scored.

Double-A Tulsa

The Drillers beat the Wichita Wind Surge (Twins) in extra innings on a bunt comebacker by Jeren Kendall. Wichita pitcher Alex Scherff threw the ball away, allowing the free runner to score.

Leonel Valera was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, but he did score the winning run as the free runner in the 10th. At shortstop, Valera was also key in making sure the game was tied heading into the bottom of the frame.

Justin Yurchak homered for Tulsa.

The Drillers got ace relief work from right-handers Nick Robertson and Jose Adames. Each pitcher allowed one hit, walked one, and struck out three. Robertson recorded seven outs, Adames got the final six outs and earned the win.

High-A Great Lakes

Solid pitching helped the Loons win a low-scoring affair at home over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Brewers). Both walks by Peto were by Wisconsin right fielder Tristan Peters, who walked four times. Great Lakes pitchers struck out 12 and walked only one other batter in this one.

Ben Casparius started for Great Lakes and struck out four in his four innings, allowing one run on five hits.

Catcher Kekai Rios homered to tie the game in the fifth. One inning later, first baseman Imanol Vargas walked with two outs, advanced on a wild pitch and then stole second. He scored the winning run on a double by right fielder Jonny DeLuca.

Low-A Rancho Cucamonga

The Quakes feasted in the middle innings to beat the Inland Empire 66ers (Angels), keeping their slim first-half playoff chances alive.

First baseman Julio Carrion’s three-run double put Rancho Cucamonga on the board in the third inning, and right fielder Gaige Howard’s two-run single in the fourth gave the Quakes the lead for good. Howard added another hit later, joining DH Junior Garcia in the two-hit club on the day.

Rancho Cucamonga also saw second baseman Kenneth Betancourt walk three times, double, and score three times. One of those runs came in the five-run fifth that put the game away.

The winner of each half of each division makes the playoffs in the California League. The first half ends Thursday, with Rancho Cucamonga trailing the Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres) by three games. The Quakes are in Lake Elsinore this week, and will need to win the first three games of the series to claim the first-half South Division title.

Arizona Complex League

Dellin Betances pitched twice last week for the Dodgers rookie league team in Arizona. Both were home games at Camelback Ranch, both perfect innings with a total of five strikeouts. The veteran right-hander, who signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers in April, has pitched four games on this rehab assignment as he recovers from shoulder surgery last July.

Betances’ appearances have been spread out, with his Thursday game on one day rest the closest his outings have been bunched together so far this season.

Transactions

Triple-A: Zach McKinstry was called up to the Dodgers. Reyes Moronta was optioned to Oklahoma City.

Sunday scores

• Reno 10, Oklahoma City 6
• Tulsa 3, Wichita 2 (10 innings)
• Great Lakes 3, Wisconsin 2
• Rancho Cucamonga 11, Inland Empire 4

Tuesday schedule

• 4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes at Fort Wayne [Padres]
• 4:30 p.m.: Tulsa at Midland [A’s]
• 5:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City vs. Round Rock [Rangers]
• 6:05 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga vs. Lake Elsinore [Padres]

The top four affiliates are off Monday.