Miguel Vargas, Luis Diaz each drive in three runs in victories for OKC and Rancho

Tulsa’s second straight one-run loss prevented the Dodgers from a four-game sweep in the minors Thursday night.

Player of the Day

Luis Diaz launched a monster three-run homer that tied the game at that point and ended the night with two hits in five trips to the plate.

Diaz has now hit safely in 13 of his last 16 games, going 21-for-65 (.323) in the process. The 22-year-old’s long ball Thursday was his first since April 23.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City took an early lead and rode it all the way to the finish as they bounced back from Wednesday’s shutout loss to defeat Round Rock (Rangers) 6-2 on the road.

The Dodgers loaded the bases with nobody out on two walks and a single to start the second inning. Drew Avans’ sacrifice fly put OKC on the scoreboard and Miguel Vargas doubled in two more later in the inning to put the Dodgers up 3-0.

Round Rock got on the board with a Yohel Pozo solo homer in the fourth but they would get no closer. OKC brought in a run in the fifth and two more in the sixth to extend their lead to five.

A total of four Dodgers had multiple hits Thursday, including Eddy Alvarez, Vargas — who knocked in three of the six runs — Andy Burns and catcher Tomás Telis

For the fourth time in the last six games, the Dodgers pitching staff allowed three or fewer runs. Opponents have also been held to seven or fewer hits in six of the last seven games.

Ryan Pepiot didn’t make it out of the fifth but held Round Rock to just one run on a solo homer in the fourth. A two-out walk and a pitch count of 95 pitches meant Pepiot would be lifted for reliever Jon Duplantier, who took the ball for the next seven outs, retiring all seven and striking out three to get OKC into the eighth with a 6-1 lead.

The Express would have very little luck eating into the deficit, only scoring one more run the rest of the way.

Double-A Tulsa

Tulsa had the lead twice Thursday night and twice they lost it just as quick as it came. It was another one-run game that didn’t go Tulsa’s way to start June as they fell 6-5 to San Antonio (Padres) for their fourth straight loss.

Second baseman Devin Mann gave the Drillers a 1-0 lead three batters into the game when he followed a Jacob Amaya double with an RBI-single. The Missions scored a pair in the bottom of the first thanks to a successful double steal. A double and a walk put runners at first and second with nobody out in the home half of the first. Both runners moved up on the steal before each coming in on two consecutive ground outs.

The Drillers tied the game with three straight singles to start the third and took a 4-2 lead three batters later when catcher Carson Taylor singled with the bases loaded and Hunter Feduccia walked.

Tulsa starter Landon Knack would give the lead right back in the bottom of the third when he allowed a single and two walks to start the frame in from of the heart of San Antonio’s lineup. Yorman Rodriguez singled in two to tie the game at four and after a sacrifice bunt placed runners at second and third, a ground out brought the go-ahead run home from third.

The frustrating part of the loss for the Drillers came in the fourth when a passed ball with runners at second and third allowed the sixth run to score for San Antonio. James Outman got it back in the sixth with a solo shot to center but that was as close as Tulsa would come.

High-A Great Lakes

A big first inning and solid relief pitching drove the Loons to a 5-2 win Tuesday over Fort Wayne (Padres).

Two of the first three batters of the game doubled to give the TinCaps a 1-0 lead in the first. But the first five batters of the game for the Loons reached on a walk, single, hit by pitch and two more singles to score four.

Just a day removed from his High-A debut, Diego Cartaya singled to center to bring the first run home for Great Lakes. Jose Ramos followed with a two-single and Cartaya would come in to score on an Alex De Jesus ground out.

Cartaya finished the night 2-for-4 and is 3-for-6 in his first two games in High-A.

Fort Wayne immediately got one back in the top of the second the Anthony Pillar doubled in Jack Stronach. But that would be all for the TinCaps offense.

In another debut for the Loons, starter Ben Casparius allowed both Fort Wayne runs in three innings of work before giving way to Robbie Peto. The next four innings belonged to Peto as the right-hander scattered four walks and a hit to keep Fort Wayne from cutting the deficit in a scoreless appearance.

The TinCaps loaded the bases to threaten in the ninth with one out but Cole Percival came out of the bullpen to induce a game-ending double play on just two pitches to seal the win.

Low-A Rancho Cucamonga

After falling behind 3-0 after the first three innings, the three-run blast for Diaz completely changed the momentum of the game. The Quakes rode that momentum on offense as they took control in the middle innings to win going away over Lake Elsinore (Padres) in an 8-3 win.

Lefty Benony Robles came in when Rancho was down early on, restoring order with 3 ¹⁄₃ innings of solid pitching. Robles didn’t allow a hit and walked just one of the 11 batters he faced.

Taking the lead in the fifth on a Luis Rodriguez sacrifice fly, the Quakes never looked back. An RBI-ground out for Austin Gauthier and a two-run single from Yunior Garcia in the sixth gave Rancho plenty of cushion to work with. Gauthier would triple the last run home in the seventh for good measure.

The Storm would be held without a hit over the final 20 outs as three Rancho relievers combined to allow four walks and nothing more.

Transactions

Triple-A: Pitcher Caleb Ferguson and outfielder Zach McKinstry were recalled by the Los Angeles Dodgers, while pitcher Michael Grove was optioned to Oklahoma City.

Thursday’s scores

• Oklahoma City 6, Round Rock 2
• San Antonio 6, Tulsa 5
• Great Lakes 5, Fort Wayne 2
• Rancho Cucamonga 8, Lake Elsinore 3

Friday’s schedule

• 4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Nick Nastrini) vs Fort Wayne (Ryan Bergert)
• 5:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Robbie Erlin) at Round Rock (A.J. Alexy)
• 5:05 p.m.: Tulsa (Bobby Miller) at San Antonio (Lake Bachar)
• 6:30 p.m. Rancho Cucamonga (Edgardo Henriquez) vs Lake Elsinore (Garrett Hawkins)