Jonny DeLuca homers again, Michael Busch keeps getting on base

Friday in the Dodgers minors saw two walk-offs, one in their favor and one against.

Player of the day

Jonny DeLuca led off his second straight game with a home run, part of a three-hit night in Double-A Tulsa’s win. DeLuca also singled twice, scored twice, and stole a base, the latter his third of the season.

The outfielder his hitting .273/.439/.500 through 12 games. DeLuca played right field on Friday, his third start at the position. He’s also started four games each in center field and left field.

DeLuca scored the winning run. More on that below.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

Mark Washington gave up a walk-off home run to Brenton Doyle in Oklahoma City’s loss to the Albuquerque Isotopes (Rockies).

In a rare twist, runs were relatively hard to come by on Friday night at Isotopes Park. So much so that Bradley Zimmer was out trying to score from third base on a wild pitch in the fourth inning, which the pitcher (Eli Lingos) both retrieving the ball and making the tag.

Michael Busch, playing third base on Friday, doubled and walked. he has a .467 on-base percentage. He’s reached base in all 19 games this season.

Bryan Hudson struck out all three batters he faced in the sixth inning, and on the season the left-hander has a 2.79 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 9⅔ innings, and a strikeout-minus-walk rate of 31 percent.

Double-A Tulsa

Diego Cartaya scored the tying run in the eighth, then drove home the walk-off winner with a sacrifice fly in the ninth to lift the Drillers over the Wichita Wind Surge (Twins).

Tulsa got home runs from DeLuca, Imanol Vargas, and Jeremy Stowers. Jorbit Vivas hit two doubles.

Cole Percival struck out four in two innings of relief, allowing one run.

Walking a tightrope

River Ryan only pitched 2⅓ innings in his start, allowed six hits, three walks, and two stolen bases, but managed to only allow one run. The sequence of events worked in his favor, such that the home run he allowed came with nobody on base. Wichita loaded the bases with one out in the first inning, and Ryan struck out the next two hitters. Two batters reached with two outs in the second, and Ryan escaped with another strikeout.

Ryan struck out his first batter of the third, but then two singles and another walk loaded the bases. Ryan was pulled at 61 pitches to get only seven outs, but Alex Gamboa induced a double play to wipe the slate clean.

High-A Great Lakes

A close game got away from the Loons in the ninth inning in a loss to the South Bend Cubs.

Lefty Franklin De La Paz started the ninth, in his first game since 2021 after rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. He allowed three runs (two earned) on one hit and two walks while recording two outs in the inning.

Lefty Justin Wrobleski allowed three runs in his four innings, but he also struck out eight of his 18 batters faced. That included five consecutive strikeouts on 15 pitches from the end of the first to the start of the third, with an immaculate second inning in between.

Damon Keith hit a two-run home run. Dalton Rushing batted leadoff again, and walked with a run scored.

Low-A Rancho Cucamonga

Down 4-0 after a half-inning, Rancho Cucamonga chipped away all game but lost a close one to the Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies).

Catcher Thayron Liranzo homered in the ninth inning to pull Rancho Cucamonga within a run, but that was the last run of the game.

Outfielder Chris Newell, drafted in the 13th round last year out of Virginia, homered and tripled, driving in three of the Quakes’ five runs.

Juan Morillo, who came back from injury throwing 100 mph during spring training, struck out two in his one scoreless inning of relief.

Transactions

Triple-A: Jake Reed was called up to the majors. Left-hander James Jones joined Oklahoma City from extended spring training.

Double-A: Pitcher Ryan Sublette joined Tulsa from extended spring training, and pitched a scoreless eighth inning with two strikeouts in his Double-A debut. Catcher Max Hewitt was placed on the developmental list.

Low-A: Catcher Frank Rodriguez joined the Quakes from extended spring training. Pitcher David Tiburcio was sent back to extended spring training after pitching 4⅓ innings in two games over the previous five days.

Friday scores

• Albuquerque 4, Oklahoma City 3
• Tulsa 6, Wichita 5
• South Bend 7, Great Lakes 3
• Fresno 6, Rancho Cucamonga 5

Saturday schedule

• 10:05 a.m. PT: Great Lakes (Yon Castro) vs. South Bend (Connor Noland)
• 5:05 p.m.: Tulsa (Emmet Sheehan) vs. Wichita (Chad Donato)
• 5:35 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Gavin Stone) at Albuquerque (TBD)
• 6:30 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Luis Valdez) vs. Fresno (Connor Staine)