Sunday highlights from the Dodgers minor leagues
Dodgers affiliates split their four games on Sunday.
Player of the day
Jose Rodriguez struck out 11 for Rancho Cucamonga on Sunday, the first double-digit strikeout game in the Dodgers minor leagues this season. The 6’6, 22-year-old right-hander from Mexico entered in the third inning and tossed 4⅔ scoreless innings.
Rodriguez worked around two hits in his first four frames, but then walked two (and struck out two) in his fifth inning of work before getting pulled with two outs. He had a whopping 27 swinging strikes during the game.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
Centerfielder Drew Avans had three hits, two stolen bases, drove in two, and scored once out of the leadoff spot in OKC’s win over the Sacramento River Cats (Giants).
Miguel Vargas also stole a base, and doubled. Second baseman Jonathan Araúz doubled, singled, and scored.
Ricky Vanasco, who made his major league debut for the Dodgers on Monday, pitched on back-to-back days for the first time this season and on Sunday had a rough go, allowing three runs on three singles and a walk, recording only one out in the eighth inning.
That pulled Sacramento to within a run, but Michael Petersen and Kevin Gowdy got the final five outs to score the win. Gowdy struck out two in the ninth and recorded his fourth save.
Double-A Tulsa
A four-run fourth inning broke the tie and sent Tulsa home with a road loss to the Wichita Wind Surge (Twins).
Hyun-il Choi, fresh off a spot start for the depleted Oklahoma City staff on Tuesday, was back in Double-A Sunday and strikeouts accounted for five of his 10 outs. He allowed three runs, the last of which scored after he left on a three-run home run against reliever Juan Morillo.
First baseman Brandon Lewis drove in both Drillers runs, on a second-inning single and fourth-inning sacrifice fly. Lewis also stole a base, one of three for Tulsa on the day.
Michael Hobbs pitched two scoreless innings in relief on Sunday, keeping his ERA spotless on the season, having allowed one unearned run in 8⅔ innings with 10 strikeouts and six walks.
High-A Great Lakes
Loons pitchers gave up 14 hits, including three home runs and three doubles, in a loss to the West Michigan Whitecaps (Tigers).
Yunior Garcia hit a two-run shot for Great Lakes in the seventh, but that ended the scoring for the home team in this one.
Low-A Rancho Cucamonga
Josue De Paula had three extra-base hits in the Quakes’ rout of the Inland Empire 66ers (Angels). The rightfielder tripled and scored in the fourth, and doubled in the fifth and eighth innings. De Paula before Tuesday had two extra-base hits in his first 12 games.
Before Rodriguez’s dominant outing on the mound, Edgardo Henriquez started and pitched two scoreless innings, which he’s done in each of his first three appearances this season, after rehabbing all last year from Tommy John surgery.
Third baseman Wilman Diaz doubled home two runs, and first baseman Joe Vetrano drove in a pair with his two hits.
Sunday scores
- Oklahoma City 5, Sacramento 4
- Wichita 6, Tulsa 2
- West Michigan 8, Great Lakes 4
- Rancho Cucamonga 9, Inland Empire 4
The week ahead
- Oklahoma City at Albuquerque (Rockies)
- Tulsa vs. Northwest Arkansas (Royals)
- Great Lakes at Fort Wayne (Padres)
- Rancho Cucamonga vs. Lake Elsinore (Padres)