Great Lakes Loons (High-A) — Game 1: W 6-3 vs Peoria Chiefs

Let’s start here because this is where the fireworks were. Mike Sirota went 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI in the opener, then came back in Game 2 and hit another one. Three homers in a doubleheader. We’ll get to that second game in a moment, but Sirota was far from the only Loon swinging a hot bat in Game 1.

Charles Davalan matched Sirota blast for blast, going 2-for-3 with two home runs of his own, a walk, two RBI, and three runs scored. When your center fielder and right fielder combine for four homers and five RBI, you’re going to win most games. That’s exactly what happened. Eduardo Quintero contributed quietly — 1-for-2 with a walk, a hit-by-pitch, a stolen base, and a run scored. He was on base three of his four plate appearances. Logan Wagner also reached base in three of four trips (1-for-2, two walks).

On the mound, the Loons used their bullpen to close this one out. Davis Chastain picked up the win (3-0) with 1.2 scoreless innings, and Cody Morse locked it down for his first save — a clean ninth with two strikeouts. Efficient work from both guys.

Great Lakes Loons (High-A) — Game 2: W 5-3 vs Peoria Chiefs

So about that Sirota encore. Mike Sirota moved to center field for Game 2 and went 1-for-2 with another homer, two walks, and a run scored. Three home runs on the day across both games. That’s a statement. He was selective when they tried to pitch around him and punished a mistake when they didn’t. Keep an eye on this one.

Logan Wagner was just as impressive in the nightcap — 2-for-3 with two doubles and a run scored. He reached base in five of his seven plate appearances across the doubleheader. That’s the kind of consistency you love to see from a bat at High-A. Victor Rodrigues went 0-for-1 but drew two walks and scored a run. Patience at the plate matters, especially for a young catcher. Eduardo Guerrero went 1-for-3 with a stolen base, though two strikeouts temper the line a bit.

The pitching star of Game 2 was Jacob Frost, who earned the win to move to 4-0. Four innings, eight strikeouts, one walk, and two earned runs. The strikeout numbers are eye-catching. Two earned runs over four innings isn’t flawless, but when you’re racking up punchouts at that rate, you’re clearly generating swings and misses. The command was there too with just one free pass. Frost continues to look like a reliever — or stretched-out opener — who’s figuring things out quickly.

Oklahoma City Comets (Triple-A) — W 3-2 vs Round Rock Express

A tight one in OKC, and our guys found a way to pull it out. Jack Suwinski was the story — 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI, and a run scored. That homer provided the difference in a one-run game. Suwinski has the kind of power profile that plays at Triple-A, and nights like this are what the organization needs to see from him as he works to stay in the big-league conversation.

Noah Miller had a solid night at short — 2-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout. Getting on base in three of four plate appearances is a good day for anyone, and Miller’s approach looked disciplined. He’s a name worth tracking as the season goes on.

On the mound, Jackson Ferris gave us five innings — four strikeouts and two walks against two earned runs. It wasn’t dominant, but it was serviceable. Five innings and keeping the game close is what you need from a starter at this level. The two walks are something to watch; you want to see Ferris tighten that up as he continues to develop. The real star of the pitching staff was Wyatt Mills, who came on in relief and was electric — two scoreless innings with four punchouts and no walks to earn the win (3-1). Mills slammed the door shut when it mattered most.

Tulsa Drillers (Double-A) — L 4-5 vs San Antonio Missions

This one stings because the Drillers got a tremendous pitching performance and couldn’t hold on. Patrick Copen threw six scoreless innings with six strikeouts and two walks. That’s a quality outing by any standard. For Copen to hand the ball to the bullpen with a clean sheet and still end up with a loss — that’s tough. The bullpen gave it back, and that’s just how some nights go.

The bats showed some life, at least. Griffin Lockwood-Powell went 2-for-5 with a homer, two RBI, and two runs scored, though two strikeouts came with it. Elijah Hainline chipped in a 2-for-4 night with a homer, an RBI, and a run scored. Two home runs from the position players and still only four runs — the offense didn’t string enough together beyond the big swings. Kendall George went 1-for-4 with a walk, a hit-by-pitch, and a stolen base. He reached base three times and showed his usual willingness to get on however he can, but one hit in four at-bats doesn’t quite jump off the page. The strikeout is something to note with George’s profile — we want to see him make more consistent contact.

Bottom line: you hate wasting a start like Copen’s. The offense and bullpen needed to do more.

Ontario Tower Buzzers (Single-A) — L 3-9 vs Lake Elsinore Storm

Not a great night in Ontario. The Buzzers got run off the field 9-3 by Lake Elsinore, and there isn’t a whole lot to dress up here. Emil Morales was the one bright spot — 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored. That’s about all we can pull from the box score. When you give up nine runs, it’s usually a collective rough night, and this was exactly that. On to the next one.

ACL Dodgers (Rookie) & DSL Dodgers (Rookie)

Neither the ACL Dodgers nor the DSL Dodgers had games on Wednesday.