Oklahoma City Comets (Triple-A)

Result: Loss, 7-9 vs Salt Lake Bees

Our guys in OKC had the bats going but couldn’t overcome some shaky pitching. Ryan Ward launched a three-run homer and drew three walks — the guy simply does not chase — finishing 1-for-2 with that big fly accounting for nearly half the offense. Ward’s plate discipline continues to be the story. He’s seeing the ball well and making pitchers come to him, which is exactly what you want from a guy who can drive the ball out of the park when he gets his pitch.

Ryan Fitzgerald went deep too, going 1-for-3 with a solo shot and a pair of walks. That’s two guys in the lineup who combined for four runs, four RBIs, and five walks. Noah Miller had a quieter night at the plate (1-for-4) but came around to score twice. Michael Siani didn’t get a hit in two at-bats but drew three walks — this lineup worked counts all night. Chuckie Robinson drove in two despite going hitless.

The problem was on the mound. Logan Allen lasted five innings but issued five walks against just two strikeouts while giving up four earned runs. That walk total is the concern. You can survive some hard contact, but putting five guys on base for free at Triple-A is asking for trouble, and he got it. Wyatt Mills came on and got tagged for three earned runs in 1.1 innings, picking up the blown save and the loss. He punched out three, so the stuff was there — the execution wasn’t. A frustrating one overall. When you score seven and lose, you know where the issue was.

Tulsa Drillers (Double-A)

Result: Loss, 7-11 vs Arkansas Travelers

Kendall George continues to be one of the more interesting players in the system. He reached base three times (1-for-2, double, two walks) and scored three runs. The kid just keeps getting on base. At his age, at Double-A, that on-base ability is the foundational skill you want to see. Keep an eye on this one.

Josue De Paula hit a two-run homer (1-for-4) and struck out once. The power is real for De Paula, and getting him regular reps in the middle of a Double-A lineup matters. Kyle Nevin had a productive 2-for-4 night with an RBI and a run scored, though the two caught stealings are a red flag — aggressive baserunning is one thing, but getting thrown out twice in the same game tells you the other team had his number. Elijah Hainline drove in two with a hit and a HBP. Frank Rodriguez collected two hits including a triple and an RBI from the catcher spot — you love seeing that kind of offensive production from behind the plate.

On the pitching side, Roque Gutierrez was actually solid — four innings, four strikeouts, no walks, two earned runs. That’s a clean outing. The damage came after he left. Eleven runs allowed as a team tells you the bullpen had a rough go of it. Like OKC, this was a game where the offense showed up but the pitching gave back more than it could afford.

Great Lakes Loons (High-A)

Result: Postponed (0-0) vs Lake County Captains

Great Lakes did not play today. We’ll look for them to get back on the field next time out.

Ontario Tower Buzzers (Single-A)

Result: Win, 3-0 vs Rancho Cucamonga Quakes

This was the game of the night across the system, and it wasn’t because of a slugfest. Jesus Tillero was outstanding — 6.1 innings of shutout ball, seven strikeouts, one walk. That’s dominance. He commanded the zone, missed bats, and kept Rancho Cucamonga off the board entirely. For a 20-something arm at Single-A to put together that kind of outing — efficient, aggressive, zero earned runs — that’s the type of start that gets attention from the development staff. Tillero picks up the win to move to 2-2, and this is the kind of trajectory we want to see.

Jecsua Liborius came on and slammed the door — 1.1 innings, three strikeouts, no walks, no runs, earning his third save. Between Tillero and Liborius, Rancho Cucamonga hitters had no chance. Combined: 7.2 innings, 10 strikeouts, one walk, zero runs. That’s a masterclass.

The offense didn’t need to do much, but Ching-Hsien Ko made sure they did enough. He went 2-for-4 with a homer and a double, driving in a run and scoring another. That’s a quality night from a guy who’s been worth watching in this lineup. Easton Shelton added two hits including a double and an RBI of his own. Jose D. Hernandez went 0-for-1 but drew three walks and scored — that’s the kind of patience that creates runs even when you’re not squaring balls up. Anson Aroz had a similar approach, drawing two walks and coming around to score. Jaron Elkins got plunked and promptly stole a base, and Mairoshendrick Martinus singled and swiped a bag too. A clean, complete win.

ACL Dodgers (Rookie)

Result: Win, 7-3 vs ACL Brewers

The ACL club picked up a solid win, and Abel Lorenzo provided the big swing — a three-run homer in a 1-for-4 night. Three strikeouts alongside it, so it wasn’t a clean game at the plate, but the one hit he got was the one that mattered most. At the complex league level, you’re looking for those flashes of impact power, and that’s exactly what we saw.

Francisco Espinoza had a really productive day (1-for-2, double, two walks, two runs scored). He was on base constantly and that’s what you want from a young DH getting his feet wet. Javier Herrera was the hit leader, going 2-for-5 with a double from the shortstop spot. Jose Gonzalez also had a multi-hit game (2-for-4, double, run scored). Gio Cueto drew two walks without recording a hit — not flashy, but getting on base twice as a catcher is doing your job. Daniel Mielcarek had a patient night too (two walks, a run scored), though two strikeouts in two at-bats is something to work on.

On the mound, Joel Cruz gave us four solid innings — two strikeouts, one walk, one earned run. That’s a quality start for a complex league outing. Peter Bonilla followed with two innings, striking out two but allowing two earned runs. He picks up the win (and a blown save, which tells you he entered in a save situation and gave up some runs before the offense bailed him out). Still, we’ll take the W.

DSL Dodgers (Rookie)

The DSL Dodgers were idle today.