Oklahoma City Comets (Triple-A) — W, 12-10 vs Albuquerque

This one was a slugfest, and our guys came out on the right side. Oklahoma City piled up runs early and held on in a wild 12-10 win over the Isotopes. Everyone in this lineup contributed — all nine starters reached base at least once, and the Comets collected extra-base hits up and down the order. When the whole lineup is clicking like that, you can survive some late-inning drama.

Eliezer Alfonzo led the charge with a 4-for-6 night that included a double, an RBI, and two runs scored. That’s the kind of game you love to see from your catcher. Alfonzo was locked in all night, putting the ball in play consistently and doing damage when he did. Behind him, Zach Ehrhard had arguably the most impactful game — 2-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI from the center field spot. That’s a guy who’s been quietly productive, and nights like this are how you force the conversation upward.

Alex Freeland went 2-for-5 with a walk and two RBI, continuing to show the kind of steady, professional at-bats we’ve come to expect from him at the hot corner. Noah Miller chipped in a 2-for-4 line with a double, an RBI, and two runs scored from the shortstop spot. Tyler Fitzgerald reached base four times (2-for-4, double, two walks) and scored twice, while Ryan Fitzgerald — no relation — went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run. James Tibbs III was patient at the plate, drawing two walks in a 2-for-4 night, and Ryan Ward drove in two with a walk-heavy approach (1-for-3, two walks, two RBI). Austin Gauthier rounded things out with a double, an RBI, and two runs scored.

On the mound, Christian Romero earned the win to move to 3-1 on the year. Six innings, one earned run, four strikeouts against three walks. That’s a quality outing in any context, but doing it in a Pacific Coast League environment where the ball flies? Even better. The walks are something to monitor, but he gave OKC length and kept them in control for most of the game. The bullpen had to weather some late Albuquerque pushback — giving up that many runs late is never ideal — but the offense had built enough of a cushion to hold on.

Tulsa Drillers (Double-A) — L, 2-7 vs Springfield

Tough night in Tulsa. The Drillers dropped this one 2-7 to Springfield, and the offense never really got going. Only two hitters managed to do much of anything at the plate, and the pitching staff couldn’t keep things close enough for a comeback.

Kendall George was the bright spot, going 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. George continues to flash the tools that make him one of the more interesting outfield prospects in the system. He’s got the speed and the bat-to-ball ability — now it’s about doing it consistently enough to force the issue. Elijah Hainline reached twice (1-for-3, walk) with a stolen base and a run scored. Beyond those two, the lineup was quiet.

Wyatt Crowell took the loss, falling to 2-4. He went 4.1 innings with five strikeouts, but four walks told the real story. When you’re putting that many guys on base for free in a Double-A game, you’re asking for trouble, and Springfield made him pay with three earned runs. The stuff is clearly there — five punchouts in 4.1 innings shows that — but the command has to tighten up. That’s the development challenge for Crowell right now: can he keep the walks down while maintaining the swing-and-miss? It’s a common hurdle at this level, and one he’ll need to clear.

Great Lakes Loons (High-A) — W, 3-2 vs West Michigan

A tight, well-played game in the Midwest. Great Lakes edged out West Michigan 3-2 in the kind of low-scoring affair that comes down to a handful of key at-bats and good pitching. We’ll take it.

Jose Izarra was the offensive catalyst, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a stolen base. He was on base and creating havoc on the basepaths, and that’s exactly how he can impact a game like this. When the runs are scarce, speed and on-base ability matter even more. Mike Sirota drove in a run while reaching base three times (1-for-3, two walks) and added a stolen base of his own. Sirota’s eye at the plate has been a consistent strength — two walks in a tight game is valuable, and the RBI made his night even more productive.

Nicolas Cruz picked up the win in relief, moving to 2-0 despite also being tagged with a blown save. That’s an odd stat line, but here’s the context: he entered a save situation, gave up the tying run (hence the blown save), but the Loons came back to take the lead and he was still the pitcher of record. What matters is the final line — three innings, two strikeouts, one walk, zero earned runs. That’s a quality relief outing that kept the Loons in position to win. Three innings of scoreless work out of the bullpen is exactly what you need in a one-run game.

Ontario Tower Buzzers (Single-A) — W, 8-4 vs San Jose

Let’s start with the pitching, because Luis Carias was outstanding. Five innings, six strikeouts, zero walks, zero earned runs. That’s a dominant start at any level, but what stands out most is the zero walks. Complete command. He moved to 2-0 on the year and gave Ontario’s offense all the runway it needed. Keep an eye on this one.

At the plate, Ching-Hsien Ko provided the big blow — a home run in a 1-for-3 night that accounted for three RBI and two runs scored. He also drew a walk, so he was on base twice and did damage when it counted. That kind of production from a single swing can change the complexion of a game, and it did here. Emil Morales drove in two runs of his own (1-for-4, run scored), though he struck out three times. That’s the kind of mixed bag you’ll see with young hitters at this level — the power and run production are there, but so is the swing-and-miss. The strikeouts need to come down, but the production is real.

Overall, a clean win for the Buzzers. When you get a start like that from Carias and timely hitting from Ko and Morales, you’re going to win more often than not.

ACL Dodgers (Rookie) — L, 1-5 vs ACL Guardians

A rough one for the Arizona Complex League squad, falling 1-5 to the Guardians. The offense managed just one run, and there wasn’t a lot to write home about from a hitting standpoint. Abel Lorenzo was the lone standout, going 2-for-3 with a run scored. He accounted for half the team’s hits and their only run. At the rookie level, it’s all about development reps, and Lorenzo at least made his count. The rest of the lineup will look to bounce back next time out.

DSL Dodgers (Rookie) — Off Day

The Dominican Summer League Dodgers did not play on Wednesday.