Oklahoma City Comets (Triple-A) — Loss, 3-4 vs Charlotte

A tough one-run loss for OKC, but the story here is Tommy Edman, who continued his rehab (or assignment — either way, he looked like a big leaguer playing down). Edman went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a stolen base. He’s seeing the ball well, moving well on the bases, and doing exactly what you want to see from a veteran getting at-bats in Triple-A. There’s nothing to nitpick there.

James Tibbs III drove in both of OKC’s other runs, going 1-for-3 with a double and a walk. Tibbs continues to show he can put the barrel on the ball in important spots, and the free pass is a good sign — he’s not expanding the zone just because he’s trying to do too much. The 2-RBI night was quiet but productive.

On the mound, Jackson Ferris took the loss to fall to 0-2, going 4.1 innings with six strikeouts but also two walks and three earned runs. There’s stuff here — six punchouts in under five innings tells you the swing-and-miss is real. But the walks and the damage done on balls in play point to a lefty still figuring out how to pitch efficiently through a lineup. Ferris is only going to get better, but nights like this are part of the process. He needs to get deeper into games, and that means fewer free passes.

Tulsa Drillers (Double-A) — Win, 21-10 vs Wichita

Twenty-one runs. This one was an absolute demolition job, and it starts with Sean McLain, who had one of those video-game nights: 2-for-4 with two home runs, six RBI, three runs scored, a stolen base, and a walk. McLain hit from both sides of a crooked-number inning (or two), and the power-speed combination was on full display. When a guy drives in six and swipes a bag in the same game at Double-A, you pay attention. Keep an eye on this one.

Kyle Nevin was right there with him — 2-for-4, a homer, two walks, two RBI, and four runs scored. Four runs scored in a single game. That means Nevin was on base all night long and the guys behind him kept driving him in. The two walks are the detail I like most. Nevin’s power is legit, but his ability to work counts and get on base is what will push him to the next level.

Josue De Paula continued what’s been a strong stretch, going 3-for-4 with a homer, two walks, two RBI, a stolen base, and two runs scored. That slash line for the night is absurd — he reached base five times. De Paula’s bat-to-ball skills have always been the calling card, but the power is starting to show up more consistently. The stolen base adds another dimension. This is a prospect who’s making a case to move quickly.

Elijah Hainline had a big night from the shortstop spot, going 3-for-6 with two doubles, three runs, and a steal. Hayden Gilliland went 2-for-4 behind the plate with a homer, a walk, and three RBI. Chris Newell launched a three-run shot of his own (1-for-4, walk, two runs). Kole Myers chipped in two hits and two RBI from center. Zyhir Hope went 2-for-6 with a double, an RBI, and a steal, though three strikeouts kept it from being a clean night. Mike Sirota reached base twice (walk, HBP) and scored two runs — getting on base however you can in a game like this matters.

When you score 21 runs, the pitching almost becomes an afterthought, but Evan Shaw picked up the win (1-1) with two innings of work, allowing one earned run on a walk and no strikeouts. Not flashy, but he got the ball to the next guy and kept the lead intact. That’s the job in a game like this.

Great Lakes Loons (High-A) — Loss, 3-7 vs Wisconsin

Not much to love in this one. The Loons fell 3-7 and the bats were quiet all night. Jose Izarra was the lone bright spot offensively, going 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored. Izarra has been steady at the plate lately, and the ability to drive the ball into the gaps from the middle infield is a skill that translates. He was the only Loon who really made consistent hard contact.

Sterling Patick took the loss to fall to 0-4 on the season, going four innings with six strikeouts but four earned runs allowed. The strikeout number is encouraging — Patick can miss bats, that’s not the question. The question is whether he can limit damage when hitters do put the ball in play. An 0-4 record doesn’t tell the whole story with a young arm, but he needs to start turning these outings into quality starts that give the offense a chance. One walk is fine. Four earned runs is not.

Ontario Tower Buzzers (Single-A) — Loss, 7-8 vs Lake Elsinore

Ontario put up seven runs and still lost, which tells you the pitching couldn’t hold it down late. But the offensive effort was real, and a few names stood out. Conner O’Neal went 2-for-3 with a homer, a walk, and two RBI from the catcher spot. Getting that kind of production from behind the plate at Single-A is notable — catchers who can hit are always in demand, and O’Neal’s having a nice stretch.

Easton Shelton launched a homer of his own, going 1-for-3 with two walks, two RBI, and two runs scored. He reached base in three of his five plate appearances, which is exactly what you want from a DH. The two strikeouts are worth monitoring, but the patience to draw two walks alongside the power is a good combination. Landyn Vidourek also went deep (1-for-3, two walks, one RBI, one run) — another guy who paired a homer with a disciplined approach at the plate.

Chase Harlan went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI from the hot corner. He put the ball in play and came through when runners were on. Ching-Hsien Ko was 1-for-3 with a double and two walks — three times on base in a five-PA game from the right field spot. That’s a good sign for a young bat. Mairoshendrick Martinus went 1-for-5 with a run and a stolen base — the speed is there, but he’ll need to find ways to get on base more consistently to use it.

On the mound, Tyler Gough was solid, going 4.1 innings with four strikeouts, one walk, and just one earned run. He did his part. The bullpen couldn’t hold the lead, which is how you lose a game where your lineup puts up seven. Growing pains at Single-A. It happens.