Oklahoma City Comets (Triple-A) — W, 10-5 vs El Paso

Ryan Ward is making it really hard to keep him in Triple-A. He went 4-for-5 tonight with a homer, two doubles, and three runs scored in OKC’s 10-5 win over El Paso. That’s the kind of night where you just tip your cap — Ward was squaring up everything, and when a guy is barreling the ball that consistently, it’s only a matter of time before the big club has to make room. He’s been doing this for a while now. At some point, production like this forces the conversation.

Jack Suwinski was the other big bat in this one, going 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and four RBI. Suwinski has some swing-and-miss in his game (two strikeouts tonight), but when he puts bat to ball he does damage. Alek Thomas added a solo homer and scored twice, continuing to look like a guy who’s found his footing since joining our system. Griffin Lockwood-Powell had a nice night behind the plate too — 2-for-3 with two walks, two RBI, and a stolen base. That kind of on-base ability from a catcher is valuable.

Worth noting that Hyeseong Kim went 0-for-2 at the plate but drew two walks and scored twice. That’s what good hitters do on an off night — they still find ways to contribute. Zach Ehrhard had a similar line: 0-for-4 but two walks and a run scored. Patience at the plate pays off when the guys behind you are raking like Ward and Suwinski were tonight. Matt Gorski drew three walks and drove in a run as well. This lineup was disciplined from top to bottom — El Paso’s pitching staff couldn’t find the zone, and our guys made them pay.

On the mound, Christian Romero picked up the win to improve to 8-2. He went 5.1 innings, struck out five, walked just one, and gave up only one earned run. Romero has been one of the more consistent arms in the upper minors this season. That win-loss record isn’t a fluke — he attacks the zone, limits free passes, and gives his team a chance every time out. Solid outing.

Tulsa Drillers (Double-A) — W, 7-5 vs Springfield

The Drillers were aggressive tonight — on the bases and at the plate — and it paid off in a 7-5 win over Springfield. Jake Gelof launched a solo homer, drew two walks, stole a base, and scored a run. That’s the kind of complete game we want to see from Gelof. The power has always been there, but the two walks are encouraging. If he can keep that approach — take what the pitcher gives you, do damage when you get your pitch — the ceiling is high. Keep an eye on this one.

Kendall George continues to be a terror at the top of the lineup. He went 2-for-4 with a walk, an RBI, two runs scored, and two stolen bases. George’s speed is a legitimate weapon, and when he’s getting on base at this clip, he creates havoc. Josue De Paula had the best raw night at the plate — 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI. That’s three hits in a Double-A game. De Paula’s bat looks ready for this level. Zyhir Hope chipped in with two RBI on just one hit, also drawing a walk and getting hit by a pitch. He stole a bag too. Jose Izarra reached base twice, stole a base, and scored two runs. Five stolen bases as a team — this group ran wild.

On the mound, Evan Shaw earned the win (2-1) with three shutout innings. Four strikeouts and two walks in that span. He kept Springfield off the board and handed it off to the bullpen with a lead. Antonio Knowles locked it down with a scoreless ninth for the save — one strikeout, no walks, no drama. That’s what you want from your closer: efficient and clean.

Great Lakes Loons (High-A) — L, 5-7 vs Dayton

The Loons came up short 7-5 against Dayton, but there were some individual performances worth pulling out of this one. Brooks Auger was the story on the mound — eight strikeouts in 4.1 innings. That’s a really impressive swing-and-miss rate. The problem? Four earned runs and two walks. Auger had the stuff to dominate but also got hit when hitters made contact. It’s a common story for developing arms: the strikeouts are there, but the efficiency needs work. Getting deeper into games with fewer mistakes is the next step.

Chase Harlan provided the loudest swing of the night with a solo homer — 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored. Emil Morales went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI, continuing to look comfortable at the plate. Samuel Munoz only had one hit but drew two walks, stole a base, and scored twice. That on-base skill is real. Jose Meza went 2-for-4 but didn’t walk or drive in a run. He made contact — just couldn’t find the gaps when it mattered. Sometimes it goes that way. The Loons had enough offense to stay in this one but couldn’t keep Dayton’s bats quiet enough to finish the job.

Ontario Tower Buzzers (Single-A) — L, 4-12 vs Inland Empire

Rough night for the Buzzers. A 12-4 loss to Inland Empire doesn’t leave a lot to celebrate, but Easton Shelton did his part. He went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBI — basically accounting for most of Ontario’s offense by himself. When a lineup only puts up four runs, you need somebody to carry the load, and Shelton was that guy. The power is legit, and he’s showing he can do damage even when the team around him isn’t clicking.

Mairoshendrick Martinus also went deep — 1-for-3 with a solo homer. That’s a name to remember (and a fun one to say). Brendan Tunink went 1-for-2 with a walk, a hit-by-pitch, and a stolen base. He was on base three times in a game where not many Buzzers were. Beyond those three, there isn’t much to write home about. Sometimes a Single-A team runs into a buzzsaw, and tonight Inland Empire was it. You move on.

ACL Dodgers (Rookie) — W, 13-8 vs ACL Guardians

Where do we even start here? Moises Acacio drove in seven runs. Seven. In a rookie-level game, that’s the kind of performance that gets everyone in the front office to look up from their spreadsheets. He went 2-for-3 with a homer, a double, and scored twice. Seven RBI is absurd production from any level. Is this the kind of night that happens because of the competition level? Sure, partly. But you still have to execute, and Acacio made every at-bat count.

Daniel Mielcarek was nearly as impressive — 2-for-2 with a homer, two walks, a hit-by-pitch, two RBI, and three runs scored. He reached base in all five plate appearances. That’s plate discipline meeting power, which is exactly the combination you want to see from a young hitter. Jhon Gil went 2-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored out of the leadoff spot. Sam Mongelli added two hits including a double and scored twice. Leider Padilla only had one hit but was hit by a pitch, drove in a run, and scored twice. Abel Lorenzo swiped two bags, and Jose Gonzalez stole one of his own. Even in a 13-8 game, the Dodgers ran the bases aggressively.

On the mound, Wuillians Herrera picked up the win (3-0) with two scoreless innings. One strikeout, one walk, no earned runs. In a game where both teams combined for 21 runs, somebody had to keep it clean for at least a couple of innings, and Herrera was that guy.

DSL Dodgers (Rookie) — Split: L 2-5 vs DSL Braves / W 6-4 vs DSL Astros Orange

Our DSL squad split the day with a loss and a win. In the loss to the Braves (2-5), the offense couldn’t get much going. Rubel Arias had the only RBI — going 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base. Adrian Del Cid drew a walk, stole a base, and scored a run but went hitless. Ezequiel Melburne and Ariel Reynoso both went 0-for-2 but each drew two walks and stole a base — getting on base even without hitting. The bright spot was on the mound: Anderson Carias threw four scoreless innings with three strikeouts and two walks. He did his job. The bats just didn’t hold up their end.

The second game was a different story. Helvin Mendoza was the star, going 2-for-3 with a homer, a walk, a stolen base, and five RBI. Five RBI in a DSL game — that’s a complete takeover. When one bat carries a game like that at this level, you file the name away. Antoni Urena went 1-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base, and a run scored. Edgar Sanchez drew a walk, stole a base, and scored. Hendry Arvelo didn’t get an official at-bat but drew two walks, getting on base both times. The patience across the lineup was notable.

The pitching staff was excellent in game two. Miguel Herrera was the standout — four innings, four strikeouts, zero walks, zero earned runs. That’s a dominant outing at any level. Christian Polanco picked up his first win (1-0) with two innings of work, allowing one earned run. Albert Feliz earned his first save with two scoreless frames. Three pitchers, eight innings, five strikeouts combined, and only one earned run allowed. That’ll get the job done.