Tulsa Drillers (Double-A) — W, 5-3 vs Arkansas

Seven stolen bases. Seven. The Drillers ran wild on Arkansas tonight and paired it with a quality pitching performance to take this one 5-3. That’s an aggressive, disruptive brand of baseball, and it’s exactly what you want to see from a group that’s still learning how to manufacture runs at the upper levels.

Let’s start on the mound, where Christian Zazueta was excellent. Four innings, seven strikeouts, just one earned run and a walk. He was attacking the zone all night and generating swings and misses at a rate that suggests real confidence in his stuff right now. Kelvin Ramirez picked up the win (5-1) with two scoreless frames of his own — three punchouts and a walk. That’s a reliever doing his job, plain and simple.

At the plate, Kendall George continues to be one of the most exciting players in our system. He went 2-for-5 with an RBI, two runs scored, and two stolen bases. The strikeouts are still there (two tonight), but the impact plays are real — he’s creating havoc on the basepaths and making consistent contact. Jake Gelof drove in two with a 2-for-5 night and added a steal of his own. Nice to see Gelof putting up multi-RBI games; the bat has the raw power, and it’s starting to show in game action more regularly.

Josue De Paula tripled, walked, and swiped a bag. He’s doing a little bit of everything right now. Taylor Young chipped in with an RBI and a steal from the third base spot, and Mike Sirota drove in a run while also stealing a base. Even Frank Rodriguez and Jose Izarra got in on the act with stolen bases of their own. When the whole lineup is running like this, it puts enormous pressure on the opposing battery. Good night in Tulsa.

Oklahoma City Comets (Triple-A) — L, 0-11 vs Sacramento

Not much to say here except that this was a thorough beating. Our guys in OKC got shut out 11-0 by Sacramento, and it was ugly from the start.

Cole Irvin took the loss (9-6) and lasted just 4.2 innings, giving up five earned runs while walking four batters. He did strike out five, so the stuff wasn’t completely absent, but the command issues were the story. Four walks from a veteran who usually lives on control — that’s the kind of start that snowballs fast, and it did. When you’re walking guys and leaving pitches over the plate at the Triple-A level, hitters will make you pay.

The offense was nonexistent. Zero runs, and there just wasn’t much to highlight from the lineup. Sometimes you get these games. Flush it and move on.

Great Lakes Loons (High-A) — L, 5-8 vs Lansing

The Loons put some runs on the board but couldn’t overcome a rough outing from Brady Smith, who took the loss (0-1) after surrendering seven earned runs in four innings. Three walks and four strikeouts — there’s swing-and-miss in there, but the damage was done early and often. Seven runs on his line is tough, and the walk total suggests he was working from behind in counts too frequently. A learning experience.

On the offensive side, Charles Davalan had a nice game out of the leadoff spot, going 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI, two runs scored, and a walk. That’s the kind of complete line you love to see from a center fielder — the power is developing, and he’s getting on base at a good clip. Nico Perez tripled and drew two walks in just two at-bats (1-for-2), showing excellent plate discipline and an ability to do damage when he gets a pitch to hit. Chase Adkison doubled and drew two walks as well. Those two clearly had a good approach tonight, even if the team couldn’t pull out the win.

Cameron Decker went 2-for-4 from the DH spot — quiet production, but he put the bat on the ball.

Ontario Tower Buzzers (Single-A) — L, 3-8 vs San Jose

Ontario dropped this one 8-3 to San Jose, and the pitching staff’s control issues were the primary culprit. Luis Carias took the loss (7-1), and while his ERA-friendly line (one earned run in 4.2 innings) looks decent, the five walks tell a different story. When you walk five guys at any level, you’re playing with fire. He struck out three, but the inability to throw strikes consistently is going to limit him if it continues. That said — one earned run through all those walks actually shows some ability to escape damage, which is a skill in itself. Worth monitoring.

The bats had some bright spots. Jaron Elkins was the standout, going 3-for-5 with a triple, an RBI, and a run scored. Three-hit nights in Single-A for a young outfielder — that’s what development looks like. Easton Shelton doubled and drove in a run (2-for-3 with a walk), continuing to show a mature approach at the plate. Aidan West went 2-for-4 from the shortstop position, and Conner O’Neal was patient behind the dish, drawing two walks in just two at-bats.

DSL Dodgers (Rookie) — Split: W 6-5 vs DSL LAD Mega / L 5-6 vs DSL LAD Bautista

A split day for our DSL squad — a one-run win and a one-run loss. Competitive games at this level are exactly what you want. These kids are learning how to play close ballgames, and that’s more valuable than any blowout.

In the win over DSL LAD Mega, Oliver Chapman was the big story. He went 1-for-3, but that one hit was a three-run homer. Three RBI from the catcher spot — that’ll play. The two strikeouts are fine; he’s a young catcher in the DSL. Power at that position is a real asset. Ariel Reynoso went 2-for-3 with two RBI, a run, and a stolen base, showing a complete game offensively. Adrian Del Cid was active on the bases, going 1-for-2 with two walks, a run, and two stolen bases — the kind of dynamic at-bat-to-at-bat presence that catches your eye. Fran-Jean Haseth scored twice and added a steal despite just a 1-for-3 line.

On the mound, Randy Maria picked up the win (3-1), though his line (three earned runs in two innings) isn’t what you’d call clean. Alexis Reyes earned the save with 1.2 hitless, walkless innings to close it out. That’s composure from a young arm — no baserunners allowed in a one-run game. Keep an eye on that.

In the loss to DSL LAD Bautista, the offense had a harder time stringing things together. Roberto Saucedo drove in two (1-for-2, walk), and Antoni Urena reached base three times (1-for-2, two walks). Jose Victorino didn’t get a hit but walked twice, scored, and stole a base — an example of contributing without putting the ball in play. Juan Macero went 1-for-3 with a steal and a run. The pieces were there, but the team came up one run short. It happens.