Down on the Farm: Comets Rally Again, Drillers Stumble, Loons Split Wild Doubleheader
The Dodgers’ farm system delivered another eventful night on Thursday, highlighted by a comeback victory from the Oklahoma City Comets and a chaotic doubleheader split for the Great Lakes Loons. Oklahoma City improved to 19-17 with a 6-5 win over Salt Lake, while Tulsa dropped a 9-4 contest despite collecting 12 hits. Great Lakes erupted offensively in both games of its doubleheader against Lake County, losing a bizarre 15-13 slugfest before bouncing back with a dominant 7-2 victory. The Ontario Tower Buzzers fell in a tight 2-1 game against Rancho Cucamonga.
Several Dodgers prospects continued hot stretches offensively. Ryan Fitzgerald delivered the decisive blow for OKC with a three-run homer, Mike Sirota powered Great Lakes, and Josue De Paula collected another multi-hit game for Tulsa. Across the system, the Dodgers’ affiliates combined for 31 runs despite splitting the night overall.
OKC COMETS — WIN 6-5 (19-17)
The Oklahoma City Comets continued their strong week Thursday night, defeating Salt Lake 6-5 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark behind a decisive five-run fourth inning.
Top Offensive Performers
Ryan Fitzgerald: 1-for-3, HR, 3 RBI, BB
Noah Miller: 2-for-3, RBI, BB
Ryan Ward: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI
Nick Senzel: 1-for-4, RBI
Pitchers (in order)
Cole Irvin (W, 3-4): 5.1 IP, 4 ER, 2 K
Ronan Kopp: 1.2 IP, 0 ER, 1 K
Jerming Rosario: 1.2 IP, 1 ER, 2 K
Wyatt Mills (S, 3): 0.1 IP, 0 ER
Game Summary
Salt Lake struck first in the opening inning when Denzer Guzman singled home Nick Madrigal, but OKC answered immediately as Ryan Ward ripped an RBI double to score Enrique Hernández.
The game shifted dramatically in the fourth inning. Noah Miller gave the Comets the lead with an RBI single before Nick Senzel followed with another run-scoring hit. Ryan Fitzgerald then crushed a three-run homer to left-center field with two outs, blowing the game open and pushing OKC ahead 6-2.
Salt Lake mounted pressure late, scoring twice in the sixth inning on a Yolmer Sánchez single and again in the eighth on a Zach Humphreys RBI knock. However, Rosario escaped trouble with a huge inning-ending double play in the eighth, and Wyatt Mills closed the door in the ninth.
Analysis & Takeaways
Fitzgerald continues to emerge as one of the hottest bats in the OKC lineup, delivering another clutch extra-base hit in a big moment. Noah Miller also continues to provide quality at-bats as well.
The bullpen deserves significant credit. Kopp stabilized the middle innings before Rosario navigated high-leverage situations despite allowing traffic. Oklahoma City’s defense also turned four double plays, which ultimately decided the game.
TULSA DRILLERS — LOSS 9-4 (18-11)
The Tulsa Drillers collected 12 hits Thursday night but could not overcome an early deficit in a 9-4 loss to Arkansas.
Top Offensive Performers
Josue De Paula: 2-for-5, RBI, 2B
Elijah Hainline: 2-for-4, HR, RBI
Joe Vetrano: 1-for-5, HR, 2 RBI
Kendall George: 2-for-5
Jake Gelof: 2-for-4
Kyle Nevin: 2-for-4
Pitchers (in order)
Patrick Copen (L, 3-1): 4.2 IP, 9 ER, 9 K
Kelvin Ramirez: 0.1 IP, 0 ER
Lucas Wepf: 1.0 IP, 0 ER
Christian Ruebeck: 1.0 IP, 0 ER
Maddux Bruns: 1.0 IP, 0 ER
Game Summary
Arkansas jumped on Tulsa early with a first-inning homer from Caleb Cali before extending the lead with RBI hits from J.T. Arruda and Michael Arroyo.
The game unraveled in the fifth inning when Sammy Siani launched a three-run homer to right field, extending the Travelers’ lead to 9-0.
Tulsa showed life late. Elijah Hainline homered in the sixth inning, and Joe Vetrano followed with a two-run blast in the seventh after Zyhir Hope reached base. Josue De Paula added an RBI double as the Drillers attempted to chip away.
Despite the loss, Tulsa’s offense continued producing hard contact throughout the lineup, though too many runners were stranded in scoring position.
Analysis & Takeaways
Patrick Copen’s final line was rough despite nine strikeouts, as Arkansas capitalized on mistakes in key spots. Tulsa’s offense remains dangerous, especially with De Paula continuing to produce consistent contact and Hainline flashing growing power.
The Drillers still sit atop the Texas League North despite the loss, but run prevention remains the biggest concern moving forward.
GREAT LAKES LOONS — SPLIT DOUBLEHEADER (19-11)
The Great Lakes Loons experienced one of the wildest doubleheaders of the season Thursday, dropping a chaotic 15-13 opener before rebounding with a dominant 7-2 victory in Game 2.
GAME 1 — LOSS 15-13
Top Offensive Performers
Mike Sirota: 3-for-3, HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB
Eduardo Guerrero: 3-for-3, 2 RBI, 2 R
Nico Perez: 2-for-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI
Jose Meza: 2-for-5, RBI
Charles Davalan: 1-for-3, 2 R, SB
Pitchers (in order)
Sterling Patick: 3.0 IP, 6 ER
Nicolas Cruz: 0.2 IP, 6 ER
Christian Makarewich: 1.2 IP, 0 ER
Reynaldo Yean (L, 0-2): 2.0 IP, 2 ER
Game 1 Summary
Great Lakes exploded offensively early, highlighted by Mike Sirota’s three-run homer in the fourth inning that extended the Loons’ lead to 6-3.
However, the Captains answered with a disastrous nine-run bottom of the fourth inning, fueled by homers from Jace LaViolette and Ryan Cesarini. The Loons rallied again in the sixth with Eduardo Guerrero’s game-tying two-run double before Jose Meza gave Great Lakes a 13-12 lead in the eighth.
The lead disappeared moments later when Jeffrey Mercedes blasted a walk-off three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to end the slugfest.
GAME 2 — WIN 7-2
Top Offensive Performers
Jose Izarra: 1-for-3, HR, 3 RBI
Eduardo Quintero: 2-for-4, 2 2B, RBI
Nico Perez: 2-for-4, RBI, 2B
Mike Sirota: 2 R, 2 BB, SB
Eduardo Guerrero: 1-for-2, 2B, SB
Pitchers (in order)
Logan Tabeling (W, 1-1): 5.1 IP, 1 ER, 9 K
Matt Lanzendorfer: 1.2 IP, 1 ER, 4 K
Game 2 Summary
The Loons responded immediately after the heartbreaking opener. Eduardo Quintero opened the scoring with an RBI double in the first inning before Nico Perez added another run-scoring double in the third.
Jose Izarra delivered the knockout blow in the sixth inning, crushing a three-run homer to left field that stretched the lead to 7-1.
Logan Tabeling dominated on the mound, striking out nine over 5.1 innings while consistently overpowering Lake County hitters with swing-and-miss stuff.
Analysis & Takeaways
The Loons’ offense continues to be one of the most explosive groups in the Midwest League. Sirota, Perez, and Guerrero all consistently impacted games throughout the doubleheader.
ONTARIO TOWER BUZZERS — LOSS 2-1 (13-16)
The Ontario Tower Buzzers were held quiet offensively Thursday night, falling 2-1 to Rancho Cucamonga in a tightly contested pitchers’ duel.
Top Offensive Performers
Emil Morales: 1-for-4, 2B
Chase Harlan: 1-for-2, 2 BB
Jose D. Hernandez: 1-for-4, RBI
Mairo Martinus: 1-for-4, SB
Pitchers (in order)
Isaac Ayon (L, 1-1): 5.1 IP, 2 ER (1 ER), 5 K
Jholbran Herder: 1.0 IP, 0 ER
Jhonny Jimenez: 1.2 IP, 0 ER, 2 K
Game Summary
Ontario struggled to generate offense against Rancho Cucamonga starter Dylan Jordan, who struck out eight over six scoreless innings.
The Quakes broke through in the sixth inning when Kendrey Maduro hit a solo homer to left field. Later in the inning, a throwing error by Mairo Martinus allowed another run to score, giving Rancho a 2-0 advantage.
Ontario answered in the seventh when Jose D. Hernandez delivered a two-out RBI single to score Anson Aroz, but the comeback stalled as the Buzzers struck out 13 times overall.
Analysis & Takeaways
Despite the loss, Ayon delivered another solid outing and continued limiting hard contact effectively. Ontario’s offense, however, struggled badly with swing-and-miss issues, especially in key situations.
Emil Morales continued his strong season with another extra-base hit, while Chase Harlan showed impressive plate discipline with two walks.
SYSTEM TAKEAWAYS
Ryan Fitzgerald delivered the biggest hit of the night with a decisive three-run homer for Oklahoma City.
Mike Sirota continues emerging as one of the hottest hitters in the system, dominating Great Lakes’ doubleheader offensively.
Logan Tabeling’s outing stood out as one of the best pitching performances in the system this week.
Josue De Paula remains remarkably consistent at the plate for Tulsa with another multi-hit performance.
The system’s offensive depth continues to impress, especially at the High-A and Triple-A levels, where multiple prospects are producing simultaneously.
