OKC Comets 10 – El Paso Chihuahuas (San Diego) 9
The Oklahoma City Comets hit five home runs and prevailed during another tight game in El Paso, hanging on for a 10-9 win Friday night.
Both teams scored in the first inning with El Paso taking an early 2-1 lead. Ben Rortvedt put the Comets ahead in the second inning with a two-run homer. El Paso responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning to regain the lead at 4-3.
Ben Rortvedts’ first homer as a Comet gives them the lead! 💣 pic.twitter.com/4SIWUg1qE1
— Oklahoma City Comets (@OKC_comets) August 9, 2025
https://twitter.com/OKC_comets/status/1953989358228553825
Solo blasts by José Ramos and CJ Alexander in the third inning gave the Comets a 5-4 edge. In the fourth inning, Rortvedt went deep again, and two batters later, Esteury Ruiz blasted another homer.
A RBI single by Ryan Ward later in the frame moved the lead to 8-4. However, El Paso scored three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning, pulling back within one run at 8-7.
Chuckie Robinson provided RBI hits for the Comets in both the fifth and seventh innings to give the Comets a three-run lead.
Will Klein allowed 3 BBs in the 8th. One was erased on a DP, but he left the game with runners on 1st and 2nd. Julian Fernández followed Klein and gave up the run scoring single making the score 10-8.
With Fernández back on the bump for the 9th, he allowed a lead off HR, and loaded the bases with 2 outs before getting the final out to secure the win.
Ben Rortvedt homered twice for his fourth career multi-homer game a first since July 6, 2023, with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Entering Friday, Rortvedt had hit one home run all season across 48 games with the Tampa Bay Rays, Triple-A Durham and OKC.
CJ Alexander went 4-for-4 with a home run, double, walk and season-high four runs. He also collected his second four-hit game overall this season along with May 10 at Reno while playing for Las Vegas…Over his last six games, Alexander is 12-for-21 with six extra-base hits and seven RBI.
José Ramos went 2-for-4 with a home run and a double. In his last three games, Ramos is 5-for-11 with five extra-base hits, including two home runs.
Ryan Ward collected his Minor-League leading 100th RBI of the season with a RBI single in the fourth inning. He is the only player in Oklahoma City’s Bricktown era (since 1998) with multiple 100 RBI seasons, as he recorded the fifth different 100-RBI campaign during the Bricktown era.
Ryan Ward with RBI No. 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣❗️ pic.twitter.com/ayJDeo3TEU
— Oklahoma City Comets (@OKC_comets) August 9, 2025
In his first game since getting optioned back to Oklahoma City, Esteury Ruiz went 2-for-5 with a home run, two runs and two stolen bases. Ruiz became the fifth player in OKC’s Bricktown era with 40 or more steals, and Friday marked his 11th multi-steal game of the season.
Chuckie Robinson collected three hits, including key RBI knocks with two outs in the both the fifth and seventh innings. Robinson is 19-for-49 (.388) with 14 RBI over his last 13 games.
Kody Hoese extended his current hitting streak to nine games with a single in the third inning. He is 11-for-33 during the hitting streak.
For the second time in five games, the Comets collected at least nine extra-base hits, with five home runs and four doubles. Over the last five games, OKC has recorded 32 extra-base hits.
Landon Knack had another forgetful outing in a nightmarish season. He threw 89 pitches in 3.0 IP. He allowed 7 runs on 8 hits, 4 BB, 4 K, and 1 HR. His ERA is up to 7.17.
Tulsa Drillers 9 – Corpus Christi Hooks (Houston) 6
The Tulsa Drillers guaranteed themselves no worse than a .500 record on their long, two-week road trip to Texas with a win at Corpus Christi on Friday night. The Drillers jumped out to a six-run lead against the Hooks and eventually recorded a 9-6 victory.
The victory evened the series with Hooks at two wins for each team, and it improved Tulsa’s record on their long road trip to 6-4 with two games remaining. The Drillers have had just one winning road trip this season.
After being held to only one run in the previous night’s loss, the Drillers’ bats got going early on Friday. Chris Newell opened the scoring when he led off the second inning with his 13th home run of the season.
After Newell’s blast, the Drillers loaded the bases later in the second with a walk, a base hit and another walk. Sean McLain picked up an RBI when he also walked to force in a run. Zach Ehrhard followed with a sacrifice fly that upped the lead to 3-0.
Newell helped Tulsa add its fourth run in the top of the third. He walked, stole second base and scored on a base hit from Taylor Young.
Two more runs in the fifth increased the lead to 6-0. The Drillers loaded the bases when Newell walked and Yeiner Fernandez and Kole Myers followed with singles. Newell scored on a ground out from Young, and Fernandez came home on a ground out from John Rhodes.
Handed a six-run lead, Tulsa starting pitcher Patrick Copen seemed set up to collect his first-ever Double-A win. Copen blanked the Hooks through the first four innings, allowing just three singles, but things changed in the bottom of the fifth.
The inning began with a leadoff single before Copen issued his first walk of the game with one out. A balk and a base hit produced the first run for the Hooks. A ground out brought home a second run before Tommy Sacco Jr. doubled home another to cut Tulsa’s lead to 6-3. It also ended Copen’s night, one out short of qualifying for the win.
Jeisson Cabrera needed just four pitches to get a fly out that ended the fifth inning, but he would run into his own troubles in the sixth. The leadoff batter singled and advanced all the way to third on a ground out to third. Following a sacrifice fly that trimmed the Drillers lead to 6-4, Cabrera issued consecutive walks.
Tulsa manager Eric Wedge called on Carson Hobbs from the bullpen, and he got an inning-ending strikeout to limit the damage.
The Drillers got two of the runs back in the top of the eighth inning when Ehrhard and Kyle Nevin hit a pair of solo home runs. It was the first home run since joining the Drillers for both.
In the ninth, Myers singled, swiped second base and scored on a single by McLain, accounting for the ninth and final run of the Drillers.
The Hooks made things uncomfortable for Tulsa in the bottom of the ninth inning, scoring a pair of runs against Antonio Knowles. Knowles was tasked with getting the final three outs in an unusual non-save situation, and he surrendered a pair of runs on a walk and two hits before getting the game’s final out.
Newell’s first-inning homer extended his hitting streak to 9 straight games and his on-base streak to 22 straight games.
It was a disappointing night for Copen who failed to collect the victory despite being handed a six-run lead. His final line was 4.2 innings pitched with three runs allowed on six hits and one walk. Copen struck out six. He was undone by a common issue for Tulsa pitchers this season – a struggle to throw strikes. Copen threw a total of 79 pitches, but just 48 were strikes.
Young finished with two hits and stole his team-leading 29th base of the season. He has hit safely in 10 of his last 13 games.
Hobbs was effective in his relief stint. He recorded four outs, allowing just one hit while striking out two. He was credited with his second win with the Drillers, and he has yet to allow a run in five games since his promotion from High-A Great Lakes.
The two runs against Knowles in the bottom of the ninth inning ended his 12-game scoreless streak. He had last surrendered a run on June 26. He entered the game with a 0.59 ERA in the second-half the season.
Tulsa finished with 13 hits in the victory. Myers led the way with three hits, his 16th multi-hit game with the Drillers and his fourth three-hit game. He has hit safely in eight of his last nine games, hitting for a .417 in the stretch.
The Drillers hit three homers for the second time in the series.
Great Lakes Loons 8 – Lansing Lugnuts (A’s) 6 – 10 Innings
Great Lakes walks it off with 4 in the 10th. With Kendall George the placed runner at 2nd, Eduardo Quintero drew a BB. Zyhir Hope followed with a run scoring double (23). Logan Wagner drove home Quintero on a sacrifice fly. With 2 outs, Jake Gelof slugged a walk off HR (7).
WALK. OFF. WINNER. pic.twitter.com/1YaBgJO1Ip
— Great Lakes Loons (@greatlakesloons) August 9, 2025
The Lugnuts opened the scoring with an unearned run in the top of the 1st.
The Loons answered back in their half of the 1st. George led off with a single and promptly stole 2nd. George then scored on a 2-out RBI single by Wagner that knotted the score at 1-1.
Kendall George is doing things that likely NO OTHER human being could do. Tonight, he had 3 hits, scored 3 times, and had 2 stolen bases. George has 67 stolen bases on the year and has his average up to .262 with an on-base percentage of .380.
But, his on-base percentage last… pic.twitter.com/nUyGgucO3s
— Dodgers Daily (@dodger_daily) August 9, 2025
Brooks Auger was the Loons starting pitcher. In the 4th, Auger hit a batter putting a runner on 1st. He surrendered a double putting runners on 2nd and 3rd, with no outs. The next batter hit a 2-run triple. Auger stranded the runner after a ground out and a line out DP.
The Lugnuts scored another unearned run in the 5th. Auger was finished for the game allowing 4 runs (2 earned), 5 hits, 2 BB, 4 K in his 5.0 IP.
Alex Markarewich and Myles Caba followed Auger and each pitched 2 perfect innings and a combined 7 K.
After hitting 100 in his last outing, Alex Makarewich simply destroyed the Lugnuts hitters tonight.
2IP | 0H | 0R | 4Ks | 0BBMakarewich has gone scoreless in 6 outings in a row and has given up just 1 run in his last 7 innings, and just 2 runs in his last 8.2 innings.
He has… pic.twitter.com/NHasriUkU1
— Dodgers Daily (@dodger_daily) August 9, 2025
The Loons were trailing 4-1 into the bottom of the 8th. George led off with a triple (6) and scored on a Quintero sac fly. With two outs, Wagner singled and came home ahead of Elijah Hainline game tying 2-run HR (1).
Christian Ruebeck came into pitch in the 10th. Ruebeck allowed 2 runs on 2 hits and a BB, before the Loons did their 10th inning heroics.
- Kendall George – 3-5, 3 runs scored, triple (6), and 2 SB for 67 on the year
- Zyhir Hope – 2-5, 1 run, 1 RBI, double (23)
- Logan Wagner – 2-4, 1 run, 2 RBI
- Jake Gelof – 2-5, 1 run, 2 RBI, HR (7)
- Elijah Hainline – HR (1)
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 9 – Lake Elsinore Storm (San Diego) 3
Logan Tabeling was the starting pitcher for the Quakes and pitched brilliantly for 5.2 scoreless innings. He allowed a pair of singles and a BB. He registered 8 K. Tabeling left the bases full with 2 outs in the 6th. Cody Morse came in the strike out the batter to end the inning with no runs.
In the 7th, Morse gave up a walk, triple, and double for a run, before striking out 2 to end the 7th.
Domingo Geronimo allowed a 2-run HR in the 9th to end the scoring for the Storm.
The Quakes scored 3 in each the 3rd and 4th innings. In the 3rd, Angel Diaz led off with a single and Eduardo Guerrero followed with another single. Jaron Elkins drew a BB to load the bases. Mairo Martinus hit a sac fly for the 1st run of the game, and the other two runners moved up. Joendry Vargas hit a ground out to bring home Guerrero, and Chase Harlan singled home Elkins and a 3-0 lead.
In the 4th, Oswaldo Osorio opened with a BB that was followed by a Jackson Nicklaus single. Both runners moved up on the throwing error. Diaz doubled home 2. A HBP and 2 BB scored the 6th run.
In the 5th, Osorio and Nicklaus led off drawing BBs. Elkins was HBP, and Martinus singled home Osorio and Nicklaus.
The Quakes scored an unearned run in the 6th to end the scoring for the Quakes.
- Jaron Elkins – 0-1, 2 BB, 2 HBP, 1 run
- Mairo Martinus – 2-3, 1 BB, 1 Sac Fly, 3 RBI
- Chase Harlan – 1-3, 2 BB, 1 run, 2 RBI
- Angel Diaz – 3-5, 2 runs, 3 RBI, double (2)
4th round pick Aidan West teeing off of Kyle Hurt.
Dodgers 4th-round pick Aidan West wasted no time making noise—he took Dodgers #22 prospect Kyle Hurt deep while Hurt was rehabbing from Tommy John. Welcome to the org Mr. West! 🔵⚾ #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/1EXgZYBbhs
— ∞ The Infinite Dodger ∞ (@InfiniteDodger) August 9, 2025
Anyone who has followed me over the years, knows that I am a huge Alex Wood fan. Alex announced his retirement.
Congratulations to Alex Wood, who announced his retirement today after 12 Major League seasons.
The All-Star pitched for five teams and won a World Series with the 2020 Dodgers. pic.twitter.com/gRsiH8DEdZ
— MLB (@MLB) August 8, 2025
So a great night all around for the Dodgers on all levels, with Kershaw at the top outduelling Scherzer in a battle of future HOFers.
And it sure looks like Mookie has shaken his slump. (Interesting report that pickleballer JD Martinez has been hanging around to advise Mookie. Future batting coach?)
While I fear the Dodgers may regret not taking a big swing for Mason Miller, my early sense is that AF did well on his midseason trades. (Sometimes it’s the trades you don’t make that are the worst ones.
I particularly like how May brought over the Giants former first-rounder Tibbs from the Red Sox, which is so deep with young outfielders they may have underestimated his value. From what I’ve read, Tibbs was very much a guy the Dodgers wanted and would have drafted if he’d fallen. The same was true with Hope, and the Dodgers actually did draft Sirota out of high school but he opted for college. Anyway, it would be fun if a Giants’ first-rounder winds up starring for the Dodgers.
Congrats to Justin Dean on his debut. With Outman gone, it’s nice to see the brass prioritizing defense and speed.
Gotta repeat Cassidy. When Edman returns, he plays CF, and Conforto is outta there.
Edman won’t play center unless his ankle is totally healed. They might DFA Conforto, and then again, they might not. This far into the season, his salary is not a big deal. But they have rode this pony this far. Mookie looking more like Mookie.
Conforto back to his earlier self.
Alex Call plays center. Why not him?
Better used as a fourth outfielder. Not really an everyday offensive threat. Better against lefties.
“Better used as a fourth outfielder”
You mean the same role for which they just brought up Dean?
A nice surprise would see George in CF.
From high A to the majors? Doubtful.
I wasn’t thinking this year so much as all of a sudden for me he has become a viable candidate to make the Majors.
At best, he looks like a Juan Pierre type.
Maybe, he hits lefties, no pop, better defense.
Just no more Conforto, please.
Any news on Ko? He came our early.
*out
Coming into this series, you hope to take 2-3. We took game 1, and now we have Snell and Yamamoto.
I like our chances.
Snell better earn that money tonight.
Show me time for him.
How does Kersh do it throwing 87-89. Amazing! But what happens in October? If everyone is healthy he’s not in starting four. Is there a place in the playoff bullpen for Kersh?
Cassidy, Kersch does it just like all previous pitchers did it before when the ceiling was 90 mph. But I understand your point.
I might be crazy but I can see a bullpen role for Kersch in the playoffs when the rotation is Snell, Glasnow, Yamamoto and Ohtani. I’m confident the CK would welcome that role to help the club. (?)
Jamie Moyer could not break glass with his fastball, but he pitched in the majors for 25 years and won 269 games. It is called knowing how to pitch. Maddux did not have a blazing fastball either. But what he did have was impeccable control.
Yamamoto, Snell, Glasgow, Kershaw. Until Ohtani shows he can pitch 6 innings. Same goes for Snell actually.
Yamamoto, Glasnow, Snell, Ohtani, Kershaw could be all-time great.
Only need four in post sesson
Health alone probably won’t determine the rotation. How they finish should have a lot of input.
Exactly, go with the hot hand.if Kershaw continues to pitch as well as he’s pitching, he has to be in the playoff rotation, if not it’s a travesty. He’s more than earned the spot.
Great win…special thank you to both Mookie and Clayton.
Honorable mentions:
Ohtani was great with bat
Freeland made some great plays in the field
Treinen closed the deal
QUESTION:
Can someone tell me why RYAN WARD can’t replace Conforto as our LHB in LF? I mean hasn’t he earned that privilege? Hes 27 and mashing in AAA with 100 RBIs. Can he be any worse than Conforto?
A. Not a great defensive player. B. Not on the 40-man roster. C. LA probably has its doubts whether he can hit MLB pitching or not. D. None of the above. E. Conforto is being paid 17 million dollars. AF does not give up on high priced free agents very often.
Most of Confortos contract already paid.
I know that. But the fact is he signed for 17 million. AF does not usually just cut guys like that loose.
so does that mean mashing in AAA is not a reliable test for mashing in the bigs? If so, why not just tell the kid he has no chance to play up with us. Would you like to be traded or cut?
TM you know as well as I do that AAA stats do not always translate to the majors. I remember guys like Greg Brock and Billy Ashley, both mased at AAA and never really approached that kind of success in the majors. Sometimes a player waits to get traded, then they have some success. Luke Raley is a prime example.
I think it’s very unclear what the Dodgers view AAA is for
Basically that is what they have done. Ward will be a MiLB free agent after the World Series and will be free to sign with whatever team he wants. You also have to remember, while the Dodgers do provide the talent to their affiliates, those affiliates are their own companies. It would be hard to tell the owner of OKC that they are cutting their best hitter.
AAA hitting does not always manifest itself into being a productive MLB hitter. Sometimes yes, most of the time, no.
I have been an advocate for bringing Ward up to LAD. But let me play devil’s advocate a bit here. Ward has been Rule 5 eligible for the last few years. Even this past year after being the top HR producer in all of MiLB while at OKC. He went unclaimed. Why?
He is moving into more of a 1B/DH role.
• 39 starts at 1B
• 27 starts at LF
• 22 starts at RF
• 18 starts at DH
One of the reasons is that his career fielding percentage is .974 in the OF. Not particularly good. He does not have much speed. He is 5’10” so it is doubtful that he grows into the Brent Rooker late bloomer masher. So while there may be 10 reasons why he will not make it, there is one that says he can and will play MLB…he is a grinder. It just will not be with the Dodgers, and it is doubtful he will be a starter wherever he ends up. But I will be pulling for him when he does land, just like I did with Drew Avans.
Kody Hoese is in the same situation as Ryan Ward. He will be a MiLB free agent at the conclusion of the World Series.
Since 2010, only 2 Dodger prospects have gone on to sign long term contracts with the organization. Jansen and Smith. That would be a little discouraging to me if I was a prospect and loved the Dodgers.
several people have made this point and I just don’t understand it. The Dodgers bring more MLB players into the MLB than any other organization. Why would every prospect not prefer the Dodgers over any other for that reason and that reason alone. The goal of a minor league players to get to the majors, whether you do that with the team that developed you or not is really irrelevant. Is it not?
THIS point I 100% agree with. Just you can’t be a Dodger, you’ll be trained and ready to jump to any other MLB team as well.
If you include Jansen, you have to include Kershaw. Don’t you?
Since 2010 but yes Kersh from 2007
Most likely why Sirota opted for college instead of signing with the Dodgers.
this is speculative Best, and just plain silly at worst
*What a terrific game to watch last night. The duel between Kersch and Scherzer didn’t disappoint. What a treat to watch 2 future HOF’er both pitch well.
*The HPU, John Libka was great back there. I had him miss only 3 or 4 pitches all night. The UmpireScorecard had him with 5 misses. But all of the misses were close pitches. He had no flagrant misses. It was nice to get a quality HPU for that pitching match up.
*Orel mentions during the the broadcast that we may have been watch the last of the 3000 strikeout pitchers with Kersch and Max. That was based on few if any current vet pitchers will get to 300 anymore. By my calculations the one Dude, Paul Skenes, if he stays healthy and effective could reach 3000 in 12.5 years.
*The Jays in general have a nice hitting approach. They seem to seek contact with the bats in the zone a long time. No, 3 outcome approach. They did outhit the Dodgers 10 to 7 but Kersch minimizes the damage inducting 3 double plays, especially the DP to end the 2nd. Their approach seems to be the anti-RSV approach to me.
*I really like what I’m seeing from Freeland defensively. The catch he made on the flair to short right field was pure athleticism. He also made a really nice turn on the 6-4-3 DP in the 6th. He showed great feet on his perfect pivot crossing over the bag to cut the distance on Mookie’s toss. That’s a play that Lux never mastered. And he shows a plus arm. Now I hope he can hit enough to force his way into the lineup at 2nd or 3rd.
I do think Freeland missed a straight steal signal when he popped up in the 5th with Pages running. Pages never peeked toward home and was easily double up at 1st. The no peek leads me to believe it was a straight steal and not a hit & run or run & hit.
*I don’t know Justin Dean from Jim Beam but he made himself a pile of money yesterday. He made $ by being added to the 40 man roster, and the 26 man roster, earning a prorated piece of the MLB minimum perhaps. I don’t know his contract status, but he could have made a nice bump from AAA money.
*I don’t recall Treinen being such a short strider toward home. He has short steps. stays really tall and sort of cuts off the pitch. There is not length toward the mitt and no bump in perceived velocity. That’s actually a perfect delivery for a knuckleball. I learned that stride half as far down the hill, stand up and push the ball toward home Knuckleball technique from an old K-Baller who spent 10 years in MLB, Bob Tiefenauer. Looks like with his action, Treinen could throw a great Knuckler if he wanted.
Dean will probably get a small slice of the playoff money also.
Considering the arm problems Treinen has experienced, I hope he reads your comment and gives the knuckler a try.
Justin and Jim Beam are both AAA brands. Maybe Justin will advance.
Phil, are you saying that Freeland should have taken that pitch?
Depending on what signal was put on Cassidy. If it is a straight steal, YES, he must take the pitch to allow the runner to get to 2nd. On a straight steal the player will try to get the best jump possible and never looks into home on the run. The hitter takes, fakes a bunt or intentional whiffs to protect the runner. And that usually happens earlier in counts as you want the hitter not put in a deep hole by taking a strike.
On a hit and run the jump at first is less important. I personally would never hit and run in today’s game. I would run and hit however. That gives the hitter the opportunity to hit a fat strike with the runner in motion. It also is a risk of a pop up double play that happened last night.
Jumping in without an invitation I would say that is not what Phil was saying. If Pages were to have been given the straight steal sign, then and only then could it be said that he shouldn’t have swung.
we’re assuming there was a straight steal sign and Freeland missed it. It could be Pages took off on his own (he does dumb things at times, so this could be on him)
Bobby, that absolutely possible as well.
But one way or the other it looked like a signal was missed. That’s why as a hitter, I didn’t like guys staling on their own.
I am not sure we will ever learn as to what actually happened. It was the 2nd pitch to Freeland. He took a center cut called strike on the 1st pitch. If Pages had a straight steal, that should have been the pitch to run on. Does Pages have a green light to steal bases? I do not think you give a runner a straight steal with a 0-1 count and Max Scherzer on the mound. You do not want to go to Strike 2 on Scherzer, so Alex may have swung at a pitch he believed he could handle.
Correct Jeff, but since Pages never peek in when running, that leads me to think it was a straight steal (and maybe on his own as Bobby suggests.
But somebody missed a sign or acted on their own. And I too don’t believe Pages has that freedom from Doc.
I really like Pages’ improvement this year, and I think next year he’ll start to improve on the little mental things as well.
To me he’s a keeper, but at a corner spot. Last year, when he came up, I thought his ceiling would be that of a Teo, but I think he has better speed and obviously plays much better D.
This is great news.
With Bobby Miller looking like he is taking a shine to a reliever role, there’s ample coverage (young coverage) in the minors.
For those wondering what happened to Jared Karros:
Roki will start for OKC this coming Thursday
Moore from Plunkett about JDM and Betts’ getting together to address the latter’s slump.
($$$$)
Scott’s new positive attitude has turned the Dodger’s season around!
Well, we know that will be his next performance.
Until the Dodgers play poorly gain. In which case, he will surely be back to remind us about “the suck” and to “enjoy losing”
Nice outing by Snell. Bats show up a little late, but at least they showed up. Stewart looked great.
Another nice outing for Bobby Miller at OKC. 1 inning no runs, hits or walks. 1 k it was in the 9th in an 11-3 blow out but still no walks maybe he’s a reliever instead of a starter
Snell pitched better this outing than his last. A sharp-thinking, wily mound presence. Only injuries can derail him from being a playoff starter. Mookie’s swing keeps improving. 2025 Muncy may be better than 2021 Muncy. Rushing a future star …for another team.