The playoffs started for the Loons and Tower Buzzers with very different results, while some usual suspects led the way for wins by the Comets and Drillers.
Player of the Day
Other players might have had more impactful games, but efficiently producing at a high level, Zach Ehrhard gets our vote as Player of the Day. The twenty-three-year-old outfielder reached base safely in all of his four plate appearances, responsible for four of his team’s 11 hits.
After climbing through three different levels last season, Ehrhard showed enough to begin 2026 in Triple-A. It was a decision the Dodgers organization would not come to regret, with their outfield prospect joining the 20-20 club with his latest home run, not to mention scoring a whopping 107 runs in just 128 games.
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Triple-A Oklahoma City
Zach Ehrhard may not be the flashiest of highly touted Dodger outfield prospects, but his production in Triple-A speaks for itself, helping pave the way for Oklahoma City to beat Sugar Land 7-4.
James Tibbs III didn’t have as flashy a game as Ehrhard but reached twice on a single and a walk, with the only other Comets home run besides Ehrhard’s coming from Ryan Fitzgerald. All four of the Space Cowboys came against the Comets’ bullpen as veteran starter Cole Irvin navigated through five scoreless innings.
While Ben Casparius continues to struggle in the minors, responsible for two of these four runs, the veteran Jake Cousins earned a hold with this third scoreless appearance in September, having only recently returned from injury.
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Double-A Tulsa
Big innings over scattered runs led to the Drillers’ win over the Naturals by a score of 7 to 5 despite getting outhit 10 to 6. Success rate on the basepaths played a big role in setting up this scenario, seeing as though the Drillers were successful in each of their four attempts—including Josue De Paula’s 31st stolen base of the season. On the flip side, the Naturals were caught in two of three attempts, all of them off Tulsa’s starter Adam Serwinowski.
De Paula didn’t record a hit or drive anyone in but reached successfully on a couple of walks and was the only Tulsa player to score multiple runs. Speaking of walks, Jake Gelof secured a team-high three of them, driving in a pair to take him to 96 RBI this season. Patient and also relying on evident poor command from the Naturals, the Drillers earned a dozen walks in this win on the road.
High-A Great Lakes
As far as complete displays of dominance, it doesn’t get much better than what the Loons did against the Dragons to open their Division Series matchup, shutting out the visiting club in a 6-0 win.
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Three batters into the bottom of the first, the Loons already led by three thanks to homers from Eduardo Quintero and Emil Morales. Mairo Martinus brought some production to the bottom of the order with a second-inning solo shot, and by the end of two, the Loons had scored five of their six runs.
Starter Tyler Gough and the Loons bullpen shut out the Dragons by not allowing a single extra-base hit. The pitching staff as a whole managed to elevate its game any time the opposition threatened a rally, as opportunities were plentiful, conceding nine singles and another five walks.
Class-A Ontario
If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Does anyone remember an outstanding comeback effort if it is ultimately unsuccessful? That’s the question we ask as the Tower Buzzers scored six runs in the bottom of the ninth, only to fall one short in a loss to the Storm, opening up their Division Series.
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Unfortunately, what made Ontario’s life significantly harder was the struggles of Jholbran Harder, no pun intended, in the top of that ninth inning. The Tower Buzzers’ reliever allowed a three-run shot and four runs overall to put the game nearly out of reach.
After Joendry Vargas hit a solo shot to make it 10-9 with two outs in the ninth, there were probably no options you wanted more at the plate than Easton Shelton. Shelton had reached in three of his first four plate appearances—including a home run, his 37th of the season. However, the power-hitting first baseman was called out on strikes. This comeback effort that ended with Shelton began with Caleb Johnson hitting his second homer of the game, production out of nowhere from this shortstop who recently began his time at Class-A with Ontario, still short of 100 at-bats.
Transactions
The Drillers activated right-handed pitcher Christian Ruebeck from the IL and transferred lefty Wyatt Crowell to the Development List.
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Tuesday’s scores
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Oklahoma City 7, Sugar Land 4
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Ontario 9, Lake Elsinore 10
Wednesday’s schedule
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10:05 a.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Gavin Stone) vs. Sugar Land (Jason Alexander)
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5:00 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Aidan Foeller) at NW Arkansas (TBD)
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