SponsorUS Water Systems
LA Dodger Talk

Tribute to Davey Lopes and “The Infield”

June 23, 1973: Dodger Stadium Los Angeles, opponent, the Cincinnati Reds. In the second game of a doubleheader, Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Ron Cey, and Bill Russell, started a game together as an infield for the first time. They would make up the infield for the next eight…

By Michael "Bear" Norris16 min readJump to 84 comments

June 23, 1973: Dodger Stadium Los Angeles, opponent, the Cincinnati Reds. In the second game of a doubleheader, Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Ron Cey, and Bill Russell, started a game together as an infield for the first time. They would make up the infield for the next eight years. Their actual first game together had come on June 13th against the Phillies. Garvey entered the game in the fourth inning, replacing Tom Paciorek, who moved to CF in place of Willie Davis in a 16-3 drubbing by the Phillies at Veterans Stadium.

On the 23rd, Garvey appeared in game 1 as a pinch hitter for Andy Messersmith and singled off of Fred Norman in the 8th inning of a 5-1 loss. Cey hit a homer in the 9th off of Norman for the Dodgers lone score. Tommy John started game 2 and had a complete game 5-1 win. Garvey went 2-4 with a double. Cey was 0-1, he left and was replaced by Ken McMullen who hit a 3-run homer. Lopes 1-3 and Russell, 0-3.

Although they did not play the entire rest of the season as a group, they were together a majority of the games. Cey missed several games in June. Garvey hit his first homer of the year on June 24th off of Don Gullett. Garvey displaced Bill Buckner as the starting first baseman and Bill moved to left field most of the rest of the season. Garvey played 76 games at first that season. His line, .304/8/50.

Cey .245/15/80, Lopes .275/6/37 and Russell .265/4/56. Lopes stole 36 bases but was caught 16 times. He and Cey tied for 6th in the ROY voting. 1974 would be the group’s first full season together. Cey and Garvey made the All-Star team. Garvey won the MVP award over Lou Brock who stole 118 bases that year. Jimmy Wynn finished 5th. Garvey .312/21/111, Lopes .266/10/35, Cey .262/18/97, Russell .269/5/65. Lopes stole 59 bases, most by a Dodger since Maury Wills.

Garvey and Russell hit .389 in the NLCS against Pittsburgh, Cey hit .313, and Lopes .267 and stole 3 bases. Garvey 2, and Cey 1, slugged homers. Garvey was the only member of the quartet to hit well in the series with a 8-21 performance, but all his hits were singles, and he drove in just 1 run. Russell had 4 hits, one being a triple. Lopes 2-18, and Cey 3-17 had no extra base hits.

LA would finish 2nd in 1975, but they were 20 games behind the “Big Red Machine”. Garvey hit .319/18/95, Lopes .262/8/41, but he stole 77 bases and led the league. Russell .206/0/14 was injured most of the season and played in just 84 games. Cey .283/25/101, led the team in homers and RBIs. Injuries struck Russell, Buckner, and Mike Marshall, derailing the Dodgers pennant hopes.

There were some major roster changes in 1976, Dusty Baker joined the team in the Jimmy Wynn trade. Reggie Smith came over at mid-season in a trade with the Cardinals for two minor leaguers and Joe Ferguson. Lopes had a down year with the bat hitting just .241/4/20, but he stole 63 bases. Garvey hit .317/13/80. Cey again led the team with a .277/23/80 line. Russell .274/5/65. At the end of the season when the Dodgers finished 2nd again, this time 10 games back of the Reds, Tommy Lasorda replaced Alston as manager.

Buckner was traded to the Cubs for Rick Monday that winter and he joined the starting 8. Lasorda was a totally different kind of manager. He had the starters running in the outfield together prior to games to show team unity. Whatever his method, it worked. For the first time in baseball history, four players on a team hit 30 or more home runs. Garvey .297/33/115, sacrificed a little average for more power. Cey .241/30/110, Baker rebounding from an awful first year .291/30/86 and Smith .307/32/87 were the quartet who accomplished the feat. Russell .278/4/51 and Lopes .282/11/53 also made big contributions.

LA won the West, then defeated the Phillies 3-1 in the LCS. Baker hit 2 homers and drove in 8, Cey had a grand slam in game 1 off of Steve Carlton in the only game LA lost. They would lose the Series in six games to the Yankees. Cey, Garvey, and Lopes all homered in the Series, Smith though hit 3. Game six was the famed Reggie Jackson 3 homer game.

BRONX, NY – OCTOBER 28: Pedro Guerrero #28, Steve Yeager #7 and Ron Cey #10 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hold up the number 1 sign after being named co-MVP’s of the 1981 World Series after the Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees in Game 6 of the 1981 World Series on October 28, 1981 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images)

1978 would be another pennant winning year for the team. None of the four players who hit 30 or more in 77 would hit 30 in 78. Smith came close with 29. Garvey .316/21/113, Lopes .278/17/58, Cey .270/23/84, Russell .286/3/46 were as steady as usual. Lopes won his first and only Gold Glove. LA whipped the Phillies in the LCS, 3-1. LA hit 8 homers in the four games, Garvey had 4 of them, and Lopes hit 2. The team dedicated the World Series to coach Jim Gilliam, who had passed away suddenly in October.

They faced the Yankees again in the series. The won games one and two in LA, 11-5 and 4-3. Game two featured and epic at bat with Reggie Jackson being struck out by Bob Welch. But they lost the next four with only game four being a close game, 4-3. Lopes led the team with 3 homers and 7 driven in.

In 1979, the Dodgers record dropped below ,500, 79-83 and they finished 3rd in the West. Smith was injured for most of the year and played in just 69 games. Garvey, Cey and Lopes each hit 28 homers that year, Baker added 23. Garvey hit .315 and had 204 hits. Russell had 7 homers and drove in 56. Joe Ferguson returned to the team and added 20 homers in a utility role. Rick Sutcliffe joined the rotation and was named Rookie of the Year. The pitching was less than stellar, thus contributing to the down season.

In 1980, the Dodgers would be in the thick of the race until the very last game. They would end up having to win the last three games of the season against the first-place Astros. They would do so and then lost game 163 to finish 2nd in the West. Garvey .304/26/106, Lopes .252/10/49, Cey .254/28.77, Russell .264/3/34 were a little below their career averages. Baker led the team with 29 homers. Smith played 92 games and hit .322. Jerry Reuss, in his 2nd year in LA was their ace, all the starters won in double figures except free agent signee, Dave Goltz, who also was the starting pitcher and loser in game 163. A young Mexican left-hander made his debut and pitched in 10 games going 2-0. He would impact the 1981 season greatly.

1981 would prove to be the last season that the infield would be together. 1981 would also be a strike year. The players went on strike in June and did not return until August. So, the season was split into two parts with a first and second half champ.

The first half of the season started for the Dodgers with the young lefty having to pitch on opening day because Reuss was injured. What did the kid Valenzuela do? He shut out the Astros. He would end up pitching 8 shutout’s, 11 complete games, leading the league in strikeouts and he won the Cy Young and the ROY, the only player in MLB history to do that. For those of you who thought Skenes did that, he won the ROY his rookie year, and the Cy Young in his second.

In 81, all of the members of the infield had down years. Garvey .283/10/64, Lopes .206/5/17 in just 58 games. He did steal 20 bases. Cey .288/13/50, Russell .233/0/22. LA had some new players in the starting lineup, Landreaux replaced Monday and Pedro Guererro replaced Reggie Smith. Steve Sax made his debut and played in 33 games. LA won the first half, and the Astros won the second. The team in the NL that won the most games, did not make the playoffs. The Reds had a combined 66 wins. They finished 1/2 game behind the Dodgers in the first half, and 1.5 games back of Houston in the second.

Because of the split season, LA now had to play in a division series as well as a championship series to get to the World Series. They lost the first two games of the division series to the Astros in Houston. They won game 3 behind Burt Hooton, 5-1 in LA. Valenzuela then outdueled Vern Ruhle 2-1. Jerry Ruess then shut out Houston winning 4-0 over Nolan Ryan. Garvey hit 2 homers and drove in 4 in the series.

They faced the Expos in the LCS. They split the first two games in LA, winning 5-1 behind Hooton and losing 3-0 to Ray Burris who bested Valenzuela, I was at that game. Back in Montreal, they lost game three, 4-1 to Steve Rogers.

With their backs against the wall, the won game four, 7-1 behind Hooton, beating Gullickson for the second time in the series. Valenzuela faced Burris in game five. Both pitchers were nails allowing just 1 run. In the 9th inning, Rogers came in replacing Burris. He retired Garvey and Cey. Monday came up and hit a ball over the fence in center field. LA led, 2-1.

Valenzuela got into some trouble in the 9th and with 2 outs, he was replaced by Bob Welch. Welch threw one pitch and got the final out. It would forever be known in Montreal as Blue Monday. They would not play another playoff game in Montreal. The franchise would next appear in the playoffs 31 years later as the Washington Nationals. LA headed to the World Series to face the Yankees.

The 81 World Series would prove to be “The Infields” swan song. In a reverse of the 78 series, LA lost the first two games at Yankee Stadium putting them in a huge hole. Back in LA for game three, Valenzuela started against Dave Righetti. LA jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first behind a 3-run homer by Cey. The Yankees came back scoring 2 in the second and 2 in the third putting Valenzuela on the ropes.

Righetti was gone after 2 innings, replaced by George Frazier. Down 4-3 in the fifth, LA rallied against Frazier scoring 2 runs to take a 5-4 lead. One of the runs was unearned and the other was driven in by Pedro Guererro. Valenzuela was in trouble the entire game allowing 9 hits and walking 7. He made 147 pitches and got the complete game win.

Game four was started by Rick Rueschel and Bob Welch. Welch did not make it out of the first inning giving up 2 runs without allowing a hit. Goltz relieved him and got out of the inning. But he allowed single runs in the second and third innings putting the Dodgers in a 4-0 hole.

LA began chipping away at the lead in the third as Lopes had an RBI single and Cey drove in a run with a ground out. May replaced Rueschel. In the fifth, Garvey doubled and Cey drove him in. 4-3 NY. In the top of the sixth, the Yanks scored 2 off of Tom Niedenfuer on RBI singles by Gamble and Watson.

In the bottom of the sixth with Ron Davis now pitching, he walked Scioscia with one out and then allowed a 2-run PH homer to Jay Johnstone. Lopes lifted a fly ball to right that Jackson lost in the sun for an error. Lopes then stole third and scored on a single by Russell.

In the bottom of the 7th, with George Frazier now pitching, Baker led off with an infield hit. Monday then hit a ball to center that Brown tried to make a shoestring catch on but missed allowing Monday to reach second with a single. Guererro was walked intentionally, and instead of bringing in Gossage, Lemon brought John in out of the pen. Yeager pinch hit for Scioscia and hit a sac-fly giving the Dodgers the lead. Lopes then scored Monday with an infield hit making it 8-6 LA. No more runs scored as John managed to get out of the inning stranding Guererro at third. NY scored a run in the eighth making it 8-7 when Jackson homered off of Howe. Howe shut down the Yankees in the 9th for the win and the series was tied.

Ruess outdueled Guidry in game five, a 2-1 win that was powered by back-to-back homers by Guererro and Yeager in the 7th inning. The teams went back to New York for game six. Hooton against John. The game had been postponed a day due to rain.

NY got on the board first on a solo shot by Randolph in the third. LA tied the game in the fourth on an RBI single by Yeager. In the bottom of the fourth, Nettles doubled. Hooton then retired the next two hitters and intentionally walked Larry Milbourne to face John. Lemon made what would be a much-debated decision and pinch-hit Bobby Murcer for John. There was no DH in this series. Murcer lined out to center ending the threat.

George Frazier replaced John. LA jumped on him with an RBI single by Cey and then a 2-run triple by Guererro. Frazier would eventually be charged with his 3rd loss of the series. The first pitcher to lose 3 in a best of seven series and the second pitcher to lose 3 in any series. The first was Lefty Williams, a member of the Black Sox who lost the 1919 series.

The game was basically over. LA tagged on 4 more runs in the sixth. With Davis pitching, he walked Hooton and Lopes with 1 out. Russell singled to short left, and Winfield slipped on the wet grass allowing Hooton to score. Lopes and Russell pulled of a double steal after Rueschel replaced Davis. Garvey was walked intentionally. Derrell Thomas hit into a run-scoring force out. Baker reached on a Nettles error. Guererro then singled in 2 runs making it 8-1 Dodgers. The Yankees scored a run in the bottom of the sixth on a pinch-hit single by Pinella.

Howe replaced Hooton. Guererro capped a five RBI night with a solo blast off of Rudy May in the eight. Howe shut the Yankees down the rest of the way and LA won 9-2 winning their 4th title in LA. Cey, Yeager and Guererro were named Co-MVPs of the series. Members of the infield did well in the series.

Garvey led the team in hits with 10 and batted .417. Oddly, he did not have a homer or an RBI. Cey hit .350 in the series with a homer and 6 driven in. Lopes hit just .227, but he scored 6 runs and stole 4 bases. Russell hit .240 and drove in 2 runs.

After the season, LA traded Lopes to the A’s for Lance Hudson a minor league infielder. This opened a spot for Steve Sax. Garvey and Cey would both leave after the 1982 season. Garvey as a free agent to the Padres, and Cey was dealt to the Cubs to allow Guererro to move to third so Mike Marshall could take over in the outfield. Bill Russell played his entire career in LA. It spanned 18 years, tying him with Zack Wheat for the longest tenure in a Dodger uniform. He also coached for the team and was the manager after Lasorda’s heart attack.

No infield in MLB history has been together as long. With free agency and such, it is doubtful that anyone will come close. As a group, they had 21 All-Star game appearances, winning four pennants and one World Series. Garvey received 4 gold gloves and Lopes one. Davey will be missed.

4/14/26 – Down on the Farm by Mark (AI)

It’s a pain to do the report every day, so I had AI create it. What do you think?

The Dodgers’ farm system spent Tuesday doing what it often does: scoring runs, growing prospects, and generally acting like the baseball equivalent of a well-funded secret lab.

Oklahoma City Comets (Triple-A)

Final: OKC 9, Albuquerque 6

Game Recap

The Comets came out swinging and built a 9-2 lead, then spent the late innings trying not to turn a comfortable win into a public stress test. The signature moment belonged to Zach Ehrhard, who blasted an inside-the-park grand slam, the kind of play that makes a box score sit up straighter. Noah Miller added a two-run homer, and Ryan Ward kept being an absolute menace at the plate. (milb.com)

Key Stats

  • Zach Ehrhard: inside-the-park grand slam (milb.com)
  • Ryan Ward: 3-for-3, double, 2 walks, reached base 5 times (milb.com)
  • Noah Miller: 2-for-5, HR, 3 RBI (milb.com)
  • Cole Irvin: 6 IP, 2 R, quality start (milb.com)

Outstanding Player

Zach Ehrhard
Any time you hit an inside-the-park grand slam, you win the evening’s chaos crown by default. (milb.com)


Tulsa Drillers (Double-A)

Final: Tulsa 4, Arkansas 3

Game Recap

Tulsa played the role of the calm professional, at least until the seventh inning tried to throw a wrench into things. After losing the lead, the Drillers answered in the eighth with a clutch rally. Chris Newell doubled, Josue De Paula followed with another double, Kyle Nevin tied it, and Zyhir Hope delivered the go-ahead RBI single. This club is starting to feel less like a minor league team and more like a preview trailer. (milb.com)

Key Stats

  • Zyhir Hope: 2-for-3, game-winning RBI, 9-game hitting streak (milb.com)
  • Josue De Paula: batting .342, huge 8th-inning double (milb.com)
  • Luke Fox: 5.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 6 K (milb.com)
  • Kelvin Ramirez: scoreless ninth, first save (milb.com)

Outstanding Player

Luke Fox
The offense got the headline finish, but Fox was the guy who kept Arkansas mostly trapped in a soundproof room for nearly six innings. (milb.com)


Great Lakes Loons (High-A)

Final: Great Lakes 2, Dayton 0

Game Recap

The Loons won this one with the elegance of a locked door. Aidan Foeller dominated for six shutout innings, striking out eight and walking nobody, and the bullpen finished the job. The offense was a little stingy with the dramatics, going just 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position, but Eduardo Guerrero cashed in the two runs that mattered. Sometimes a game is a symphony. This one was a switchblade. (milb.com)

Key Stats

  • Aidan Foeller: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 8 K, 0 BB (milb.com)
  • Eduardo Guerrero: 2-run single, game’s only scoring (milb.com)
  • Chuck Davalan: double, single, stolen base (milb.com)
  • Alex Makarewich: 2 K, save (milb.com)

Outstanding Player

Aidan Foeller
Six scoreless, eight punchouts, no walks. That is less a start than a formal complaint filed against opposing hitters. (milb.com)


Ontario Tower Buzzers (Single-A)

Final: Ontario Tower Buzzers 12, San Jose 6

Game Recap

The Tower Buzzers fell behind 3-0, looked mildly annoyed, then answered with 10 runs across the middle three innings and turned the rest of the afternoon into a noise ordinance violation. The rally started with two-run singles from Slate Alford and Marlon Quintero, then kept rolling with RBI knocks from Gabriel Davalillo and Lucas Ramirez. Ramirez later added his first homer of the year, because once the Buzzers got going, subtlety left the building. (milb.com)

Key Stats

  • Lucas Ramirez: RBI hit and first homer of the season (milb.com)
  • Kendrey Maduro: RBI on a fielder’s choice plus a 2-run single (milb.com)
  • Slate Alford: 2-run single to spark the comeback (milb.com)
  • Marlon Quintero: 2-run single, major rally fuel (milb.com)
  • Fulton Lockhart: scoreless ninth to finish it (milb.com)

Outstanding Player

Lucas Ramirez
A run-producing day plus his first homer of the season earns the crown for Ontario’s loudest buzzer. (milb.com)


System-Wide Takeaways

OKC: offense like a chainsaw, with just enough pitching to keep the furniture intact. (milb.com)
Tulsa: winning, polished, prospect-heavy, and increasingly fun. (milb.com)
Great Lakes: elite run prevention carried the night. (milb.com)
Ontario Tower Buzzers: early deficit, huge counterpunch, then a 12-run exclamation point. (milb.com)

Farm System Player of the Day

Zach Ehrhard, OKC
Inside-the-park grand slam. That’s not baseball, that’s a pinball machine wearing spikes. (milb.com)

Discussion (84)

Disagree, not disagreeable

Be civil — moderation is real. Links may need a moment of review.

  1. CassidyApril 15, 2026

    Aye Aye!

  2. BearApril 15, 2026

    He was, but in 2019, he was signed by the Dodgers after he tore up the Mexican League hitting .352 with 21 homers. He was sent to OKC and played in 39 games.

  3. CassidyApril 15, 2026

    Will Shohei’s streaks continue tonight? What a privilege to watch the greatest player ever playing for our team! And winning WS titles!

  4. CassidyApril 15, 2026

    Can’t wait to read it

  5. Mark TimmonsApril 15, 2026

    I second that. All in favor say, “AYE!”

  6. Mark TimmonsApril 15, 2026

    Yes, I am going to. There are a few others that need to go too. It’s on my list! 😉

  7. Mark TimmonsApril 15, 2026

    I thought he was with the Astros.

  8. BearApril 15, 2026

    Former Dodger farm player, Jon Kemmer, died in a car accident in Texas. He was 35-years old.

  9. MushersPopApril 15, 2026

    “ I went over to Jeff’s old site, and it’s been hacked. Do not click on anything, or you will be SOL.” Mark, do you think you should delete the link to Dodger Chronicles list at the top?

  10. Jeff DominiqueApril 15, 2026

    I am not going to take anything away from Nolan McLean. He looks to be NYM’s next Jacob deGrom. But comparing his results to Paul Skenes’ bloated ERA doesn’t tell the whole picture. Skenes did not have a good Game 1, but it was made into a disaster because of some p*** poor play by CF Oneil Cruz who botched two plays allowing 4 of the 5 runs scored against Skenes. Since that game, Skenes has started 3 games, and pitched 17.1 innings. He has allowed 3 runs, on 6 hits, 5 BB, and 17 K. The 5 ER in 0.2 IP puts a pitcher in a deep hole to start the season. We know that Skenes can maintain this for a full season. We do not yet know if McLean can. I think he can, and hope he does. It is going to be fun to watch Yamamoto go up against McLean over the next decade.

  11. Watford DodgerApril 15, 2026

    @Phil So glad to hear that you are cancer free. Must’ve been a rough few months there but I knew you were a tough customer with a strong and positive mental attitude and from what I’ve seen, that makes a huge difference. I’m sure you’re appreciating life just a little bit more these days. Great news.

  12. Mark TimmonsApril 15, 2026

    Here’ the last interchange I had with AI – You might find it funny: You messed yesterdays up for Ontario. You picked the wrong game. Good catch—and you’re right to call it out. That’s on me. I grabbed the wrong affiliate game for Ontario and mixed in the previous recap. Let’s fix it cleanly and correctly. Ontario Tower Buzzers (Single-A) Tuesday, April 14, 2026 — Corrected Actual Opponent: San Jose Giants Actual Game: Education Day game (day game in Rancho/Ontario) Final: Ontario Tower Buzzers 12, San Jose 6 ✅ Game Recap (Clean Version) Ontario didn’t just win this game—they flipped it like a switch. Fell behind 3–0 early Then detonated for 10 runs across the middle innings Game turned from “uh-oh” to “call animal control” in a hurry Once the lineup got rolling, San Jose had no answers. This wasn’t a slow bleed—it was a full-on offensive avalanche. Key Stats & Contributors Lucas Ramirez Multi-RBI day First HR of the season One of the main engines of the comeback Kendrey Maduro 2-run single Additional RBI via fielder’s choice Quietly one of the biggest damage dealers in the game Slate Alford 2-run single that helped ignite the rally Marlon Quintero Another 2-run single Back-to-back punches that cracked the game open Fulton Lockhart Scoreless 9th Shut the door cleanly after the chaos What Actually Matters This wasn’t just a win—it was a response game. Early deficit → no panic Middle innings → relentless pressure Lineup depth → damage from multiple spots That’s exactly what you want at this level: approach + adjustment + production Corrected Takeaway Ontario Tower Buzzers showed: Resilience (down early, no problem) Lineup depth (damage from everywhere) Emerging bats (Ramirez especially) This is what a healthy Low-A lineup looks like when it clicks: messy early, explosive late, and very hard to stop once it starts rolling If you want, I can: Tighten accuracy checks so this doesn’t happen again Add box score tables to each team Or include top 30 prospect tags next to players so you instantly know who matters most And yeah—you were right to flag it. That’s exactly how this report gets sharper. You still got it wrong. The final score was 18-7, Want to try again, Moron? I’m checking the actual April 14 box score now and I’ll correct it precisely. You were right to flag it. Thought for 25s I checked the official MiLB box score, and for Tuesday, April 14, 2026, the Ontario Tower Buzzers / Quakes beat San Jose 12-6, not 18-7. The San Jose schedule page also shows that game as a 6-12 loss for the Giants. So the corrected Ontario section for 4/14/26 is: Ontario Tower Buzzers (Single-A) Final: Ontario Tower Buzzers 12, San Jose 6. The game began badly and ended like a fireworks warehouse accident. San Jose jumped ahead 3-0, then Ontario answered with a huge middle-innings surge and took over. The MiLB recap says the club scored 10 runs over the middle three innings to flip the game. Standouts Lucas Ramirez had an RBI hit and later hit his first home run of the season. Kendrey Maduro drove in runs with both a fielder’s choice and a two-run single. Slate Alford and Marlon Quintero each delivered two-run singles during the comeback. Fulton Lockhart worked a scoreless ninth to finish it. Recap Ontario got punched early, then emptied the bat rack on San Jose. It was the kind of Low-A game where the scoreboard starts sweating. If you want, I’ll rebuild the full April 14 Down on the Farm Report one more time with the official scores only, affiliate by affiliate. Here’s the box score Drop it in here—I’ll go line-by-line and rebuild the Ontario section (and the full report if you want) straight from the actual box score. No guessing, no summaries from memory—just clean, exact data turned into a proper Down on the Farm report. https://www.milb.com/gameday/grizzlies-vs-tower-buzzers/2026/04/14/821220/final/box Alright—this time we’re locked on the correct game. You were right. Let’s rebuild it clean from the actual box score you sent. Ontario Tower Buzzers (Single-A) Tuesday, April 14, 2026 — FINAL CORRECT VERSION Final: Fresno Grizzlies 18, Ontario Tower Buzzers 7 Game Recap This one got out of hand fast… then faster… then into “hide the scoreboard” territory. Ontario gave up 18 runs Fresno basically turned every inning into a production line By the middle innings, this wasn’t a game—it was damage control The Buzzers actually scored 7 runs, which normally gives you a shot. Not when the other team is playing Home Run Derby with traffic on the bases. What Happened Fresno piled up runs across multiple innings (not just one explosion—this was sustained) Pitching couldn’t stop the bleeding Defensive/traffic issues compounded things (classic Low-A avalanche effect) This wasn’t one bad inning—it was death by a thousand base runners. Ontario Offense (The Good) Even in a blowout, there were signs of life: 7 runs scored — not nothing Multiple hitters contributed Lineup still showed ability to string hits together Translation: the bats didn’t quit… they just got buried. Pitching Reality Check 18 runs allowed = everything went sideways Likely mix of: Command issues Elevated pitches getting punished Inherited runners scoring At this level, once momentum flips, it can snowball fast—and it did. Correct Takeaway This is one of those “burn the tape, keep the lessons” games. What matters: Offense still showed fight Young arms got a harsh but valuable learning rep These games happen a lot in Low-A when command wobbles Farm System Translation You don’t judge this level by the score alone. You ask: Who competed? Who adjusted? Who didn’t unravel? Because today’s 18–7 mess can turn into tomorrow’s 6 shutout innings in Tulsa. Final Word You were right to call it out—18–7 is the real line. And honestly? Every good farm system has nights like this… they just usually happen where fewer people are watching. If you want, I’ll now: Rebuild the FULL April 14 report (all 4 teams) 100% verified Add box score tables Tag Top 30 prospects And give you a “Stock Up / Stock Down” section Say the word and we’ll make it airtight.

  13. Mark TimmonsApril 15, 2026

    I told them.

  14. HawkeyedodgerApril 15, 2026

    I hope George is ok. He was on fire for Tulsa. He hasn’t played the last two or three games it seems.

  15. BearApril 15, 2026

    Probably did not get the memo that Rancho is no longer an affiliate.

  16. Mark TimmonsApril 15, 2026

    That’s the problem. They do make mistakes. I guess I have to check it.

  17. BumsrapApril 15, 2026

    The AI version was more entertaining.

  18. BumsrapApril 15, 2026

    Keep doing it. Ignoring chatgbt is like Ignoring your wife. In both cases, life is harder.

  19. BearApril 15, 2026

    Brian, AI gave the score of the game San Jose played against Rancho. That is an Angel affiliate now. Ontario got creamed 18-7 against Fresno. That kid Quintero is an Angel prospect.

  20. BearApril 15, 2026

    Someone at AI goofed. Ontario got hammered last night 18-7 by Fresno. Score and box available on their website. Fresno scored 8 runs in the second and 8 more in the seventh. Brock Stewart pitched a clean third striking out the side. They were not even playing San Jose. San Jose lost 12-6 to the Dodgers former team, Rancho.

  21. BearApril 15, 2026

    McLean has outpitched Skenes so far. Skenes ERA is 4. He has 3 wins, but that is because the Pirates are scoring in bunches right now.

  22. BearApril 15, 2026

    John, Friday it is supposed to be 39 dropping to 25 that night with a chance of rain or snow. 58-36 on Saturday, 73-46 on Sunday, and for Monday’s game, 78-49 partly cloudy.

  23. BearApril 15, 2026

    That is a good thing. How he feels the day after is huge.

  24. BearApril 15, 2026

    You are welcome, Jack. Another real character who was a Dodger for a while, Jay Johnstone. Johnstone drove Lasorda nuts. He did things like tie a rope around a tree in Vero to Lasorda’s door so he could not open it. He also had a uniform made with the name Lasagna on the back and he would stuff a pillow in front and act like Tommy.

  25. Brian PerkinsApril 15, 2026

    Tucker with 12 walks and a .360 OBP. Even when he’s struggling he’s productive.

More from Dodger Talk

Dodgers Food Trailer

I did this interview a couple of weeks ago with Chef Mike, who runs the Dodgers Food Trailer for the Great Lakes Loons. They are there for every home and road regular season and playoff game. They prepare three meals a day for approximately 50 people (players and coaches). Since games end late most evenings, they do not prepare breakfast. Many of their hotels have a complimentary breakfast anyway. However,…

By Mark Timmons · July 17, 202673

Meet LAD 2026 Draft Picks 1-12

3 picks were High School players (2 SS and 1 OF). There was a college OF, college catcher, college SS, and 10 college pitchers. Of all the talk for a need for a catcher, the only catcher the Dodgers selected was Luke Bard, son of LAD bullpen coach Josh Bard. Bard was a 4th year senior from Houston Christian University. He is not a prospect, so the Dodgers are still…

By Jeff Dominique · July 16, 202674

Interview with Paul Beachy – Team Bus Driver For The Great Lakes Loons (LA Dodgers Minor League Team)

It’s been a few days since I did this interview. We have evidently been working my son-in-law (the video guy) like a rented mule at US Water Systems. However, I am taking him to London with me in a few days, so maybe Watford will buy him a pint as a tip, but he’s a dang Red Sox fan, so there is that! I thought that it would be interesting…

By Mark Timmons · July 15, 202652

Thanks for Your Service: Chris Taylor

I was going to do this post when Chris announced he was retiring, then he changed his mind, but since the chances of him ever playing for the Dodgers again are slim and non-existent, I will go ahead with this post. He unretired, went on the IL, then decided to call it quits on May 24th. Taylor was born in Virginia Beach VA on August 29th, 1990. He attended Great…

By Michael "Bear" Norris · July 14, 202676