Home runs in the ninth inning spoiled Friday nights in both Oklahoma City and Tulsa, and rain interrupted things for Great Lakes yet again. In Rancho Cucamonga, a pair of Dodgers minor league outfielders had strong games for the Quakes.

Player of the day

Low-A Rancho Cucamonga left fielder Jaron Elkins turned around a two-week slump with four hits on Friday night. He singled three times, doubled, scored once, and drove in another. Elkins also stole his 32nd base, which leads the California League, amassed by Elkins in only 49 games.

Elkins has two other four-hit games this season. The most recent was May 24 in Stockton. In between then and Friday, the 20-year-old had four hits in 36 at-bats with 17 strikeouts and four walks.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

Comets relievers Sam Carlson and Will Klein combined to allow three runs in the ninth inning in a one-run loss to the Reno Aces (D-backs). Carlson, who pitched a scoreless ninth, was greeted by a Jordan Lawlar home run in the ninth to bring Reno within one, then was pulled after walking his next batter. In came recently-acquired Will Klein, who allowed the game-deciding two-run shot to his first batter, Trey Mancini.

Oklahoma City had the tying run in scoring position and one out in the bottom of the ninth. Steward Berroa had third base stolen but was tagged as he came off the bag by Lawler. Berroa slammed his helmet down, adamantly arguing that he was pulled off the bag, but to no avail, and was ejected for his efforts.

Ryan Ward hit a two-run home run and Alex Freeland had a solo shot for the Comets. Ward has seven home runs in his last eight games.

Double-A Tulsa

Jeisson Cabrera allowed his first home run of the season, a tiebreaking solo shot in the ninth inning that lifted the Amarillo Sod Poodles (D-backs) over the Drillers.

Patrick Copen, the Midwest League pitcher of the month for May, struck out nine in his Double-A debut, his fifth start of the season with at least that many strikeouts, including in four of his last six outings.

Copen, the Dodgers minor league leader in innings (53⅓) and strikeouts (86), pitched into the sixth with a 3-2 lead but lost quite a bit of steam with a double and two walks. There were also two grounders that weren’t turned into outs, including an error by Copen himself. In all, Copen allowed five runs on three doubles and three walks in his 5⅓ innings, but only one of the runs were earned.

Shortstop Noah Miller hit his first home run of the season, and also drove in another run with a bases-loaded hit by pitch for Tulsa.

High-A Great Lakes

Weather has made most of the Loons’ road series at the South Bend Cubs a question of whether the games will be completed on the day they’re scheduled. Wednesday’s game was rained out, which necessitated a doubleheader on Thursday.

On Friday, the game was suspended with Great Lakes leading South Bend 2-1 after four innings. Zyhir Hope doubled in one of the runs. Mike Sirota scored on that double after the first of his two walks in his third game back from the injured list. Kendall George singled, scored the other run, and stole his 25th base of the season in 42 games.

Luke Fox struck out four in 3â…” innings in his start, and allowed a solo home run.

The Loons and Cubs will resume this game on Saturday at 2:35 p.m. PT, then will play the regularly-scheduled game, shortened to seven innings, after completion of the first game. Weather permitting, of course.

Low-A Rancho Cucamonga

Three crooked numbers in the first five innings was enough for the Quakes to lose at home to the San Jose Giants.

Christian Zazueta had a rare clunker on the mound. He allowed five runs in 3â…“ innings in his start, matching his total over his previous five starts and 25â…” innings. Zazueta on Friday had two walks and only one strikeout, the latter matching his season low from April 8.

Reigning California League player of the month and player of the week Eduardo Quintero has kept it going in June. He hit a solo home run, had a sacrifice fly, scored twice, drove in two, and stole a base on Friday, Quintero’s fourth game with a home run and stolen base this season. He leads the California League with 11 home runs and his 27 steals are second in the league, behind only Elkins, his teammate.

Second baseman Elijah Hainline also homered for Rancho Cucamonga, part of his two-hit game that included a walk and a stolen base, the latter his 13th of the season.

Transactions

Triple-A: Justin Wrobleski was called up to start in St. Louis. Landon Knack was optioned to Oklahoma City. Third baseman Kody Hoese was activated after missing eight games on the injured list. Catcher Chuckie Robinson, who was designated for assignment on Tuesday, cleared waivers and was sent outright to the Comets on Thursday. Veteran pitcher Chris Stratton, who was designated for assignment on Monday, was also outrighted Thursday but elected free agency, then signed a new deal with the Dodgers on Friday.

High-A: Catcher Nelson Quiroz was placed on the 7-day injured list, and 21-year-old catcher Angel Diaz joined the Loons from Arizona.

Low-A: Quakes shortstop Kellon Lindsey started a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League after missing the last three weeks on the injured list, but he did not play.

Friday scores

Saturday schedule

2:35 p.m. PT: Great Lakes at South Bend, resumption of suspended game
~4:05 p.m.: Great Lakes (Payton Martin) at South Bend (Brian Gallagher)
4:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Emmet Sheehan) vs. Reno (Spencer Giesting)
5 p.m.: Tulsa (Jared Karros) vs. Amarillo (Jose Cabrera)
6:30 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Sterling Patick) vs. San Jose (Gerelmi Maldonado)