It’s hard to argue that Tuesday night’s dramatic bottom-of-the ninth, down-to-their-final-strike, pinch-hit home run by Dodgers outfielder Trayce Thompson wasn’t the most exciting event within the Dodgers organization, if not in all of baseball. But Thompson’s walk-off home run to give the Dodgers a 3-2 win over the New York Mets and sole possession of first place in the NL West wasn’t the only big news on Tuesday.

Also making the headlines, at least in Southern California, was Rancho Cucamonga Quakes shortstop Tim Locastro hitting for the cycle on Tuesday night to propel the Dodgers Advanced Single-A affiliate to a 12-1 win over the Lancaster JetHawks (Astros).

Locastro picked up an RBI double in the first inning, slugged a solo home run in the third inning, singled in the seventh inning and got the ever-elusive triple in the bottom of the eighth inning to complete his cycle.

Have a night, Tim Locastro
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Locastro was initially selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 13th round of the 2013 MLB First Year Player Draft out of Ithaca College in New York. The (now) 23-year-old Auburn, New York native was traded to the Dodgers on July 2, 2015 – along with top pitching prospect Chase De Jong – in exchange for two international bonus pool slots. In essence, the Dodgers got Locastro and De Jong, a native of nearby Long Beach, California, for $1,071,300 in bonus pool money.

What makes Locastro’s cycle even more remarkable is that it was the third Quakes cycle in the last five seasons. Top outfield prospect Alex Verdugo hit one last year on August 26, 2015 and former Dodgers outfield / first base prospect Angelo Songco hit one on May 25, 2011 – all three of them against the JetHawks.

Dodgers pitching prospect Yaisel Sierra also had a big night on Tuesday, allowing no runs and only two hits with three walks and three strikeouts in his six innings of work. It was the 24-year-old right-hander’s best outing thus far as a professional. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

The Quakes finished the night with 13 hits, with Locastro going 4 for 5 and Cuban star outfielder Yusniel Diaz and Catcher Julian Leon collecting two hits apiece. In fact, every Quakes batter had at least one hit on Tuesday except for center fielder Johan Mieses. The Cal League South first place Quakes have collected 43 hits in their last three games. Additionally, Locastro now has a modest 13-game hitting streak, as does Leon.