Could it be the nerves of starting a new season in a new place? New coaches with new players? Are the opposing teams just THAT good? 

Honestly, it could be any combination of these things. For the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes and Great Lakes Loons, it could also be that they started the season away from their home fields where they had been practicing the last few days. 

No matter the outcome of Opening Night 2019 for these Dodgers minor league affiliates, it is not yet time to panic. I usually wait to do that until the All-Star break, but just from watching the 2018 Cal League Champion Quakes last season, the All-Star break may even be too early to panic. 

The Quakes took a loss in their first game of last season and finished the first half with a .500 win percentage, somehow clinching the best record in the south division and earning them an automatic playoff spot. In the second half though, the Quakes took off, leaving all of their opponents in the dust while breaking multiple records including their longest win streak (15 games) and most games won in a season (87). 

In addition to the Quakes record breaking season, all six of the Dodgers stateside MiLB affiliates made the playoffs in 2018. 

But enough about last year. 

To start the 2019 season, the Dodgers Triple-A affiliate Oklahoma City Dodgers had rehabbing Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw on the hill for their home opener against the Milwaukee Brewers new Triple-A affiliate, the San Antonio Missions . 

Kershaw went 4.1 innings, allowing just four hits while giving up two runs and striking out six. He gave up a solo home run to Torrance, CA native, Tyrone Taylor, but that was really his only faux pas. 

In the sixth, Dodgers first baseman Matt Beaty drove in a run, as did third baseman Edwin Rios to tie the score at 2-2. 

Right-hander Josh Sborz replaced fellow right-handed reliever Joe Broussard and had two clean innings, only allowing one hit while striking out five batters. 

Sborz was replaced by right-hander Justin Grimm to close out the game, however, Grimm had a rough go of it, allowing three runs on three hits, earning the eventual loss. 

Left fielder Kyle Garlick launched a solo shot in the bottom of the ninth, but it wasn’t enough to overcome San Antonio’s late rally. 

Just an hour and a half drive from OKC, the Dodgers Double-A affiliate Tulsa Drillers took an early 1-0 lead in the first off of an RBI single from third baseman Cristian Santana. 

Tulsa starter Dustin May kept the Arkansas Traveler (Seattle Mariners) bats quiet, allowing just two hits over five innings of work, walking just one and striking out nine.

Relief pitcher Shea Spitzbarth took over for May in the sixth and gave up two runs. The Drillers got them back over the next two innings on home runs by designated hitter Chris Parmelee and left fielder Zach Reks, but the Travelers would score two more in the ninth against Layne Somsen to retake the lead.  

Shortstop Gavin Lux drove in a run in the bottom of the ninth to send the game two extra innings, where the Travelers took advantage of the runner on second rule and scored two runs, earning them the winter Tulsa failed to score in the bottom of the tenth. 

The non-winning journey continued into Northern California where the Advanced Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes took on the Stockton Ports (Oakland A’s).

Quakes left-handed starter Leo Crawford was roughed up for four runs in the first inning, but the bats stayed fairly quiet from then on. The Quakes lone run came on a fielding error that allowed second baseman Devin Mann to score. Aside from giving up the runs, Crawford struck out five over two innings, as did left-hander Victor Gonzalez through three innings, while Sven Schuller struck out three over two innings.  

Last but not least, and not necessarily in chronological order, the Low Single-A Great Lakes Loons were shutout by the Lake County Captains (Cleveland Indians) in Eastlake, OH.

Loons right-handed starter Stephen Kolek gave up four runs, three earned, in 2.2 innings of work. The Loons managed just five hits over the course of the evening. In fact, just one player made it past first base for the Loons, left fielder, Daniel Robinson.  

Overall, it wasn’t the best Opening Night for the Dodgers MiLB affiliates, but the season has just started and there’s no telling where these teams will end up come September.

    *    *    *    *    *