OKC Dodgers Game Notes - May 30, 2016
May 30, 2016 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Baseball Club News Release
Oklahoma City Dodgers (26-22) vs. Sacramento River Cats (21-30)
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Francisco Giants
Game #49 of 144/Road #30 of 71 (17-12)
Pitching Probables: OKC-RHP Sam LeCure (2-2, 5.44) vs. SAC-RHP Clayton Blackburn (2-3, 4.66)
Monday, May 30, 2016 | Raley Field | West Sacramento, Calif. | 3:05 p.m. CT
Radio: KGHM AM-1340 The Game, 1340thegame.com, iHeartRadio - Alex Freedman
Today's Game: The Oklahoma City Dodgers and Sacramento River Cats close out their four-game series at 3:05 p.m. Central time at Raley Field. The Dodgers lead the series, 2-1, and seek a third straight victory. Today also is the final game of the Dodgers' eight-game West Coast road trip, during which they are 2-5 overall.
Last Game: Dodgers starting pitcher Jharel Cotton allowed one run over five innings and notched two hits, including a RBI triple, as OKC defeated Sacramento, 4-1, Sunday afternoon at Raley Field. Cotton (4-3) allowed one run and three hits over five innings of work. He struck out five and walked two. At one point between the first and fourth innings, Cotton retired 10 straight batters. Both teams scored a run in the first inning. Micah Johnson led off the game with a triple to deep right-center field. Scott Van Slyke came up next, and his RBI groundout plated Johnson to make it 1-0. The River Cats answered in the bottom of the inning. Sacramento had the bases empty with two outs, but Mitch Delfino and Mac Williamson hit back-to-back doubles to even the score. The Dodgers regained the lead in the second inning. Cotton lined a RBI triple to left-center field, then scored later on the play when Ramiro Pena committed an error on the relay throw to third base. In the top of the fourth, Alex Hassan hit a sacrifice fly to right field, extending the lead to 4-1. Dodgers pitcher Luis Avilan finished off the game by retiring the River Cats in order in the ninth inning to earn his third save. Avilan was one of four OKC relievers to toss a scoreless inning, joining Logan Bawcom, Jordan Schafer, and Joe Thatcher. Sacramento starting pitcher Joan Gregorio took the loss. Gregorio (0-2) allowed four runs (three earned) and five hits over five innings. He notched eight strikeouts with one walk.
Today's Probable Pitcher: Sam LeCure (2-2) looks to rebound from a tough outing in his last start...LeCure allowed a career-high nine runs and tied a career-high with 11 hits allowed in a 14-3 loss Tuesday at Fresno. He allowed two home runs, issued two walks and notched six strikeouts over 4.2 IP. It was the most hits he had allowed in a game since May 12, 2010 while playing for Triple-A Louisville vs. Buffalo...LeCure started his season with 12 consecutive scoreless innings and did not walk any of the first 39 batters he faced...He's done a great job against fellow right-handed batters, limiting them to a .217 average...Prior to this season, LeCure had not started a game since April 27, 2011 for the Cincinnati Reds at Milwaukee...He signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers April 6 after spending spring training with the Arizona Diamondbacks...Today marks his first career appearance against the River Cats.
Against the River Cats: 2016: 2-1 2015: 0-4 All-time: 34-41 At Sacramento: 19-20
With yesterday's win, OKC guaranteed it will at least split a series in Sacramento for the fourth consecutive time...This is the lone series between the teams, and the first appearance for OKC in Sacramento since 2014...The teams last met June 2-5, 2015 in OKC, with Sacramento sweeping the Dodgers, 4-0. The River Cats outscored the Dodgers, 22-11, and outhit OKC, 44-34, in the 2015 series. Sacramento scored at least five runs in each of the final three games last season. It was OKC's first sweep at home since Sacramento's previous visit to Bricktown, Aug. 10-13, 2012..OKC won the most recent series in Sacramento, 3-1, Aug. 16-19, 2014 and is 1-0-2 in the last three series at Raley Field.
100 Percent Cotton: In two outings since returning to the starting rotation, Jharel Cotton has allowed just two runs and four hits over 10 innings while notching 15 strikeouts. His 51 strikeouts this season lead the Dodgers. For his recent efforts, today Cotton was named PCL Pitcher of the Week, becoming the first Dodgers pitcher nab the honor since Scott Baker did so for the week of June 22-28, 2015...In addition to his pitching prowess Sunday, Cotton went 2-for-2 at the plate with a RBI triple and a run scored. He is now 3-for-9 with three RBI this season.
On the Mend: Rehabbing Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu was scheduled to start today, but he has been scratched due to shoulder soreness...Scott Van Slyke went 0-for-4 with a RBI yesterday. In five games with OKC, Van Slyke is 4-for-22 with a homer and three RBI. He is not scheduled to play in today's game...Alex Guerrero went 1-for-4 yesterday and went 1-for-8 with six strikeouts in his two games with OKC. He has reached his 20-day maximum of his rehab assignment...Pitcher Frankie Montas is scheduled to throw an inning in today's game. Montas is recovering from rib resection surgery and began his rehab assignment with Double-A Tulsa. In three appearances with the Drillers, Montas allowed one run and two hits with seven strikeouts over 4.2 IP.
Rebound on the Mound: The Dodgers have held the River Cats to two total runs over the last two wins, following a stretch of six straight losses during which they allowed 46 runs...The Dodgers put together eight scoreless frames to close out Sunday's game after allowing one run in the first inning...Sunday marked just the fourth time in the last 18 games the Dodgers held an opponent to less than four runs in a game. Sunday was also the sixth time in May the Dodgers held an opponent to one or no runs (27 games) and the first time the Dodgers held an opponent to one or no runs in back-to-back games since doing so in three straight contests April 9-11...Following a rough two-week stretch, the bullpen has really turned things around over the past four games, allowing just one earned run (two runs total) and 11 hits, with two walks and 17 strikeouts over 18.2 innings.
Charlie in Charge: Charlie Culberson has back-to-back multi-hit games for the Dodgers, after going 2-for-4 Sunday with a double, a run scored, and a stolen base. He has hit safely in his last three games, going 5-for-12, and has hit safely in four of his six games since joining Oklahoma City May 21. Three of his six hits with OKC have been doubles.
Rico Suave: Outfielder Rico Noel did not play Sunday, but went 2-for-4 Saturday and has now hit safely in a season-high five straight games. During the five-game stretch he is 6-for-17 with four extra-base hits. The hitting streak is his longest since last hitting safely in five straight games Aug. 21-25, 2014 with El Paso.
Short Hops: Yesterday's win snapped a four-game losing streak in day games. OKC is now 7-6 under the sun this season...Scheduled Sacramento starting pitcher Clayton Blackburn is from Oklahoma City and attended Edmond Sante Fe High School. Last season against the Dodgers in Bricktown, Blackburn allowed two runs over seven solid innings en route to picking up a win...The OKC Dodgers would like to wish a very special happy 50th birthday to revered River Cats broadcaster Johnny Doskow.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)
DATE TIME OPPONENT OKC PITCHERS OPP. PITCHER
Tuesday, May 31 7:05 p.m. Iowa RHP Zach Lee (6-2, 4.58) RHP Alex Sanabia (0-1, 11.91)
Wednesday, June 1 7:05 p.m. Iowa TBA RHP Drew Rucinski (3-4, 5.93)
Thursday, June 2 7:05 p.m. Iowa LHP Julio Urias (4-1, 1.10) TBA
Friday, June 3 7:05 p.m. Iowa TBA LHP Rob Zastryzny (1-0, 3.75)
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