PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

DeFratus Deals Nine-Inning Shutout for Dodgers

Published on May 11, 2018 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City - Justin DeFratus pitched a complete-game four-hit shutout for the Oklahoma City Dodgers Friday night, sealing a 2-0 Dodgers win against the Memphis Redbirds at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

DeFratus (2-1) threw 89 pitches, including 64 strikes, and notched three strikeouts as he pitched his second career complete game and first career shutout Friday night in front of a crowd of 9,470.

The nine-inning complete game was the first by a Dodgers pitcher since Trevor Oaks on Aug. 15, 2016 against El Paso.

DeFratus' shutout was the first nine-inning shutout by an Oklahoma City pitcher since Jake Buchanan May 20, 2014 at New Orleans and the first at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark since Luis Mendoza's no-hitter Aug. 14, 2009 against Salt Lake.

With the win Friday, Oklahoma City (24-9) earned a split in its four-game series against Memphis and has now won or split 10 straight series against the Redbirds.

DeFratus faced the minimum through five innings, allowing just one hit.

Memphis starting pitcher Kevin Herget (1-4) allowed just one hit for the Dodgers through four innings, retiring 12 straight Dodgers batters at one point before Oklahoma City hit back-to-back singles in the fifth inning.

The Dodgers' offense broke through in the sixth inning when Breyvic Valera hit a leadoff triple and Donovan Solano followed with a sacrifice fly for a 1-0 Dodgers lead.

Kyle Garlick homered for the fourth time in the series against the Redbirds, drilling a solo shot out to left-center field in the eighth inning to extend Oklahoma City's lead to 2-0.

The Redbirds' offense threatened in the top of the ninth inning. With two outs, Max Schrock doubled and Tyler O'Neill was hit by pitch to bring the winning run to the plate. But DeFratus got pinch-hitter Wilfredo Tovar to ground out and complete the shutout.

Herget was charged with the loss for the Redbirds, allowing one run and seven hits over 6.2 innings with seven strikeouts for Memphis (22-14).

Friday night's game was completed in 1 hour, 54 minutes, marking Oklahoma City's shortest nine-inning game since Aug. 20, 2006 at Iowa (1:54) and the shortest nine-inning game in Bricktown since Aug. 3, 2006 against Las Vegas (1:52).

The Dodgers have now won 24 of their first 33 games for their best start through 33 games since Oklahoma City rejoined the PCL in 1998.

The Dodgers next open a four-game road series against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox at 7 p.m. Central time Saturday at Security Service Field.

Live coverage begins 15 minutes before first pitch on AM 1340 "The Game," 1340thegame.com, or through the free iHeartRadio mobile app.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from May 11, 2018


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