Dodgers Can't Complete Comeback to Shrink Sugar Land's Lead
August 20, 2021 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release
The Sugar Land Skeeters scored nine runs within the first five innings and then fought off an Oklahoma City Dodgers comeback during a 9-8 win Thursday night at Constellation Field. The Dodgers (48-42) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning following a leadoff double by Luke Raley, who later scored on a RBI single by Zach Reks. Sugar Land's Ronnie Dawson answered with a leadoff homer in the bottom of the inning to tie the game. Raley hit his second double in as many innings in the second, this time scoring a run to put the Dodgers ahead 2-1. The Skeeters (50-40) proceeded to score eight straight runs to take a 9-2 lead. Sugar Land scored two runs in the second inning, four in the fourth inning and two more in the fifth inning. The Dodgers got back into the game with a four-spot in the sixth inning. Tony Wolters ripped a triple with the bases loaded and later scored on a wild pitch, cutting Sugar Land's lead to 9-6. Still trailing by three with one out in the ninth inning, Reks hit a two-run homer to close the gap to one. Sugar Land closer Ronel Blanco then retired the next two batters to end the game.
Of Note:
-By taking the series opener, Sugar Land pushed its first-place lead over the Dodgers to 2.0 games with five game remaining in the series. The Skeeters have now won five of the last seven meetings between the teams after the Dodgers went 9-3 in the first 12 meetings.
-Eleven of the last 13 games between the Dodgers and Skeeters have been decided by one or two runs, including all seven games at Constellation Field.
-For the third straight game, the Dodgers started their first at-bat with a leadoff extra-base hit. After homers on Sunday and Tuesday, Luke Raley opened Thursday's game with a double. He finished 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and a walk. Raley has now hit safely in seven of his last eight games, going 13-for-33 (.394) with three homers, four doubles and seven RBI.
-Zach Reks reached base four times, going 2-for-3 with two walks and tied his season high with three RBI. Reks drove in the team's first run with a RBI single in the first inning as well as the team's last two runs with a two-run homer in the ninth inning - his 16th homer of the season. Reks has now homered in four of his last six games.
-Sugar Land's Ronnie Dawson hit a leadoff homer for the Skeeters, marking the third straight game the Dodgers have played where the home team hit a leadoff homer. It was the third overall allowed by Oklahoma City and first since June 17 at Round Rock by Delino DeShields, also against Austin Bibens-Dirkx.
-After going 4-for-19 with one RBI in his first six games with OKC, Tony Wolters went 2-for-3 with a triple, walk, three RBI and two runs scored.
-With Reks' two-run homer in the ninth inning, the Dodgers have now hit 59 homers overall in their last 36 games. OKC has also now homered in nine of their last 10 games, totaling 15 homers during the stretch.
-Cristian Santana went 1-for-5 and has now hit safely in his last 18 starts. During the stretch, he is 29-for-74 (.392) with 13 RBI and 10 multi-hit games. He's also hit safely in 19 of his last 21 games overall.
-The Dodgers dropped to 2-7 in road series openers and have now lost four straight road series openers. In all other road games, the Dodgers are 26-14.
-Thursday's game was completed in 4 hours, 6 minutes without playing the bottom of the ninth inning. It's the third time in the last four games between OKC and Sugar Land that lasted at least four hours.
What's Next: The Dodgers continue their series in Sugar Land Friday night starting at 7:05 p.m. at Constellation Field. Live radio coverage of each OKC Dodgers game begins 15 minutes before first pitch on AM 1340 "The Game," 1340thegame.com and through the free iHeartRadio or MiLB First Pitch apps. All OKC Dodgers games are also available streamed live on MiLB.TV with a subscription.
Pacific Coast League Stories from August 20, 2021
- Alex Bregman Homers in Skeeters Victory - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Round Rock Sees 6-1 Game Two Loss to El Paso - Round Rock Express
- Chihuahuas Keep Round Rock off Balance, Break through Late - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Andrew Young Powers Reno to 8-4 Win over Salt Lake - Reno Aces
- Round Rock Express RHP Nick Snyder Promoted to Texas Rangers - Round Rock Express
- OKC Dodgers Game Notes - August 20, 2021 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Texas Rangers #2 Prospect INF Josh Jung Promoted to Round Rock Express - Round Rock Express
- Aces Notes - Reno Aces
- Skeeters to Honor Former Manager Gary Gaetti on Saturday - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Aviators Fall 10-6 to Albuquerque in Series Opener - Las Vegas Aviators
- Rainiers Road Dominance Continues in California with Extra-Inning Classic - Tacoma Rainiers
- Estrada, Vosler homer in extra innings defeat - Sacramento River Cats
- Two-Out Magic Leads Albuquerque to Series-Opening Triumph - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Dodgers Can't Complete Comeback to Shrink Sugar Land's Lead - Oklahoma City Comets
- Ronnie Dawson Collects 5 RBIs in Win over OKC - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Batten, Chihuahuas Edge Round Rock in 10 - El Paso Chihuahuas
- El Paso Claims Series Opener over Round Rock in Extras - Round Rock Express
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