PCL Oklahoma City Comets

Dodgers Earn 5-2 Win Over Rainiers

Published on August 12, 2023 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


The Oklahoma City Dodgers hit five home runs, including four between the seventh and eighth innings, leading the way to a 5-2 win over the Tacoma Rainiers Friday night at Cheney Stadium. Trailing, 1-0, in the third inning, Justin Yurchak tied the game with the team's first home run of the night. Tacoma (22-15/59-53) regained the lead in the bottom of the inning and still led, 2-1, entering the seventh inning. On consecutive pitches with one out in the top of the seventh inning, Ryan Ward and Bryson Brigman hit back-to-back homers to give the Dodgers (23-14/73-37) their first lead of the game. In the eighth inning, Michael Busch and David Freitas each went deep to push the score to 5-2. The OKC pitching staff kept the Rainiers off the board over the final six innings, allowing three hits with nine strikeouts during that time.

Of Note:

-The Dodgers got back in the win column after dropping the first three games of any series for the first time this season. The win also snapped OKC's three-game road losing streak, matching their longest of the season...The Dodgers are now 14-4 over their last 18 road games and 17-5 over the last 22 road games.

-The Dodgers' five home runs were the team's most in a nine-inning game this season. They have hit at least two homers in all four games during the current series, notching a total of 12 home runs during that time...The Dodgers have hit at least one home run in 11 of the last 13 games (29 HR) and 23 of the last 27 games (47 HR)...The back-to-back home runs by Ryan Ward and Bryson Brigman in the seventh inning marked the team's sixth back-to-back jacks of the season.

-Michael Busch hit a solo homer over the right field foul pole leading off the eighth inning for his fourth home run over four games in Tacoma. He also extended his current on-base streak to 35 games. It's the longest on-base streak by an Oklahoma City player this season, is the longest active on-base streak in the PCL and tied for the third-longest streak in the league this season. During the streak, Busch is 50-for-149 (.336) with 16 homers, 38 RBI, 24 walks and 33 runs scored...Busch has now collected 10 home runs in his last 17 games.

-Ryan Ward hit a game-tying homer in the sixth inning or later for a second straight game. He has hit safely in 13 of his last 15 games, batting .344 (22x64) with 11 extra-base hits, including six home runs.

-David Freitas set a season high with three hits, including his third home run of the season as well as a double. Despite sporadic playing time, Freitas has now recorded a 16-game hitting streak since June 9, going 21-for-64 (.328).

-Bryson Brigman collected a second straight multi-hit game, going 2-for-4. He hit just his second home run of the season and first since June 30 at Sugar Land.

-Starting pitcher Gavin Stone tied his season high with 6.0 innings for the fifth time in his last seven starts. He was charged with two runs total, but only one earned run, and allowed three hits. Although Stone issued five walks, he also recorded seven strikeouts. He got stronger as the game went on, retiring 10 of the final 11 batters he faced, including the last seven in a row.

What's Next: The Dodgers will try and build off the win when they meet the Rainiers at 8:05 p.m. CT Saturday at Cheney Stadium. 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.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from August 12, 2023


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