PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

Dodgers Prevail in Tight Contest in El Paso

June 18, 2019 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


El Paso, Texas - A key two-run double by Connor Joe and go-ahead home run by Will Smith paired with a great effort from the pitching staff led to a 3-2 win for the Oklahoma City Dodgers over the El Paso Chihuahuas Monday night at Southwest University Park.

The Dodgers trailed, 2-0, entering the seventh inning and had been held to four hits through six innings. Angelo Mora began the seventh with a double, and two batters later, Errol Robinson singled to put runners at the corners with one out.

OKC relief pitcher Josh Sborz came up next and laid down what appeared to be a successful squeeze bunt, scoring Mora and advancing Robinson to second base. However, Sborz was called out for running too far inside the baseline, and Mora and Robinson were returned to their bases.

Joe then came through in the clutch, sending a game-tying double to left-center field. Up to that point, the Dodgers were just 1-for-11 with runners on base.

After Sborz returned to the mound and retired the side in order in the bottom of the seventh, Smith led off the eighth inning with the game still tied. He hit a high fly ball onto the walkway above the grass seating in left field, giving the Dodgers their first lead.

For Smith, it marked his fifth consecutive game with a home run and his team-leading 13th of the season with OKC. He finished Monday's game 2-for-5, also notching a double.

The Chihuahuas (43-27) put runners at first and second base with one out in the bottom of the inning, but Dodgers reliever Kevin Quackenbush struck out the next two batters to end the threat.

Still leading by one run in the bottom of the ninth, Zac Rosscup retired the side in order, including a pair of strikeouts, to seal the win and earn his first save.

With the win, the Dodgers (29-40) improved to 10-1 over their last 11 road games and 5-1 on their current road trip.

The Chihuahuas led for most of the night and got on the board first, scoring two runs in the bottom of the second inning, marking the first time in 11 road games the Dodgers did not score first. With a runner at first base, Esteban Quiroz doubled, and Mora missed the throw coming in from deep center field, allowing a run to score. Boog Powell added a two-out RBI double, extending the lead to 2-0.

After Powell's double, the Chihuahuas were limited to four hits for the remainder of the game and only put two runners in scoring position, with none reaching third base. OKC starting pitcher Mitchell White found his groove after that as well and retired 10 of the final 11 batters he faced.

Sborz (2-3) retired six of seven batters between the sixth and seventh innings to earn the win. The OKC pitching staff combined for 10 strikeouts and no walks and held El Paso without a home run for just the third time in 35 home games this season.

Chihuahuas reliever Andres Munoz (2-2) gave up Smith's homer and took the loss.

The Dodgers finish their road trip and seek a series win in El Paso when they meet the Chihuahuas at 8:05 p.m. Central time Tuesday at Southwest University Park. Live radio coverage of each 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 June 18, 2019


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