PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

New Orleans Nicks Dodgers, 2-1

Published on July 1, 2018 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Metairie, La. - Cito Culver hit a game-winning single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, sending the New Orleans Baby Cakes to a 2-1 win over the Oklahoma City Dodgers Sunday afternoon at the Shrine on Airline.

The game was scoreless through six innings and was tied, 1-1, heading to the ninth inning. The Dodgers left runners at the corners in the top half of the inning, setting the stage for the "Cakes and Culver in the bottom half.

With one out, Tomas Telis walked and Cristhian Adames followed with a single to put runners at first and second base. During Jon Rodriguez's at-bat, pitcher Joe Broussard and catcher Rocky Gale got crossed up on a 1-1 pitch. Rodriguez swung through a fastball that ended up deflecting off the home plate umpire toward the New Orleans dugout, and the passed ball by Gale put runners at second and third base.

Broussard (4-3) then struck out Rodriguez, but Culver followed with a single through the left side of the infield to give New Orleans its fifth walk-off win of the season. Sunday's defeat was also the fifth walk-off loss this season for the Dodgers.

Neither team had much offense early, as neither starting pitcher yielded a run. OKC's Brock Stewart tossed a season-high six innings, while scattering six hits. He did not allow a walk and notched three strikeouts.

The only time the Baby Cakes strongly threatened to score against Stewart was in the bottom of the third inning after putting runners at second and third with none out. Stewart then induced a groundout, popout and strikeout in succession to keep the game tied.

The Dodgers offense couldn't break through either against New Orleans starting pitcher Odrisamer Despaigne, who turned in five scoreless innings, with five hits, no walks and five strikeouts.

New Orleans (40-43) broke the stalemate in the bottom of the seventh. Telis led off with a single and advanced to second base on the play when shortstop Breyvic Valera made an errant throw toward first base. On the next play, Telis advanced to third base on a groundout. He then scored on a RBI single by Rodriguez.

With two strikes and two outs in the eighth inning, Andrew Toles homered to right field to even the score, going deep for the second time in as many games. Toles tallied the only two extra-base hits on the day for the Dodgers and collected his sixth consecutive multi-hit game.

Although the Dodgers notched 11 hits on the day, they went just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left 10 runners on base, including the go-ahead run in scoring position in both the eighth and ninth innings.

Kyle Farmer chipped in with a team-high three hits. Alex Verdugo, Connor Joe and Valera each had two hits.

New Orleans reliever Javy Guerra (2-0) kept the Dodgers off the board in the ninth inning to earn the win. He worked around a leadoff single by Joe and struck out Henry Ramos with runners at the corners to end the inning.

Sunday's loss was the 11th in the last 14 games the Dodgers (44-35), as well as their eighth loss in the last nine games. The team is less than 10 games above .500 for the first time since April 25 when the team was 13-4.

After dropping three of four games to start the series in New Orleans, the Dodgers return to action 7 p.m. Monday. Live radio 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 July 1, 2018


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