PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

OKC Dodgers Game Notes - April 12, 2018

Published on April 12, 2018 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Round Rock Express (1-6) vs. Oklahoma City Dodgers (4-1)

Texas Rangers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Game #6 of 140/Home #3 of 70 (2-0)

Pitching Probables: RR-LHP Yohander Mendez (0-1, 13.50) vs. OKC-LHP Manny Bañuelos (0-0, 2.25)

Thursday, April 12, 2017 | Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark | Oklahoma City, Okla. | 7:05 p.m. CT

Radio: KGHM AM-1340 The Game, 1340thegame.com, iHeartRadio - Alex Freedman

Today's Game: The Oklahoma City Dodgers continue their first homestand of the season and wrap up a three-game set against the Round Rock Express at 7:05 p.m. at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Tonight is a $2 Thursday, featuring $2 Pepsi products, bottled water and select beer. The Dodgers lead the series, 2-0, and try to start the season with three straight home wins for the first time since 2007 when OKC won its first three home games against Memphis.

Last Game: The Dodgers scored 18 runs between the second and fifth innings on the way to a 19-1 win against Round Rock Wednesday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. A RBI single by Donovan Solano gave OKC a 1-0 lead in the second inning. The Dodgers then added nine runs on seven hits in the third inning. Tim Locastro tripled and hit a RBI double in the inning. Andrew Toles collected two singles and three RBI in the frame. Travis Taijeron added a two-run double as the Dodgers built a 10-0 advantage. Round Rock's lone run of the night scored on a wild pitch by Walker Buehler in the fourth. The Dodgers offense quickly got the run back on a sacrifice fly by Breyvic Valera. The Dodgers piled on seven more runs in the fifth inning, including a three-run homer by Rocky Gale. In the bottom of the eighth, Toles brought home Locastro with a RBI single for a 19-1 lead. The Dodgers also showcased solid pitching throughout the night. Buehler (1-0) tossed 5.0 innings, allowing one run, four hits and one walk with six strikeouts. Dodgers relievers Adam Liberatore, C.C. Lee and Pat Venditte combined to hold the Express to one hit over four scoreless frames. The Dodgers pitching staff combined to rack up 12 strikeouts in the game. Express starting pitcher Adrian Sampson (0-2) was charged with the loss.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Veteran lefty Manny Bañuelos makes his second start of the season for the Dodgers...In his team debut April 5 at Iowa in Game 2 of a doubleheader, Bañuelos allowed two runs (one earned) and three hits over 4.0 innings with one walk and three strikeouts in a no decision...Bañuelos signed with the Dodgers as a free agent Nov. 14, 2017 after spending 2017 with Triple-A Salt Lake in the Los Angeles Angels organization...Bañuelos appeared in a team-leading 39 games (nine starts) with Salt Lake, pitching 95.0 innings to a record of 5-6, a 4.93 ERA and 85 strikeouts...Bañuelos has appeared in seven career ML games (six starts), all with Atlanta in 2015. He compiled a 1-4 record over 26.1 IP, with a 5.13 ERA, and 19 K's....The Durango, Mexico native signed as an amateur free agent with the New York Yankees out of the Mexican League March 30, 2008. He was traded to Atlanta Jan. 1, 2015 and signed as a free agent with the Angels Aug. 18, 2016...Today is Bañuelos' second career appearance against the Express. He pitched 1.1 innings of scoreless relief in Round Rock May 21 while with the Salt Lake Bees last season. He allowed two walks and struck out three batters.

Against the Express: 2018: 2-0 2017: 9-6 All-time: 116-92 At OKC: 57-48

This marks the first series of the season between the teams...The Dodgers won the 2017 head-to-head series, 9-6, and have won three straight season series against Round Rock...OKC went 5-2 against the Express at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark and has not posted a losing record at home against Round Rock since 2014...The Express won the last three meetings against OKC in September 2017 at Dell Diamond, handing OKC its first series loss in Round Rock since June 25-28, 2011...Drew Maggi collected a team-leading 18 hits against the Express last season, posting a .419 average over 14 games. Max Muncy led OKC with 10 RBI, along with 12 hits, 10 walks and a team-best 13 runs scored...Former OKC Dodger Willie Calhoun racked up three homers and 11 RBI in eight games against his former team...The Dodgers have scored eight or more runs in seven of their last nine home games against the Express, reaching double digits four times.

Playing All the Hits: The Dodgers' 19 runs Wednesday night tied for the fifth-most runs scored by an Oklahoma City team in the modern PCL era and tied for third-most at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. It stands as one of eight games in which the team scored at least 19 runs and one of four times to happen at home...Wednesday's run total was the highest by an OKC team since the RedHawks defeated Colorado Springs, 24-5, Aug. 3, 2013 in Bricktown...OKC's nine-run third inning marked the team's highest inning run total since also scoring nine runs in the bottom of the seventh inning July 18, 2015 against Round Rock...Oklahoma City outhit the Express, 19-5, Wednesday, posting the Dodgers' highest hit total since also picking up 19 hits last season in a 17-9 win Aug. 21, 2017 at Colorado Springs.

Wiggle Room: After each of the Dodgers' first four games of the season were decided by one run, the Dodgers defeated Round Rock by an 18-run margin Wednesday. The margin of victory was the third-largest since Oklahoma City rejoined the PCL in 1998 and second-largest at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, only topped by a 24-5 win over Colorado Springs on Aug. 3, 2013.

For Whom the Bell Toles: Andrew Toles paced OKC's offense Wednesday, going 4-for-6 with a double, two runs scored and five RBI. The five RBI tied his career high, set Aug. 31, 2016 while with the Los Angeles Dodgers at Colorado. His four hits were the most he's totaled in a game since June 15, 2016 when he connected on five hits for Double-A Tulsa at Arkansas, and it marked his fourth career game with at least four hits...Toles has hit safely in each of his first five games and leads the Dodgers with nine hits and six RBI (9x23). His five runs scored and four doubles are tied for the team lead.

Ya Better Call Taijeron: After reaching base in all five of his plate appearances in Tuesday's home opener, Travis Taijeron reached base in each of his first three plate appearances Wednesday, hitting two doubles and drawing a walk before he flied out to right field in the fifth inning. Through his first five games of the season, Taijeron is 7-for-11 with four doubles, four RBI, three walks and four runs scored. He has reached base in 11 of his first 15 plate appearances.

Two-Hit Timmy: Tim Locastro finished a home run shy of the cycle Wednesday, batting 3-for-5 with a walk and RBI. He scored four times, tying his career high set May 10, 2016 with High-A Rancho Cucamonga at Lancaster when he hit for the cycle...In 35 career games with OKC, Locastro has slashed .402/.460/.571 with 13 multi-hit games and 13 stolen bases. He's notched two or more hits in 11 of his last 21 games with OKC going back to last season.

Opportunity Knocks: The Dodgers were an incredible 14-for-20 with runners in scoring position last night, including 7-for-9 with two outs. Going back to Saturday at Iowa, the Dodgers are 22-for-the-last-39 with runners in scoring position (.564), including 11-for-17 with two outs (.647)...Additionally, when there has been a runner at third with less than two out this season, the team has scored the runner in eight of nine chances, including the last seven straight.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)

DATE TIME OPPONENT OKC PITCHER OPPONENT PITCHER

Friday, April 13 7:05 p.m. New Orleans RHP Brock Stewart (0-0, 0.00) RHP Ben Meyer (1-0, 0.00)

Saturday, April 14 7:05 p.m. New Orleans RHP Alec Asher (NR, -.--) RHP Joe Gunkel (0-0, 3.00)

Sunday, April 15 2:05 p.m. New Orleans RHP Zach Neal (0-0, 4.50) LHP Adam Conley (0-2, 21.21)

Monday, April 16 7:05 p.m. New Orleans RHP Walker Buehler (1-0, 2.00) RHP Zac Gallen (1-1, 1.50)

Check out the Oklahoma City Comets Statistics

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