OKC Dodgers Game Notes - April 13, 2023
Published on April 13, 2023 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release
Sugar Land Space Cowboys (4-6) at Oklahoma City Dodgers (8-3)
Game #12 of 150/First Half #12 of 75/Home #6 of 75
Pitching Probables: SUG-RHP Austin Hansen (0-0, 1.59) vs. OKC-LHP Robbie Erlin (0-0, 8.64)
Thursday, April 13, 2023 | Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark | Oklahoma City, Okla. | 7:05 p.m. CT
Radio: KGHM-AM 1340 The Game, 1340thegame.com, iHeartRadio; Video: Bally Live, MiLB.tv
Today's Game: The Oklahoma City Dodgers continue their home series against the Sugar Land Space Cowboys at 7:05 p.m. at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark...The 8-3 Dodgers own the best record in the Pacific Coast League as well as the most wins in all of Triple-A to begin the 2023 season...After a loss Wednesday, the Dodgers are trying to avoid their first back-to-back defeats of the season.
Last Game: The Oklahoma City Dodgers were held to a season-low four hits for a second straight game in a 7-3 loss to the Sugar Land Space Cowboys Wednesday afternoon at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The Space Cowboys took a 2-0 lead in the second inning with a RBI double by Bryan Arias and a RBI single by Luke Berryhill. They built a 4-0 advantage in the sixth inning via a bases-loaded walk and RBI groundout. The Dodgers scored their first run of the day on a RBI groundout by Steven Duggar in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Space Cowboys expanded the lead to 7-1 on a three-run homer by Rylan Bannon in the eighth inning. Oklahoma City answered with two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning as Duggar drew a bases-loaded walk and another run scored when Ryan Ward hit into a double play.
Today's Probable Pitcher: Robbie Erlin (0-0) is scheduled to make his third start of the season tonight and second at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark...Erlin last started in Las Vegas April 7, allowing six runs, but only one earned, and seven hits in 4.1 innings with four strikeouts. He did not issue a walk and did not factor into the decision of the Dodgers' 12-6 win. He allowed three homers in the game and has now allowed a total of seven home runs through his first two appearances of the season (8.1 IP), accounting for 13 of the 14 total runs against him...Erlin spent the majority of the 2022 season with the OKC Dodgers, making 21 appearances, including 14 starts. He went 5-4 with a 7.01 ERA, allowing 63 runs (60 earned) and 95 hits in 77.0 innings. He had 69 strikeouts against 35 walks. Erlin tied for fourth on the team in starts and ranked fourth in strikeouts. The team went 8-6 in his starts...Erlin also made two relief outings with Los Angeles in 2022 on May 8 and 9 at the Cubs and Pirates, respectively...He originally signed with the Dodgers as a free agent Feb. 21, 2022, and the lefty re-signed with the organization during this past offseason...Erlin was originally selected by Texas in the third round of the 2009 MLB Draft and traded to San Diego July 31, 2011. He has appeared in 117 games (43 starts) in the Majors, primarily with San Diego, but has also logged time with Pittsburgh, Atlanta and Los Angeles (NL)...Erlin made two relief appearances against the Space Cowboys last season, going 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA. He did not allow a run gave up just three hits across 8.1 innings with 13 strikeouts and only one walk.
Against the Space Cowboys: 2023: 1-1 2022: 16-8 All-time: 29-21 At OKC: 18-11
The Dodgers and Space Cowboys meet for their first of four series this season and first of two at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark within a span of six weeks...The Dodgers won the 2022 series, 16-8, and went 11-4 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The Dodgers did not lose back-to-back games to Sugar Land at any point last season...The teams split their most recent series Aug. 16-21, 2022 in Sugar Land in a series that included two games that extended to the 10th inning and were won on walk-off hits by the Space Cowboys. The series also included a doubleheader with Sugar Land winning the second game, 21-4, in seven innings, featuring a 17-run inning...The teams last met in OKC July 26-31, 2022 with OKC winning the set, 4-2, including two walk-off wins in 10 innings...Miguel Vargas led the Dodgers with 33 hits, 18 RBI, 23 runs scored and five homers against Sugar Land last season...Pitchers Ryan Pepiot and Carson Fulmer each had four wins in the season series, while Pepiot posted a 1.82 ERA in five games (three starts) with 29 strikeouts...Of last season's 24 total meetings, nine were one-run games.
Strong Start: The Dodgers' 8-3 record is the team's best start through 11 games since the 2018 season when the Dodgers started 10-1. Only the 2018, 2015 (9-2) and 2008 (9-2) teams had more wins through 11 games...The current hot start included a six-game winning streak April 1-7, which was the first six-game winning streak for OKC at any point of a season since a six-game streak July 18-24, 2019...The Dodgers won their first road series of the season in Las Vegas, 5-1. It marked the fifth time out of 45 six-games series since the start of the 2021 season that the Dodgers have won five of six games during the same set. The previous time was April 5-10, 2022 in the season-opening series at home against Albuquerque...Only five OKC teams in the last 24 seasons have had three or fewer losses through 12 games: 2018 (10-2); 2015 (9-3); 2008 (9-3); 2004 (9-3) and 1999 (9-3).
Rally Killer: After mounting comebacks in back-to-back games, as well as in four straight wins, the Dodgers were unable to rebound after falling behind Wednesday afternoon's loss...The Dodgers overcame a three-run deficit Tuesday night, scoring four unanswered runs in the win against the Space Cowboys in the series opener. On Friday and Sunday in Las Vegas, the Dodgers erased five-run deficits to come back to win. Last Thursday in Las Vegas, the Dodgers trailed by two runs before coming back to win as well. In just one of OKC's first eight wins this season have the Dodgers scored first and held the lead for an entire game...Tuesday night marked the Dodgers' sixth win of the season by a one-run margin and also the team's fifth last at-bat victory through the first 10 games. It was also the fourth time already this season the Dodgers trailed in the eighth inning or later in a game they eventually won and was the third time in the last eight games they did not hold a lead until their final at-bat.
Steadfast: Michael Busch doubled in a third straight game Wednesday as he tallied OKC's lone extra-base hit of the day, going 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored. He has hit safely in 10 of his first 11 games, and is 15-for-45 overall this season with three doubles, nine RBI and eight runs scored...Busch has hit safely in seven straight games (10x28) and reached base in each of OKC's first 11 games of 2023 - tied with Salt Lake's Jo Adell for the longest on-base streak in the PCL to start the season...He is tied for the team lead with 15 hits - tied for fourth in the league - while his nine RBI and eight runs scored are tied for second among OKC players...Busch was named a 2022 MiLB.com Organization All-Star after slashing a combined .274/.365/.516 with 32 home runs, 108 RBI and a Minor League-leading 118 runs between Double-A Tulsa and Oklahoma City...On the defensive side, Busch played his first career game at third base yesterday.
First Offense: The Dodgers tied their season-low mark with four hits overall as well as their season-low with one extra-base hit Wednesday. The team was also held 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, marking the first time this season they did not collect at least one hit with RISP...Wednesday's three runs also marked the team's second-lowest run total in a game this season and lowest in five games at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark to start 2023...Over the first two games of the current series, the Dodgers have recorded a season-low four total hits each time after averaging 9.7 hits a game through their first nine games, including 10 or more hits five times. Between Tuesday and Wednesday, the Dodgers were held 8-for-60 (.133) overall and 2-for-21 with RISP...The Dodgers have seven total runs over the last two games and a total of 14 runs over the last four games after averaging eight runs through their first seven games of 2023 and scoring at least seven runs in five games.
More Than Lukewarm: Luke Williams leads the Dodgers with 12 RBI and is tied for the team lead with 15 hits to start the season, but was held 0-for-3 with a walk Wednesday and did not tally a hit for just the second game this season in 10 games...Ten of his hits have gone for extra bases and he is batting .366 (15x41) with six doubles, two triples and two homers...Williams' six doubles pace the Pacific Coast League, while his two triples are tied for first. His 10 extra-base hits are second-most in the league, while his 15 hits and 12 RBI are tied for fourth and his 31 total bases are fifth...Williams has homered two times in 48 plate appearances this season after going deep just twice in 194 total plate appearances between the Majors and Triple-A last season and only three times in 445 total plate appearances between 2021-22.
Walking, Not Running: The Dodgers have drawn 21 walks over the last two games, including a season-high 14 walks Tuesday night - the most by the team since July 14, 2017 when OKC also drew 14 walks against New Orleans at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. However, the team has only converted five of those 21 walks into runs, and going back to Sunday's game in Las Vegas, they've turned just six of their last 27 free passes into runs...Last season OKC led all teams in the Minors with 731 walks, setting a team record and posting the most walks by any Triple-A team since 2004.
Yardwork: After hitting six homers over the previous three games entering this series, OKC has yet to hit a home run against the Space Cowboys through two games. The Dodgers have 13 homers through 11 games...On the other hand, OKC has allowed a home run in six straight games (12 HR) and at least two home runs in four of the last five games (11 HR) - accounting for 20 of the 30 total runs allowed during that time. Five of the last seven home runs allowed have been with at least one runner one base, and Rylan Bannon's home run in the eighth inning yesterday marked the second time in three games the Dodgers surrendered a three-run homer with two outs in an inning.
Out of the Blocks: Opponents have scored 27 of 69 total runs (39.1 percent) within the first two innings, and the Dodgers have been outscored 27-11 over the first two frames this season. They've held the opposition scoreless through two innings just twice through 11 games and once within the last nine games...Opponents have scored first overall in nine of 11 contests this season...Following the second inning, the Dodgers have outscored opponents, 59-42.
Around the Horn: After drawing a career-high four walks Tuesday night, Drew Avans drew two more walks Wednesday. Avans has eight total walks this season - second-most on the team -and all eight have come within the last six games...With his four walks Tuesday night, Hunter Feduccia has now reached base in 14 of his first 27 plate appearances this season...Steven Duggar recorded two RBI Wednesday for his third multi-RBI outing in his last five games (9 RBI total)...The Dodgers have committed 13 errors in 11 games and at least one error in six of the last seven games...The Dodgers stole three bases yesterday for the third time in the first 11 games. Last season they did not have their third game with three steals until May 14 (Game 35). They have 15 steals overall this season matching their total through 23 games in 2022...Patrick Mazeika has hit safely in three straight games, going 4-for-10 with a walk.
Pacific Coast League Stories from April 13, 2023
- Tatis, Chihuahuas Crush Isotopes 19-6 - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Space Cowboys Launch Three Homers in 12-5 Defeat - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Round Rock Walks Off Tacoma For 2-1 Victory - Round Rock Express
- Easton McGee Cruises, Tacoma Toppled in Extras Consecutive Quality Starts for the Rainiers' Righty - Tacoma Rainiers
- Late Runs Push Kitties Past Aces 8-6 - Sacramento River Cats
- Sacramento Breaks Through Late, Defeats Reno 8-6 - Reno Aces
- Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: at Round Rock (5:05 p.m. PT) - Tacoma Rainiers
- OKC Dodgers Game Notes - April 13, 2023 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Reno Rallies In The Eighth As 'Cats Fall 6-5 - Sacramento River Cats
- Kalish Ties Career High Strikeouts in Bees' Victory - Salt Lake Bees
- Five-Run Eighth Inning Secures Reno's 6-5 Comeback Victory Over Sacramento - Reno Aces
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