OKC Dodgers Game Notes - April 14, 2018
April 14, 2018 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release
New Orleans Baby Cakes (4-5) vs. Oklahoma City Dodgers (6-1)
Miami Marlins vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Game #8 of 140/Home #5 of 70 (4-0)
Pitching Probables: NO-RHP Joe Gunkel (0-0, 3.00) vs. OKC-RHP Alec Asher (NR, -.--)
Saturday, April 14, 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 seek a sixth straight win overall, and fifth consecutive home win, when they continue their series against the New Orleans Baby Cakes at 7:05 p.m. at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The grand-prize winner of the 2018 National Anthem Tryouts presented by The Oklahoman and OKC Dodgers, Brittany Attaway, will perform tonight's National Anthem. The first INTEGRIS "Home Run for Life" of the season will follow the third inning.
Last Game: Henry Ramos' grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning helped seal the Dodgers' 10-3 win Friday against New Orleans at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Isaac Galloway gave New Orleans the first lead with a solo homer in the first inning. Andrew Toles answered in the bottom of the frame, belting his first homer of the season out to left field to knot the game, 1-1. OKC opened the third inning with three straight singles, including an RBI knock by Ramos, to take a 2-1 lead. With the bases loaded in the fifth, Donovan Solano lined a RBI single into center. New Orleans' center fielder Magneuris Sierra committed a fielding error, allowing two more runs to score. Rocky Gale followed with a RBI double to extend the Dodgers to a 6-1 lead. New Orleans' Rafael Ortega hit a two-run homer in the top of the sixth to cut OKC's lead to 6-3. The Cakes put the tying runs on after loading the bases with two outs in the top of the eighth, but Dodgers reliever Joe Broussard struck out Cito Culver to end the threat. Ramos' first career grand slam in the bottom of the inning capped the scoring. OKC starting pitcher Brock Stewart (1-0) got the win, allowing three runs and five hits over 5.2 innings, with one walk and eight strikeouts. New Orleans starting pitcher Ben Meyer (1-1) was charged with the loss.
Today's Probable Pitcher: Alec Asher makes his first start in the Dodgers organization tonight after being claimed off waivers from Baltimore April 5...He split last season between Triple-A Norfolk and Baltimore, starting the season with Norfolk, but playing the majority of the season in the Majors. With the Orioles, he made 24 appearances (six starts), posting a 2-5 record and 5.25 ERA with 47 strikeouts and 23 walks over 60.0 innings...In Triple-A last season, Asher made 10 starts, going 3-3 with a 4.65 ERA over 50.1 innings with 36 strikeouts and 15 walks...He was traded to Baltimore from Philadelphia March 28, 2017 and started his career in the Rangers organization...Asher made his Major League debut Aug. 30, 2015 with Philadelphia against San Diego and was charged with the loss, allowing four runs and eight hits over 5.1 innings...He was selected in the fourth round of the 2012 Draft by the Texas Rangers from Polk Community College in Florida...Asher made three starts against New Orleans in 2015 while with Round Rock. He went 1-2 with a 3.95 ERA over 13.2 innings. He allowed seven runs (six earned) and 17 hits with 11 strikeouts and five walks.
Against the Baby Cakes: 2018: 1-0 2017: 6-9 All-time: 170-147 At OKC: 90-70
The Dodgers and Baby Cakes are meeting for their first series of 2018...New Orleans won the 2017 series, 9-6, marking their first season series win against Oklahoma City since 2011 and just their second against Oklahoma City since 2006. The Dodgers won two of the first three meetings, but went on to lose six of the next eight meetings and then split the final four-game set of the season. The Baby Cakes went 5-3 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in 2017, marking the fifth time in the last seven seasons New Orleans finished .500 or better in OKC...New Orleans had a slight edge in scoring, 67-66, while the Dodgers outhit New Orleans, 120-114...Willie Calhoun paced OKC with 15 hits and batted .405 over 11 games. Edwin Rios and Alex Verdugo each had 10 RBI in the series and Rios hit three homers. Max Muncy batted .406 (13x32) with five extra-base hits, nine runs, five RBI and nine walks against three strikeouts.
Homeboys: OKC is 4-0 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark for the first time since 2006. A win tonight would move the team into a tie for the best home start ever at 5-0, set in 2006...Additionally, Oklahoma City is 6-1 overall to start the season for the first time since 2004, matching the team's best start through seven games since rejoining the PCL in 1998. Only the 2000 and 2004 RedHawks also won six of their first seven games. A win tonight would give the Dodgers their best start to a season, as no Oklahoma City team has ever won seven of their first eight games since the team rejoined the PCL in 1998.
Home is Where the Hits Are: The Dodgers have racked up 45 hits over their last three games, including 17 Friday night. Through their first four home games, the Dodgers are batting .379 (55x145) with 11 doubles, a triple and five home runs en route to scoring 40 runs total in Bricktown...The Dodgers have already tallied five separate innings in which they scored four or more runs.
Oh Henry!: Henry Ramos went 4-for-5 at the plate Friday night with five RBI, and he connected on his first career grand slam in the eighth inning. After starting 2-for-16, Ramos has six hits in his last seven at-bats. He's also now tied for the team lead with eight RBI this season...His five RBI night Friday marked his highest RBI total since Aug. 10, 2010, when he had six RBI for the GCL Red Sox during his first professional season. The four hits also tied his career high, last achieved Aug. 1, 2017 against Tacoma in his OKC debut.
It's How You Start...and Finish: Through the first seven games of the season, OKC starting pitchers have combined to post a 2.36 ERA (9 ER/34.1 IP) and have held opponents to a .197 average (24x122). The rotation also currently has a 3.9/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio (35 K/9 BB)...Overall, the Dodgers pitching staff has allowed five runs over the last 29.0 innings, while OKC relievers have combined to hold opponents scoreless and to five hits over their last 12.1 innings with 14 strikeouts...The Dodgers have held their opponent to three or fewer runs in five of the first seven games.
For Whom the Bell Toles: Andrew Toles posted his third straight multi-hit night Friday, going 3-for-3 with his first home run of the season before being replaced by Breyvic Valera to start the sixth inning. Toles has hit safely in each of his first six games and leads the team with 12 hits this season (12x26). He's 9-for-13 over his last three contests with six RBI and five runs scored.
Dominant Donovan: Donovan Solano has collected three straight multi-hit games, going 8-for-12, including a 3-for-5 performance Friday with a double, RBI and run scored. He now has 10 total hits through his first six games with the Dodgers, along with four RBI and four runs scored.
Ya Better Call Taijeron: Travis Taijeron drew a walk in his lone plate appearance last night as a pinch hitter. Through his first seven games, Taijeron is 7-for-14 with four doubles, four RBI, a team-leading five walks and five runs scored. He has reached base in 13 of his first 20 plate appearances, and his .650 on-base percentage is tops in the PCL.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)
DATE TIME OPPONENT OKC PITCHER OPPONENT PITCHER
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)
Tuesday, April 17 7:05 p.m. at Round Rock LHP Manny Bañuelos (1-0, 1.80) TBA
Wednesday, April 18 11:35 a.m. at Round Rock RHP Brock Stewart (1-0, 2.38) TBA
Pacific Coast League Stories from April 14, 2018
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- Express Blast Three Homers in 8-6 Win over Sky Sox - Round Rock Express
- Sky Sox Drop Series Opener Versus Round Rock - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
- Sounds Game against Storm Chasers Suspended Due to Rain - Nashville Sounds
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- OKC Dodgers Game Notes - April 14, 2018 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Reno Aces Game Notes 4.14.18 at Fresno - Reno Aces
- Aces Lose Heartbreaker in Fresno, 7-6 - Reno Aces
- Kyle Tucker wins it in the 12th as Grizzlies come back twice versus Aces - Fresno Grizzlies
- Rainiers Hold off Sacramento 3-2 - Tacoma Rainiers
- Williamson homers for third straight game in narrow loss - Sacramento River Cats
- Bees Hang on in Albuquerque - Salt Lake Bees
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