PCL Oklahoma City Comets

OKC Dodgers Game Notes - April 15, 2022

Published on April 15, 2022 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City Dodgers (5-4) at El Paso Chihuahuas (6-3)

Game #10 of 150/Road #4 of 75

Pitching Probables: OKC-RHP Yefry Ramírez (0-0, 9.00) vs. ELP-RHP Reiss Knehr (0-1, 6.23)

Friday, April 15, 2022 | Southwest University Park | El Paso, Texas | 7:35 p.m. CT

Radio: KGHM-AM 1340 The Game, 1340thegame.com, iHeartRadio; Video: MiLB.tv

Today's Game: The Oklahoma City Dodgers look to snap a three-game losing skid when they continue their series against the El Paso Chihuahuas at 7:35 p.m. Central at Southwest University Park. After starting the season, 5-1, including four straight wins entering this series, the Dodgers are 0-3 during their first road trip of 2022.

Last Game: Aderlin Rodríguez hit a pair of three-run homers, including a walk-off blast in the ninth inning, sending the El Paso Chihuahuas to a 7-5 win over the Oklahoma City Dodgers Thursday night at Southwest University Park. Rodríguez helped stake the Chihuahuas to a 4-0 lead in the first inning with his first three-run homer of the night. The Dodgers overcame the four-run deficit and eventually took the lead in the eighth inning. Trailing 4-1 entering the frame, the Dodgers loaded the bases with two walks and a hit batter before Jason Martin drew a bases-loaded walk. Tomás Telis followed with a single to center field and El Paso outfielder Luis Liberato also committed an error, as three runs scored on the play to give the Dodgers their first lead at 5-4. After the first two batters of the bottom of the ninth inning reached base, Rodríguez stepped up with one out and clubbed the game-winning homer to right-center field.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Yefry Ramírez makes his second start of 2022 after making 25 appearances (22 starts) with the OKC Dodgers in 2021, leading the team in starts and innings...In his 2022 debut April 9 against Albuquerque in OKC, he allowed three runs and five hits, including a home run, over 3.0 innings with two walks and two strikeouts. He did not factor into the decision of OKC's 12-5 win...Last season, Ramírez posted a 6-4 record for OKC with a 5.02 ERA and 115 strikeouts. He ranked among the Triple-A West's top five in seven categories - second in strikeouts (115); second in starts (22); third in opponent average (.257); fourth in ERA (5.02); fourth in WHIP (1.45); fourth in innings pitched (113.0) and fifth in winning percentage (.600)...Ramírez was named Triple-A West Pitcher of the Month for June after going 2-0 with a 2.77 ERA in five starts. He allowed 20 hits and struck out 27 over 26.0 IP while holding opponents to a .213 average. He led the league in ERA and opponent average while he tied for the best WHIP (1.12)...In games at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark last season, Ramírez had a 2.92 ERA and held opponents to a .222 average...Overall, OKC went 14-8 in games he started...Ramírez originally signed with the Dodgers as a free agent March 25, 2021 and re-signed during this past offseason...He made one appearance for LAD last season with 2.0 scoreless innings in Arizona and also has ML experience with Baltimore and Pittsburgh...Ramírez went 4-0 in his five starts against the Chihuahuas last season, posting a 3.96 ERA over 25.0 IP with 10 walks and 32 K's over five starts.

Against the Chihuahuas: 2022: 0-3 2021: 14-9 All-time: 28-22 At ELP: 15-12 The Dodgers and Chihuahuas meet for their first series of 2022 and in El Paso for the first time since July 8-13, 2021...The Dodgers won the 2021 series between the teams, 14-9, winning six of the first eight meetings last season. OKC finished out the season series winning three of the final five meetings between the teams during the Triple-A Final Stretch Sept. 29-Oct. 3...The Dodgers posted an 8-4 record in El Paso in 2021...OKC outscored the Chihuahuas, 143-115, and had 37 homers while holding El Paso to 21 home runs over the 23-game season series...Luke Raley led the Dodgers' offense against the Chihuahuas in 2021, batting .333 in the series with 22 hits, including four homers, and 19 RBI...Starting pitcher Yefry Ramírez went 4-0 in five starts against El Paso, recording a team-leading 32 strikeouts against 10 walks while posting a 3.96 ERA over 25.0 IP...Outside of 2018, OKC has won or split each season series against the Chihuahuas since Tucson's franchise relocated to El Paso for the 2014 season...This is the first time OKC has ever lost three straight games at Southwest University Park since the Dodgers starting playing at the venue in 2015.

First Offense: The Dodgers were held to a season-low five hits last night. Entering Thursday, OKC had tallied at least 11 hits in five straight games for a total of 63 hits during the stretch. Also entering last night's game, the Dodgers had batted .341 (63x185) in the previous five games combined...Over the last two games, the Dodgers have scored a total of eight runs after scoring a combined 35 runs over the previous three games and at least eight runs in four straight games (43 runs total), marking the first time since July 9-11, 2004 in Colorado Springs an OKC team scored 11 or more runs in three consecutive games...Despite the offensive slowdown, the Dodgers' 62 total runs and 89 total hits through the season's first nine games still pace all of Triple-A...Four Dodgers players have at least 10 hits apiece so far this season.

Extra Credit: On Thursday, the Dodgers did not collect an extra-base hit for the first time this season and have two extra-base hits in the last two games combined after compiling 32 extra-base hits through the team's first seven games of the season. The Dodgers' 34 extra-base hits so far this season rank second in the Pacific Coast League behind Reno's 36 extra-base hits...Last night also snapped OKC's stretch of five straight games with a triple...Last season, the Dodgers only had three games out of 129 where they did not record an extra-base hit.

Pillar of Strength: Kevin Pillar extended his hitting streak to seven games and reached base three times last night. Pillar went 1-for-2 with two runs scored and also reached base via a walk and hit by pitch. During his hitting streak, Pillar is 11-for-25 (.440) with seven RBI. Over the first three games of the current series in El Paso, Pillar is 6-for-9 with two walks and three RBI...His current streak is tied with teammate Zach McKinstry for the second-longest in the PCL so far this season, trailing only Las Vegas infielder Nick Allen's nine-game streak...His eight runs scored are tied for second-most in the PCL and his .472 OBP ranks fifth in the league.

No Diggity, Noda: Ryan Noda went 1-for-3 with a walk, RBI and run scored Thursday night. The Triple-A rookie is off to a 10-for-26 (.385) start with a team-best eight walks and one HBP over his first 35 plate appearances (.543 OBP). He's currently on a six-game hitting streak, during which he's 9-for-19 with three homers and six RBI...His three homers so far in 2022 are tied with Jake Lamb for the team lead while his eight runs scored are also tied for most among Dodgers players to open the season...Noda's .543 OBP paces the PCL, while his 1.274 OPS is second and his eight walks and eight runs score are both tied for second-most in the league...Entering tonight, Noda has reached base in 17 of his last 27 plate appearances.

Walk-Offs: Thursday was the Dodgers' first walk-off defeat of the season. In 2021, the team suffered three walk-off losses, with the previous walk-off homer by Albuquerque's Brian Serven on May 23...OKC has also notched one walk-off victory this season with a walk-off homer by Jason Martin on Opening Night against Albuquerque at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

Close Calls: Each of the first three games of the current series have been decided by one or two runs, with two last at-bat wins by the Chihuahuas. Six the Dodgers' first nine games of the season overall have been decided by one or two runs and OKC is 2-4 in those games...Thursday was also the Dodgers' first loss when leading after eight innings this season. In 2021, they were 60-1 when leading after eight innings and the only loss occurred Sept. 18 vs. Round Rock (Game 116).

Rocky Road: For the second straight season, the Dodgers have started at least 0-3 on the road after dropping their first four road games in 2021 at Round Rock. The team was 1-6 through seven road games and 2-9 through 11 road games last season before going 35-19 over their final 54 road games.

Tick Tock: Following a nine-game grace period, new pace of play rules officially go into effect today. On-field timers will be used to enforce regulations, with batters required to be ready to hit and pitchers required to deliver the pitch within 14 seconds with the bases empty and 19 seconds with runners on base. Pitchers will risk automatic baserunner advancement if a third pick-off attempt or step-off within the same plate appearance is made without recording an out. These rules were used in the Low-A West and in the Arizona Fall League in 2021 and led to an improvement in pace of play and a reduction in average game time of more than 20 minutes.

Zach Zapped: Reigning PCL Player of the Week Zach McKinstry's seven-game hitting streak came to an end last night as he was held without a hit for the first time since OKC's season opener April 5. He went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts - just his second career four-strikeout game and first since Aug. 1, 2017 with High-A Rancho Cucamonga vs. Modesto...Over his seven-game hitting streak, McKinstry went 14-for-30 (.467) with a home run, three triples, three doubles, nine RBI and four multi-hit games. The streak is tied with teammate Kevin Pillar for the second-longest streak in the PCL so far this season...McKinstry's 14 hits this season are tied for most in the PCL, while his seven extra-base hits, including three triples, pace the league. His 26 total bases are second-most in the PCL.

Around the Horn: Tomás Telis accounted for three of OKC's five hits last night, setting a new season-high mark and going 3-for-4 with a team-best two RBI. He entered the game 3-for-13 with one RBI over his first three games of the season...Aderlin Rodríguez's six RBI last night were the most by an OKC opponent since Aug. 16, 2019 at Round Rock when Jack Mayfield hit three two-run homers...OKC has allowed at least one homer in six straight games after not allowing a homer over the first three games of 2022. Seven of the 11 homers OKC has allowed have come over the last three games in El Paso, including four three-run homers. Last season the Dodgers didn't allow their fourth three-run homer of the season until Game 30.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 15, 2022


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