PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

OKC Dodgers Game Notes - April 22, 2015

Published on April 22, 2015 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City Dodgers (10-3) vs. Nashville Sounds (7-6)

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Oakland A's

Game #14 of 144/Road #6 of 72 (4-1)

Pitching Probables: OKC-RHP Zach Lee (2-0, 0.75) vs. NAS-RHP Arnold Leon (0-0, 7.56)

Wednesday, April 22, 2015 | First Tennessee Park | Nashville, Tenn. | 7:05 p.m. CT

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

Today's Game : The OKC Dodgers continue their first road trip of the season at 7:05 p.m. against Nashville at First Tennessee Park. The Dodgers are 4-1 on the road trip so far, and have matched the team's best start through 13 games since joining the PCL in 1998 at 10-3 overall. They are the only team in the PCL currently with 10 wins.

Yesterday's Game : Playing for the first time at First Tennessee Park, Oklahoma City used a four-run rally in the sixth inning for a 6-2 win over Nashville Tuesday. The Sounds quickly took the lead in the bottom of the first inning, when Joey Wendle hit a solo home run -- the first ever hit at First Tennessee Park. Scott Schebler knocked the second-ever homer out of the park in the third inning, hitting an opposite field shot to make it 1-1. Nashville regained the lead in the bottom of the inning on a Max Muncy RBI single. The Dodgers put a four-run rally together in the sixth. Darwin Barney knotted the score with a RBI single, and Buck Britton gave OKC its first lead with a sacrifice fly. Later in the inning with two runners on and two out, Kiké Hernandez hit a double off the left field fence to score the pair and make it a 5-2 game. Hernandez struck again with two outs in the eighth, lining a RBI single for a 6-2 lead. Dodgers starting pitcher Carlos Frias (2-0) allowed two runs (one earned) and seven hits with seven strikeouts and no walks over 5.1 innings. The bullpen trio of Ryan Buchter, Sergio Santos, and David Aardsma combined to hold Nashville scoreless over the final 3.2 innings. The quartet of Dodgers hurlers combined for 12 strikeouts. Nashville starting pitcher Angel Castro (0-1) ended up being charged with four runs and five hits over five-plus innings.

Today's Probable Pitcher : Zach Lee is seeking his third win in as many starts...Lee improved to 2-0 with a win Thursday against the Sounds in OKC. He held Nashville to four hits, did not issue a walk and struck out seven over 6.0 scoreless innings. Lee only had one runner reach scoring position and had his highest strikeout total since June 9, 2014...He currently ranks in the top three in the league with a .146 opponent average (2nd), a 0.75 ERA (3rd), and a 0.67 WHIP (3rd)...Lee is riding a streak of 11 scoreless innings. During that time he has allowed five hits and has not allowed a walk...In 2014, he went 7-13 with a 5.38 ERA in 28 games (27 starts) with Albuquerque during his first Triple-A season. He led Albuquerque with 150.2 innings pitched (fifth in PCL), 27 starts, and 97 strikeouts, setting career highs in both IP and starts. Lee pitched 6.0 innings or more in 14 of his 27 starts and recorded 10 quality starts. He had the fifth-highest groundout-to-flyout ratio in the PCL at 1.54 and forced 19 groundball double plays...Lee was named the Dodgers' 2013 Branch Rickey Minor League Pitcher of the Year while with Double-A Chattanooga after going 10-10 with a 3.22 ERA. That season he ranked second among Dodgers minor leaguers in ERA, strikeouts, and innings.

Against the Sounds : 2015: 4-1 2014: 6-10 All-time: 148-129 In NAS: 69-69

Tuesday marked the Dodgers' first-ever win at the brand new First Tennessee Park...Oklahoma City won the first series of the season between the teams, 3-1, April 13-16 in Bricktown, marking their first series win against the Sounds since taking three of five in Nashville June 27-30, 2013. Buck Britton led the way with five hits and four RBI. Three games were decided by one run and two games extended into the 10th inning...Over the first five meetings between the teams, the OKC pitching staff has 58 strikeouts (47.0 IP) and has held Nashville 9-for-52 with runners in scoring position (.173)...Oklahoma City finished 6-10 against the Sounds last season after compiling a 24-8 record against Nashville in 2012 and 2013 combined...Like OKC, Nashville's parent club changed during the offseason, switching from the Milwaukee Brewers (2005-2014) to the Oakland A's.

Winning Ways : With a 10-3 record, OKC has matched the team's best start through 13 games since joining the PCL in 1998. The 2008 squad is the only other one to record 10 wins through the first 13 games of a season...A win tonight would give Oklahoma City its best-ever record through the first 14 games...By winning Tuesday night, the Dodgers avoided losing consecutive games for the first time this season...Oklahoma City is seeking to notch a winning record in April for the fourth consecutive season.

Whiff City: The OKC Dodgers pitching staff ranks fifth in the Minors with 135 strikeouts, although it is the highest total among all Double-A and Triple-A teams. The team's 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings are tied with High-A Visalia for best in the Minors...Through 13 games, the pitching staff has struck out at least 10 batters nine times. Two of the games in which they failed to record 10 strikeouts were shorter than nine innings.

In the Zone : OKC's pitching staff has allowed the fewest walks in the PCL and all of Triple-A (28). The staff currently has a 4.8/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio, which is tops in the Minors. The next closest team in the PCL is Sacramento with a 3.8/1 ratio.

Start Me Up: Excluding spot starts by Freddy Garcia and Rudy Owens, regular members of the starting rotation are 9-1 with a 1.31 ERA (9 ER/61.2 IP) through 11 games. They've held opponents to a .180 average (39x217) and struck out 72 batters with only seven walks (10.3 K/BB). In seven of the 11 games, the starting pitcher has allowed three or fewer hits.

RISPy Business: Over the first five games of the current road trip, the OKC pitching staff has held opponents just 2-for-29 with runners in scoring position. Overall this season, opponents are batting just .167 with runners in scoring position, best in the PCL.

Sock it to Me : Scott Schebler's opposite-field homer last night marked the sixth dinger in the last three games for Oklahoma City. They totaled just seven homers through their first 10 games.

Speedy Sweeney: Darnell Sweeney recorded his league-leading eighth stolen base of the season Tuesday. He has steals in six of his 12 games so far this season, and is over halfway to his stolen base total from last season with Double-A Chattanooga (15)...Sweeney is having a nice road trip thus far, going 7-for-18 with a RBI, four walks, and four steals.

Yesterday's News: The OKC Dodgers had a series of four roster moves prior to yesterday's game. Pitcher Freddy Garcia was released, and reliever Josh Ravin was placed on the Disabled List, retroactive to April 18. Pitcher David Huff rejoined the team after accepting his minor league assignment, and catcher Ralph Henriquez was activated off the Disabled List.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)

DATE TIME OPPONENT OKC PITCHERS OPP. PITCHER

Thursday, April 23 7:05 p.m. @ Nashville RHP Mike Bolsinger (2-0, 0.00) LHP Brad Mills (0-2, 7.27)

Friday, April 24 7:05 p.m. @ Nashville RHP Joe Wieland (2-0, 1.80) RHP Chris Bassitt (1-1, 3.38)

Saturday, April 25 7:05 p.m. Omaha RHP Scott Baker (1-1, 1.06) RHP Aaron Brooks (0-2, 4.70)

Sunday, April 26 2:05 p.m. Omaha RHP Carlos Frias (2-0, 2.84) RHP Joe Blanton (2-1, 3.24)

Check out the Oklahoma City Comets Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Pacific Coast League Stories from April 22, 2015


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central