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PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

OKC Dodgers Game Notes - April 24, 2015

April 24, 2015 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City Dodgers (12-3) vs. Nashville Sounds (7-8)

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Oakland A's

Game #16 of 144/Road #8 of 72 (6-1)

Pitching Probables: OKC-RHP Joe Wieland (2-0, 1.80) vs. NAS-RHP Zach Neal (NR, -.--)

Friday, April 24, 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 wrap up their first road trip of the season starting at 7:05 p.m. against Nashville at First Tennessee Park. Oklahoma City has won three consecutive games and is 6-1 on the road trip so far. At 12-3, the Dodgers have notched the team's best start since joining the PCL in 1998. They are the only team in the PCL currently with 11 or more wins.

Yesterday's Game: The Dodgers piled up four runs in the second inning and received a strong outing from David Huff in his first start with OKC in a 4-2 victory over Nashville Thursday night. Leading 1-0 and with the bases loaded in the second inning, Elliot Johnson hit a two-run single to center field to make it 3-0. Darnell Sweeney capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly. The four-run cushion proved to be more than enough, as three OKC lefties combined to hold the Sounds to two runs and six hits. Making a start in place of Mike Bolsinger, Huff (1-0) tossed 6.2 innings, allowing two runs and five hits. He struck out six batters and walked one. Nashville got on the board in the fourth inning, collecting three singles. Niuman Romero's RBI single cut OKC's lead to 4-1. The Sounds edged closer in the seventh when they drew four consecutive walks with two outs to plate another run. Danny Coulombe wrapped up the win by retiring the Sounds in order in the ninth to earn his first save of the season. Nashville starting pitcher Brad Mills (0-3) allowed four runs and five hits with three walks and three strikeouts in 6.0 innings, and picked up a loss against OKC for the second time this season.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Joe Wieland makes his third start of the season for OKC...He last pitched April 19 at Iowa in a rain-shortened game, shutting out the I-Cubs over 5.0 innings and allowing just two hits in the Dodgers' 4-0 win in six innings. He did not issue a walk and had five strikeouts before being lifted for a pinch hitter in the sixth. It was the fourth shutout of his career and first since throwing a no-hitter for Double-A Frisco on July 29, 2011...He beat Nashville during his season debut April 13, allowing three runs (two earned) and three hits over 5.0 innings. He issued one walk and struck out nine, marking his highest strikeout total since May 28, 2011. After allowing the second run of the first inning, Wieland retired 13 of the final 15 batters he faced...Wieland returned to the mound last season with the Padres after missing the second half of the 2012 season and all of the 2013 season following Tommy John surgery. After rehabbing in the Arizona League and with Double-A San Antonio, he made four starts with El Paso, going 2-1 with a 3.42 ERA. Wieland returned to Major League action on Sept. 6 at Colorado...He's been traded twice in his career, and was acquired by the Dodgers along with Yasmani Grandal and Zach Eflin in exchange for Matt Kemp and Tim Federowicz on Dec. 18, 2014...Wieland is 1-0 with a 3.27 ERA over two career starts against the Sounds.

Against the Sounds: 2015: 6-1 2014: 6-10 All-time: 150-129 In NAS: 71-69

Oklahoma City seeks its first series sweep of the Sounds since April 29-May 2, 2013 and their first in Nashville since April 18-20, 2012...After failing to win any of the four series against the Sounds last year, Oklahoma City has already won each of the first two series in 2015. They took the first series, 3-1, April 13-16 in Bricktown...Over the first seven meetings between the teams, the OKC pitching staff has 75 strikeouts (65.0 IP) and has held Nashville 11-for-69 with runners in scoring position (.159)...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 12-3 record, the Dodgers are off to the team's best start since joining the PCL in 1998. They are just one of three teams in the Minors to record 12 victories so far, along with High-A Visalia and Low-A Quad Cities...Oklahoma City has already clinched a winning record in April for the fourth consecutive season.

Road Warriors: For the second straight season, OKC will win at least six games during the team's first road trip. Last year they split a series in Round Rock and then swept a four-game set in New Orleans to open up the road slate.

Whiff City: The OKC Dodgers pitching staff ranks third in the Minors with 152 strikeouts, although it is the highest total among all Double-A and Triple-A teams. The team's 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings are third overall in the Minors (Low-A Cedar Rapids--10.9; Double-A Frisco-10.7)...Through 15 games, the pitching staff has struck out at least 10 batters 10 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 (35). The staff currently has a 4.3/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio, which also paces the league. The next closest team in the PCL is Sacramento with a 3.5/1 ratio.

Start Me Up: Making his first start for OKC last night in place of Mike Bolsinger, David Huff held Nashville to two runs and five hits (all singles) over 6.2 innings...Regular members of the starting rotation are 10-1 with a 1.31 ERA (10 ER/68.2 IP) through 12 games. They've held opponents to a .185 average (45x243) and struck out 77 batters with only nine walks (8.6 K/BB). In seven of the 12 games, the starting pitcher has allowed three or fewer hits.

RISPy Business: Over the first seven games of the current road trip, the OKC pitching staff has held opponents just 4-for-46 with runners in scoring position. Overall this season, opponents are batting just .160 with runners in scoring position, best in the PCL.

Thievery Corporation: The Dodgers tied a season high with three stolen bases Thursday, matching their total from April 14 against Nashville and April 11 against Round Rock. Their 16 steals rank third-most in the PCL, behind Las Vegas (21) and Tacoma (18). However, OKC has the best success rate among those three teams, going 16-for-19 in stolen base attempts (84 percent).

Barnes Burner: Austin Barnes is 4-for-8 over the last two games in Nashville, and is now 8-for-18 against the Sounds this season. He recorded his fourth multi-hit game of the season Thursday and is now tied with Kyle Jensen for the most among OKC players this season.

Fourth Down: Last night marked the first time this season the Dodgers allowed a run in the fourth inning.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)

DATE TIME OPPONENT OKC PITCHERS OPP. PITCHER

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)

Monday, April 27 7:05 p.m. Omaha RHP Zach Lee (3-0, 0.95) RHP Christian Binford (0-2, 4.70)

Tuesday, April 28 11:05 a.m. Omaha TBA LHP John Lamb (0-0, 3.86)

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