PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

OKC Dodgers Game Notes - April 5, 2019

Published on April 5, 2019 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


San Antonio Missions (1-0) vs. Oklahoma City Dodgers (0-1)

Game #2 of 140/Home #2 of 70 (0-1)

Pitching Probables: SA-RHP Bubby Derby vs. OKC-Daniel Corcino

Friday, April 5, 2019 | Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | 7:05 p.m. CT

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

Today's Game: The Oklahoma City Dodgers continue their season-opening home series against the San Antonio Missions with a 7:05 p.m. game at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Tonight is the second of five meetings between the teams. Fireworks, presented by True Sky Credit Union, are scheduled to follow the game.

Last Game: Clayton Kershaw pitched 4.1 innings for OKC on a Major League rehab assignment and Kyle Garlick hit a solo homer in the bottom of the ninth inning, but San Antonio hung on to win its PCL debut Thursday night, 5-3, in the season opener for both teams at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The score was tied, 2-2, until San Antonio's Jake Hager hit a two-run, pinch-hit triple to center field in the top of the ninth. The Missions added another run when Hager scored on a wild pitch later in the frame. The Dodgers were unable to complete a comeback in the bottom of the inning despite Garlick's solo shot. Kershaw pitched in a game for the first time in 2019 while recovering from shoulder soreness that sent him to the 10-day Injured List to begin the Los Angeles Dodgers' season. He threw 61 pitches, including 42 strikes, in front of a sellout crowd of 12,472. He allowed two runs on four hits with two walks and six strikeouts, including striking out the side in the third inning. The Missions' Tyrone Taylor hit the first pitch of the second inning down the left field line for a solo homer to put PCL newcomer San Antonio in front, 1-0. Jacob Nottingham added a RBI single later in the frame to make it 2-0. After that, Kershaw retired seven of the final nine batters he faced and exited the game with one out in the fifth inning to a standing ovation. The Dodgers later evened up the score, 2-2, in the bottom of the sixth inning on a RBI single by Matt Beaty and RBI double by Edwin Ríos. On the mound, Justin Grimm (0-1) took the loss for the Dodgers, allowing three runs on three hits in the ninth inning. Missions reliever Deolis Guerra (1-0) kept OKC scoreless over the seventh and eighth innings and got the win, while Josh Fields picked up the save.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Daniel Corcino takes the mound for his first start of 2019...Corcino appeared in three Cactus League games for the Los Angeles Dodgers, pitching 5.0 innings of relief. He allowed two runs (one earned) and three hits with three strikeouts and five walks...Corcino spent most of 2018 with the OKC Dodgers, tying for the club lead in starts (19) and ranking second in innings (103.1) and strikeouts (102). He posted a 3.40 ERA and held opponents to a .217 average...The Dodgers went 12-7 in his starts although his personal record was only 3-3 as a starter...Corcino his contract selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers June 9, 2018 and he threw a 1-2-3 inning that night against Atlanta in his first Major League appearance since September 2014. He earned his first career Major League save by finishing a 12-5 win June 12 vs. Texas...The two-way threat also collected 11 hits in 27 at-bats, including a double, RBI and two runs scored. He had six hits over three straight games with an at-bat to close out the regular season...He was originally signed as an amateur free agent with the Reds Jan. 11, 2008 and began his second career stint in the Dodgers organization after signing as a free agent on May 11, 2017...Corcino made three starts against Milwaukee's Triple-A affiliate Colorado Springs in 2018, allowing four runs and eight hits with five walks and 13 strikeouts over 10.0 innings.

Against the Missions: 2019: 0-1 2018: N/A All-time: 0-1 At OKC: 0-1

The San Antonio Missions won their PCL debut Thursday after joining the league for 2019 as the Milwaukee Brewers' Triple-A affiliate following the relocation of the Colorado Springs Sky Sox franchise. The Missions previously played in the Double-A Texas League most recently from 1968-2018 and served as a San Diego Padres affiliate from 2007-2018...The Dodgers went 9-7 against Colorado Springs in 2018, closing out the regular season with four straight victories in elimination games to pass the Sky Sox in the standings to win the American Northern Division title...Infielder Jake Peter led the Dodgers with 20 hits and 13 runs scored against the Sky Sox last season, batting .392 over 16 games.

False Starts: With last night's loss, OKC is now 10-12 overall in season openers since joining the PCL in 1998 and 8-14 in home openers at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark...Beginning with the 2012 season, OKC is now 1-7 (.125) in home openers, but 288-203 (.587) in all other home games...Last season the Dodgers began their home schedule with 15 straight wins and did not lose their first home game until May 7. That loss was caused by San Antonio's predecessor Colorado Springs.

The Man Draws a Crowd: A sellout crowd of 12,472 jammed into Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark Thursday night, marking the largest crowd the OKC Dodgers have played in front of - at home or on the road -since the last time Clayton Kershaw made a Major League rehab appearance in Oklahoma City Aug. 26, 2017. For his 2017 outing at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, a crowd of 13,106 was on hand - the third-largest crowd ever since the ballpark opened in 1998.

Roster Rundown: Among the 25 players on the OKC Dodgers' Opening Day Roster, 13 have Major League experience, 11 appeared in the Majors last season and 14 logged time with OKC in 2018. Six players on the preliminary roster are ranked by Baseball America among the top 30 prospects in the Dodgers organization, including three of the top eight and four of the top 11: catcher Will Smith (#5), pitcher Dennis Santana (#7), pitcher Tony Gonsolin (#8), infielder Edwin Ríos (#11), pitcher Josh Sborz (#22) and infielder Matt Beaty (#23). Smith, Ríos, Sborz and Beaty each spent time with OKC last season, and 22 of the 25 have played at the Triple-A level at some point in their careers.

Leading the Charge: The 2019 season marks Travis Barbary's first as manager of the OKC Dodgers. He is the 33rd manager in OKC's 58-year history as a Triple-A franchise. The 47-year-old from Greenville, S.C., most recently worked as the Los Angeles Dodgers catching coordinator the last 12 seasons. Prior to that role, he managed Low-A Columbus (Ga.) from 2005-06 and Rookie-level Ogden from 2003-04.

Offseason Evolution: The Dodgers are stepping out on a new playing surface after a complete field renovation at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark took place during the offseason, installing new irrigation, drainage, a water reclamation system and turf. New "instant-on" LED field lights were also added to improve clarity for players and fans, while reducing energy consumption. Also, a new hospitality space at the top of Section 115 called the Baseline Patio was added. In total, more than $2.5 million in improvements were made at the ballpark.

Around the Horn: The Dodgers' first game of 2019 was tied after eight innings, which should come as no surprise. Last season the team had 20 games that were tied after eight innings, which ranked second in the PCL (New Orleans - 22), and had a record of 9-11 in such games...The Dodgers pitching staff whiffed 14 Missions batters last night, marking OKC's highest strikeout total in the first game that was a nine-inning game. The RedHawks notched 17 strikeouts on April 3, 2014 at Round Rock, and although the game went 11 innings, it should be noted the OKC pitching staff had 15 K's through nine innings that night...Missions reliever Josh Fields -- who earned the save last night -- has the distinction of being one of six players all-time to suit up for both the OKC Dodgers and OKC RedHawks.

Check out the Oklahoma City Comets Statistics

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



Pacific Coast League Stories from April 5, 2019


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