PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

OKC Dodgers Game Notes - April 7, 2018

Published on April 7, 2018 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City Dodgers (1-1) vs. Iowa Cubs (1-1)

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs

Game #3 of 140/Road #3 of 70 (1-1)

Pitching Probables: OKC-RHP Brock Stewart vs. IOW-RHP Luke Farrell

Saturday, April 7, 2017 | Principal Park | Des Moines, Iowa | 7:08 p.m. CT

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

Today's Game: The Oklahoma City Dodgers and Iowa Cubs resume their season-opening series at 7:08 p.m. at Principal Park. The teams played an Opening Day doubleheader Thursday, but Friday's game was postponed due to cold temperatures in Des Moines, Iowa.

Last Games: The OKC Dodgers and I-Cubs split their first two games of the season Thursday with OKC winning Game 1, 2-1, and Iowa taking Game 2, 3-2, in extra innings at Principal Park. In Game 1, the Dodgers tied the game, 1-1, in the fourth inning on a RBI single by Rocky Gale. Max Muncy's fifth-inning, solo home run to right-center field put OKC in front, 2-1. Iowa loaded the bases in the sixth inning, but OKC reliever Pat Venditte got David Bote to hit into an inning-ending double play. The I-Cubs had the tying run at second base with one out in the seventh, but OKC pitcher Joe Broussard secured the final two outs and the win in his first save of the season. OKC pitcher Brian Schlitter (1-0) got the win in his team debut and Iowa starting pitcher Jen-Ho Tseng (0-1) was charged with the loss...In Game 2, the Dodgers rallied to tie the game, 2-2, in the sixth inning with a RBI double by Travis Taijeron and RBI single by Breyvic Valera. Iowa loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs on three straight walks before Dodgers reliever Edward Paredes entered the game and struck out pinch hitter Mike Freeman to force extra innings. With the new extra innings rule in place, both teams began the eighth inning with a runner at second base. In the bottom of the frame, Mark Zagunis and Efren Navarro hit back-to-back singles to bring home the winning run for the I-Cubs. Iowa reliever Alberto Baldonado (1-0) earned the win, and Paredes (0-1) took the loss.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Brock Stewart (0-0) makes his first start of 2018 with OKC after battling an injury and splitting the 2017 season between the Los Angeles Dodgers and OKC Dodgers...With OKC last season, Stewart went 0-1 with a 3.12 ERA over five starts with 25 strikeouts and three walks...Stewart started the 2017 season on the LAD DL with right shoulder tendinitis before returning to action May 27...In 17 games (four starts) with LAD, Stewart pitched 34.1 innings and posted a 3.41 ERA with 29 strikeouts and 19 walks. He made six straight scoreless relief appearances in June and July over 13.0 innings and earned his first career ML save June 20 against the New York Mets...Stewart advanced quickly through the Dodgers system in 2016, starting the season in High-A and eventually ascending to the Majors to make his debut June 29 at Milwaukee. He became the first Dodger since Hideo Nomo in 1995 to start a season in Single-A and start a MLB game in the same season...He was named the Dodgers' 2016 Branch Rickey Minor League Pitcher of the Year and to Baseball America's Minor League All-Star Team...In 14 career starts for OKC, Stewart has posted a 2.65 ERA and 1.01 WHIP while holding PCL hitters to a .233 average. He's notched 79 strikeouts against nine walks in 68.0 IP...The Dodgers selected Stewart in the sixth round of the 2014 MLB Draft out of Illinois State...Tonight is Stewart's third career start against Iowa. In two previous abbreviated outings, Stewart totaled 6.0 scoreless innings, allowing just four hits, with no walks and eight strikeouts.

Against the I-Cubs: 2018 Season: 1-1 2017: 9-7 All-time: 141-146 At IOW: 67-78

This marks the second straight season Iowa and OKC are opening a season against one another...The Dodgers won the 2017 series between the teams, 9-7, but Iowa won the season-opening series, 3-2, taking each of the first three games...OKC posted a 5-3 record at Principal Park in 2017 and has secured a winning mark in Des Moines each of the previous three seasons (16-8)...Seven of last year's 16 meetings were decided by one or two runs...The Dodgers outscored Iowa, 82-65, in the 2017 series and outhit the I-Cubs, 155-119...Willie Calhoun led OKC with 19 hits and 15 RBI against Iowa...Alex Verdugo batted .321 against the I-Cubs with 17 hits, with five doubles, two triples, a home run and five RBI. He scored seven runs and drew a team-leading eight walks.

500 Club: Manager Bill Haselman collected his 500th career win in the first game of Thursday's doubleheader. This is his third season at the helm of the OKC Dodgers, fifth in the Dodgers organization, and his eighth overall as a minor league manager. Haselman now owns a 500-483 career record. He guided OKC to a 72-69 record in 2017 and 81-60 record in 2016. His 153 combined victories were the most by an OKC manager in his first two seasons since Grady Hatton in 1963-64 (172)...Prior to OKC, Haselman managed Dodgers affiliates High-A Rancho Cucamonga and Low-A Great Lakes. He began his managerial career in 2010 with High-A Bakersfield (Texas Rangers) and managed High-A Inland Empire (Los Angeles Angels) 2012-13...Haselman won Cal League titles with Inland Empire in 2013 and Rancho Cucamonga in 2015.

Roster Rundown: Among the 25 players on the OKC Dodgers' initial roster, 20 have Major League experience, 12 appeared in the Majors last season and 10 logged time with OKC in 2017. The top two prospects in the Dodgers organization, as ranked by Baseball America, headline the roster: pitcher Walker Buehler (No. 1) and outfielder Alex Verdugo (No. 2)...In addition to returning manager Bill Haselman, coach Luis Matos is back for a third season as the team's primary third base and outfield coach. Bill Simas joins the team as pitching coach from Double-A Tulsa and Adam Melhuse joins OKC as hitting coach after managing Low-A Burlington in the Los Angeles Angels organization.

Max-ed Out: Max Muncy hit the first home run in the Minors in 2018 when he belted a solo shot to right-center field in the fifth inning of Game 1 Thursday, which proved to be the difference in the team's 2-1 victory...Muncy finished the 2017 season on a career-best 15-game hitting streak, batting .465 with 20 hits, seven RBI and 11 runs scored. The streak was the second-longest by an OKC player last season...Muncy extended his hitting streak to 16 games in Thursday's Game 1, but flied out in the seventh inning in his lone at-bat of Game 2 when he entered the game as a pinch hitter.

Two-Hit Timmy: Infielder Tim Locastro started Game 2 Thursday, going 2-for-4. In 32 career games with OKC, Locastro has batted .393 with 12 multi-hit games. He's notched two or more hits in 10 of his last 19 games with OKC going back to last season...Locastro also stole his first base of the season Thursday. He led OKC with 12 steals last season and led all Dodgers minor leaguers in 2017 with 34 swipes.

Same Old Story: Outfielder Alex Verdugo picked up a team-leading three hits during Thursday's Opening Day doubleheader, batting 3-for-8 (.375) in the two games combined. He paced the OKC Dodgers with 136 hits in 2017, including a team-high 27 doubles.

Hawkeye Homecoming: Iowa native Jake Peter celebrated his 25th birthday Thursday by going 1-for-3 with a double in Game 1. The infielder from Mason City, Iowa -- about 120 miles north of Des Moines -- last played at Principal Park during the Iowa high school state tournament in both 2010 and 2011 with Mason City High School. The Mohawks finished in second place in 2011.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)

DATE TIME OPPONENT OKC PITCHER OPPONENT PITCHER

Sunday, April 8 Moved to Thursday, April 5 due to expected inclement weather

Monday, April 9 12:08 p.m. at Iowa RHP Guillermo Moscoso RHP Alec Mills

Tuesday, April 10 7:05 p.m. Round Rock TBA TBA

Wednesday, April 11 7:05 p.m. Round Rock TBA TBA

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 7, 2018


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