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PCL Oklahoma City Comets

OKC Dodgers Game Notes - August 3, 2021

August 3, 2021 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City Dodgers (40-37) at Round Rock Express (37-40)

Game #78 of 130/Road #42 of 65

Pitching Probables: OKC-RHP Andre Jackson (NR, -.--) vs. RR-LHP Wes Benjamin (2-3, 8.27)

Tuesday, August 3, 2021 | Dell Diamond | Round Rock, Texas | 7:05 p.m. CT

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

Today's Game: The Oklahoma City Dodgers look for a third straight win to close out their Red Dirt Rumble road series against the Round Rock Express at 7:05 p.m. at Dell Diamond. The Dodgers have won back-to-back games for the first time since three consecutive wins July 12-15 and lead the current series, 3-2. OKC is in second place in the East Division of Triple-A West and Round Rock is in third place, 3.0 games behind.

Last Game: The Oklahoma City Dodgers blasted three home runs totaling nine runs to back a solid Triple-A debut by starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot in a 9-3 win over the Round Rock Express Monday night at Dell Diamond. Steven Souza Jr. launched a grand slam in the top of the second inning to give the Dodgers a 4-0 lead. The Express cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the frame, scoring on a solo homer and a wild pitch. Sheldon Neuse hit the first of his two home runs in the third inning, sending a three-run homer to right field to make it 7-2. Yohel Pozo went deep in the sixth inning for Round Rock before Neuse drilled his second homer of the night off the batter's eye in the eighth inning, as his two-run blast pushed the lead to 9-3. Pepiot allowed two runs over five innings and notched seven strikeouts to earn the win in his first game in an OKC uniform.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Andre Jackson is slated to make his Triple-A debut after being promoted from Double-A Tulsa Saturday...Prior to his promotion, Jackson pitched a team-leading 63.1 innings for the Drillers, making 15 appearances (13 starts). He posted 75 strikeouts (second-most on the team) against 20 walks - fewest among Drillers starting pitchers. He went 3-2 with a 3.27 ERA - third-lowest in Double-A Central, while his .201 opponent average and 1.04 WHIP both led the league...Over his last four outings with the Drillers, Jackson posted a 1.56 ERA (4 ER/17.1 IP) with a 0.98 WHIP and .183 BAA...Jackson last pitched July 28 at home against Midland and did not receive a decision after allowing one run and three hits, with two walks and five strikeouts over 4.1 IP...He was named to the NL roster of the 2021 Futures Game and pitched 1.0 inning of scoreless relief...Although he did not see formal game action in 2020 due to the cancelation of the Minor League season, he was a member of the Dodgers' Alternate Training Site and participated in the team's fall development camp. Jackson split the 2019 season between Low-A Great Lakes and High-A Rancho Cucamonga...Jackson was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 12th round of the 2017 MLB Draft out of the University of Utah, where he primarily played as an outfielder.

Against the Express: 2021: 9-8 2019: 6-10 All-time: 139-116 At RR: 71-59

The Red Dirt Rumble rivalry series continues as the Dodgers and Express meet for their third of five total series this season and final series in Round Rock...The teams last met June 17-22 at Dell Diamond, with the Dodgers winning the series, 5-1, and outscoring Round Rock, 36-23. It was a reversal of the first series May 6-11, as the Express went 5-1 while outscoring the Dodgers, 49-24...Through the first two series between the teams this season, Zach Reks paced the Dodgers with 12 hits and eight RBI, including two home runs. Sheldon Neuse had 10 hits in six games and Luke Raley hit four homers...Only 371 miles separate Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark from Dell Diamond, making it the shortest distance between the Dodgers and any of their Triple-A opponents, as well as a perfect set-up for a rivalry as the teams meet 30 times this season...In 2019, the Express won the season series for the first time since 2014. The Dodgers went 2-6 at Dell Diamond, posting a losing record there for the first time since 2009 and taking their most losses ever in one season at the stadium...The Dodgers are 9-4 in the last 13 games at Dell Diamond after going 3-11 over the previous 14 games in Round Rock.

Road Raging: With last night's victory, the Dodgers improved to 22-8 in their last 30 road games and to 7-3 in their last 10 road games. The Dodgers are 24-17 on the road overall this season and own the third-most road wins in the league behind Reno (26) and Sugar Land (25). Back in Bricktown, the Dodgers have posted a 16-20 record so far in 2021...OKC averages 6.3 runs and 9.3 hits per game on the road compared to 5.2 runs and 8.3 hits at home and have hit 18 more homers on the road even though they've only played five more road games.

Dinger Details: All nine of OKC's runs last night scored via home run as the Dodgers hit three homers after being held without a home run the past two games. Even though the Dodgers have gone back-to-back games without a homer five times this season, they still have yet to be kept inside the park in three straight games...Monday's three-homer game was OKC's second of the series and 14th of the season with three-plus dingers. The team has now hit 41 homers over their last 23 games and their 41 homers since July 8 are second-most in Triple-A West and tied for second-most in all of Triple-A, two behind Triple-A leader Albuquerque...The Express hit two homers Monday and opponents have now homered in nine consecutive games (14 HR) - tying a season-high streak that previously happened May 15-24. Eleven of the 16 runs allowed in the current series, as well as 13 of the last 19 runs and 16 of the last 23 runs allowed by the Dodgers have been via home runs...Round Rock has homered in 16 of their 17 games against the Dodgers, totaling 30 dingers - all at Dell Diamond. In Round Rock's remaining 24 home games against the rest of Triple-A West, the team has managed to only hit 19 home runs.

Making Neuse: After being held without a hit in back-to-back games following an 11-game hitting streak, Sheldon Neuse collected his third career multi-homer game last night, but first since Aug. 8, 2017 while playing for High-A Stockton against San Jose. Neuse homered twice and his five RBI set a season high and tied his career high. It was his third career game with five RBI and also his first since suiting up for Stockton in 2017 (July 28 at Modesto). Last night was the eighth time this season an OKC player has finished a game with five or more RBI and was the 11th multi-homer game by an OKC player in 2021.

Going Grand: Steven Souza Jr. hit the Dodgers' fourth grand slam of the season last night, first since Keibert Ruiz's grand slam July 1 against Salt Lake in OKC and first on the road since Luke Raley on May 30 at El Paso. It marked the third grand slam of Souza's 14-year pro career and his first since June 18, 2017 with the Tampa Bay Rays against the Detroit Tigers...Over his last two games, Souza is 3-for-10 with all of his hits going for extra bases, including a grand slam and two doubles. He also has a combined five RBI the past two nights in Round Rock...In his last seven starts, six of his eight hits have been extra-base hits (3 HR, 3 2B).

Santana's Greatest Hits: Cristian Santana extended his current hitting streak to eight games Monday, going 2-for-4 with a run scored. During the hitting streak, Santana is 15-for-34 (.441) with nine RBI and six multi-hit games. He has picked up two or more hits in five of his last six games (11x25), six of his last eight games (15x34) and seven of his last 10 games (17x40)...Santana has hit safely in 18 of his last 20 starts, and since July 1, he's batted .345 (29x84) after batting .236 through June 30...With the recent surge, Santana is now third on the team this season with 14 multi-hit games, fourth with 11 doubles and is tied for fourth with 46 total hits this season.

Sales Pitch: For the fourth time in five games during the current series, the Dodgers pitching staff kept Round Rock to three or fewer runs and five hits Monday night. Over the last two games, they've held the Express 0-for-14 with runners in scoring position and 5-for-37 (.135) over the first five games of the series...The staff racked up 12 strikeouts Monday and now has 55 strikeouts over the first five games of the current series. OKC has struck out at least 10 batters in nine of the last 12 games overall and in 12 of the last 16 games. Over the 16-game stretch, the Dodgers have 180 strikeouts - most in all of the Minors or Majors since July 16...The Dodgers lead Triple-A West with 757 strikeouts this season. OKC led the Pacific Coast League with a team record 1,287 strikeouts in 2019 and with 1,272 strikeouts in 2017.

Reks in Effect: Zach Reks was held without a hit last night but drew a walk, was hit by a pitch and scored two runs...Reks leads the Dodgers with 52 runs scored and 29 walks this season, is tied for first with 18 doubles and 17 multi-hit games, ranks second with 62 hits and 30 extra-base hits, third with 12 homers and fourth with 38 RBI...In Triple-A West, Reks ranks tied for third in runs scored, sixth with a .409 OBP and seventh with a .992 OPS.

Bruihliant: Reliever Justin Bruihl allowed one hit over 1.1 scoreless innings last night and has not allowed an earned run in his last nine outings since July 3 (11.0 IP). Over the nine-game stretch, Bruihl has allowed two unearned runs and eight hits with three walks and 13 strikeouts...Last night he allowed a hit for the first time in four games.

Welcome to Triple-A: Starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot made his Triple-A debut and was the winning pitcher last night. He allowed two runs and two hits over 5.0 innings, with three walks and seven strikeouts. Both runs scored in the second inning following a solo homer, walk, hit batter and a wild pitch. Pepiot finished strong and retired 11 of the final 13 batters he faced. He threw 78 pitches, with 49 strikes...The Dodgers' No. 5 prospect according to MLB Pipeline made 15 appearances (13 starts) for Double-A Tulsa and posted a 3-4 record and 2.87 ERA before being promoted. He became the 18th OKC player to make his Triple-A debut this season (without appearing previously the in Majors).

Around the Horn: OKC is 7-5 in series finales this season, including 4-2 on the road, and have won three consecutive road series finales. When they've entered a series finale with a chance to win the series, they've gone 2-0 (1-0 on the road)...The Dodgers have turned five double plays over the last three games following a stretch with one double play in the previous four games and two over the previous seven games. They've committed just one error over the first five games of the current series after committing at least one error in six straight games leading up to this series (8 E)...Not counting piggyback starters as part of a tandem, the bullpen has allowed only five earned runs (six runs total) and 21 hits over 31.1 innings while notching 51 strikeouts in the last eight games...Tonight ends a stretch of 22 straight games between the Dodgers and Express played at Dell Diamond, including four games toward the end of the 2019 season, with Round Rock owning a slight 11-10 edge. The final 12 meetings between the teams this season will be played at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark Aug. 12-17 and Sept. 16-21.

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