OKC Dodgers Game Notes - August 30, 2016
August 30, 2016 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release
Memphis Redbirds (63-73) vs. Oklahoma City Dodgers (75-60)
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Game #136 of 142/Home #70 of 72 (37-32)
Pitching Probables: MEM-RHP Jeremy Hefner (3-6, 5.21) vs. OKC-LHP Roy Merritt (0-0, 1.93)
Tuesday, August 30, 2016 | Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark | Oklahoma City, Okla. | 7:05 p.m. CT Radio: KGHM AM-1340 The Game, 1340thegame.com, iHeartRadio - Alex Freedman
Today's Game: The American Northern Division champion Oklahoma City Dodgers continue their series against the Memphis Redbirds at 7:05 p.m. at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The Dodgers are in the midst of their final regular-season home series of 2016.
Last Game: Memphis broke a 3-3 tie in the eighth inning and scored eight runs over the final two frames on the way to an 11-4 win against the Dodgers Monday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The Dodgers took the game's first lead in the first inning on a RBI groundout by Chris Taylor. Memphis' Bruce Caldwell hit a RBI triple in the top of the second inning to tie the game and scored on a sacrifice fly by Matt Williams to give Memphis a 2-1 advantage. A RBI single by O'Koyea Dickson knotted the game, 2-2, in the fourth. Carson Kelly drew a bases-loaded walk in the fifth inning to put Memphis in front, 3-2. Dickson led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a solo homer that sailed beyond the Budweiser Deck in left field to tie the game. The Redbirds notched three doubles in the eighth inning, leading to two runs and a 5-3 lead. In the ninth, Memphis delivered a knockout blow with six runs and six hits. Each of the first eight batters of the inning reached base. Dickson belted his second home run of the game out to left field in the bottom of the ninth inning to finish the scoring. OKC reliever Josh Fields (1-1) was charged with the loss. Memphis reliever Ryan Sherriff (7-1) earned the win.
Today's Probable Pitcher: Roy Merritt makes his first start and second appearance with the OKC Dodgers tonight...Merritt made his team debut Aug. 24 against Colorado Springs, pitching 4.2 innings of relief and holding the Sky Sox to one run and four hits with no walks and four strikeouts...Merritt joined the Dodgers Aug. 24 from the independent Sugar Land Skeeters of the Atlantic League after the Dodgers purchased his contract...His 2.99 ERA ranked third in the Atlantic League at the time of his signing with the Dodgers, and he also was tied for third with eight wins...He made 25 appearances, including 18 starts, and pitched 120.1 innings with 93 strikeouts, ranking seventh in the league in both innings and strikeouts...2016 marked Merritt's second season (first full season) with the Skeeters and fifth in the Atlantic League...He last played in affiliated baseball with the Mets organization in 2011 for Double-A Binghamton, and he has pitched in independent baseball, as well as in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela over the last six seasons...He reached as high as Triple-A Buffalo during the 2010 season, appearing in four games...He was drafted and signed by the New York Mets in the 28th round of the 2007 draft from Southern University (Baton Rouge, La.).
Against the Redbirds: 2016: 7-6 2015: 9-7 All-time: 158-145 At OKC: 89-59
This marks the fourth series of the season between the teams...OKC won the most recent series against the Redbirds July 26-29 in Memphis, 3-1...Prior to that, the Redbirds and Dodgers split their first eight meetings, with each team winning two games in OKC and Memphis...The Dodgers have held the Redbirds to three or fewer runs in each of their seven wins. However, the Redbirds have notched at least four runs in each of their six victories, including at least six runs five times...Corey Brown leads OKC with 16 hits and seven RBI in 11 games against Memphis this season...The teams split their eight games in OKC last season, and the Redbirds have finished with a winning record in Bricktown just twice since 1998 (2000 & 2013)...OKC has won the last three season series.
Poppin' Champagne Like...: The Dodgers have clinched back-to-back American Northern Division titles, as well as their third division title in the last four seasons. OKC last won consecutive division titles in 2004 and 2005, and this season's title marks the team's ninth division crown since joining the PCL in 1998. OKC will meet the American Southern Division champion Nashville Sounds in a best-of-five series beginning Wednesday, Sept. 7 in Oklahoma City. The Dodgers will host the first two games of the series Sept. 7-8 before the series shifts to Nashville for the final three games.
Our Schedule has Opened Up: The Dodgers and Omaha Storm Chasers were scheduled to play six games over four days to end the regular season, Sept. 2-5, in order to make up two previous rainouts. However, since the Dodgers have already clinched the division, the games that were postponed on April 30 and July 8 have been cancelled. OKC has not played as few as 142 games in a season since 2003.
O'Koyea's O'K: O'Koyea Dickson collected his eighth game of the season with three or more hits Monday, as he finished the game 3-for-4 with two home runs, three RBI, and two runs scored. It was his first multi-homer game since May 5, 2014 while playing for Double-A Chattanooga at Pensacola...Dickson has now hit safely in his last four games (7x13) and paces the Dodgers this month with 31 hits, 22 runs, 18 RBI, 16 walks, and six homers in 29 games...Since coming off the Disabled List May 22, Dickson is batting .328 (96x293) with 16 homers and 56 RBI (91 games). During that time, he ranks tied for third in the PCL in extra-base hits (43), tied for fourth in doubles (25), sixth in on-base percentage (.399), and seventh in batting average.
Kings of K's: The Dodgers pitching staff recorded a season-low one strikeout Monday night, but pace the PCL with 1,195 strikeouts this season, surpassing the previous team record of 1,114 strikeouts set last season. Their total is 41 strikeouts ahead of the next closest team (Fresno). Since the Dodgers will only play 142 games at most this season, they are now on pace to record 1,257 strikeouts. The PCL record during the modern era is 1,236, set by the Nashville Sounds in 2014.
Mound Turnaround: The 11 runs allowed by the Dodgers Monday were the most since a 13-7 loss July 7 against Omaha. Over the 19 games prior to Monday, the pitching staff posted a 2.09 ERA (39 ER/168.0 IP) and allowed two or fewer runs in 12 of the 19 games...Oklahoma City entered Monday's game with a Triple-A-leading 2.86 ERA in August, but the Dodgers are now tied with Nashville with a league-leading 3.16 ERA.
'Pen Pals: Ralston Cash has allowed no runs and five hits with 14 strikeouts over 14.1 IP during his last nine appearances. He's held opponents 5-for-45 (.111)...Jacob Rhame has turned in nine consecutive scoreless appearances, spanning 12.1 IP. Opponents are 5-for-38 (.132)...Matt West has not been scored upon in 13 of his last 14 outings. He's allowed one run over 15.2 IP.
Tuesday Tidbits: OKC has allowed just six home runs over the last 20 games...The Dodgers are 23-23 since the All-Star Break...The Dodgers have lost 15 straight games when allowing at least five runs.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)
DATE TIME OPPONENT OKC PITCHERS OPP. PITCHER
Wednesday, August 31 7:05 p.m. Memphis RHP Logan Bawcom (5-5, 2.06) RHP Mike Mayers (4-7, 3.55)
Thursday, September 1 7:05 p.m. Memphis RHP Lisalverto Bonilla (3-5, 4.66) RHP Kurt Heyer (2-4, 7.57)
Friday, September 2 7:05 p.m. at Omaha RHP Jose De Leon (7-1, 2.61) TBA Saturday, September 3 2:05 p.m. at Omaha RHP Alfredo Figaro (0-0, 3.00) TBA
Pacific Coast League Stories from August 30, 2016
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- Sky Sox Rout New Orleans 13-5 - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
- OKC Dodgers Recap: August 30, 2016 - OKC 5, Memphis 4 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Oklahoma City Knocks off Memphis in Last at Bat - Memphis Redbirds
- Daniel Gossett Deals Sounds to Win over Cubs - Nashville Sounds
- Nashville Crushes Three Homers to Down Iowa - Iowa Cubs
- Nashville Sounds Game Information: Nashville Sounds (81-56) vs. Iowa - Nashville Sounds
- Reno Aces Game Information: Reno Aces (74-63) at Sacramento - Reno Aces
- Carlos Asuaje Named PCL Rookie of the Year - El Paso Chihuahuas
- El Paso's Asuaje Earns Rookie of the Year - PCL1
- OKC Dodgers Game Notes - August 30, 2016 - Oklahoma City Comets
- 51s Announce Two-Year Extension with the Mets - Las Vegas Aviators
- Redbirds Announce 2017 Schedule, Additional Triple-A Championship Game Package - Memphis Redbirds
- Storm Chasers Unveil 2017 Home Schedule - Omaha Storm Chasers
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