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PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

OKC Dodgers Game Notes - August 31, 2019

August 31, 2019 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


New Orleans Baby Cakes (71-64) vs. Oklahoma City Dodgers (61-75)

Game #137 of 139/Home #67 of 69 (29-37)

Pitching Probables: NO-LHP Mike Kickham (4-5, 4.54) vs. OKC-RHP Mitchell White (3-6, 6.82)

Saturday, August 31, 2019 | 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 Oklahoma City Dodgers continue their final series of the 2019 season at 7:05 p.m. at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark against the New Orleans Baby Cakes during Fan Appreciation Weekend. Fireworks are slated to follow the game, presented by Allstate. Select players will be available for autographs prior to the game and fans will receive a complimentary 2019 team poster when they exit the ballpark.

Last Game: New Orleans scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning to pull away in a 6-1 win against the Dodgers Friday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The Baby Cakes quickly grabbed the lead when Eddy Alvarez hit a RBI single in the first inning. OKC scored a run in the bottom of the first inning before being held scoreless over the final eight innings. Connor Joe singled to lead off and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Kyle Garlick to tie the game, 1-1. In the third inning, a wild pitch brought home New Orleans' second run of the night for a 2-1 lead. The Baby Cakes then scored four runs in the seventh inning. Yadiel Rivera, Gabriel Guerrero and Wilken Castillo hit three straight RBI singles with one out to open up a 5-1 lead. Magneuris Sierra later drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 6-1. New Orleans starting pitcher Joe Gunkel (8-2) earned the win, holding the Dodgers to one run and allowing seven hits over 6.0 innings. After four of the first seven batters collected singles, Gunkel retired 15 of the final 18 batters he faced. Dodgers starting pitcher J.D. Martin (3-3) was charged with the loss albeit in a quality start, allowing two runs over 6.0 innings.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Mitchell White (3-6) is set to make his 13th start of the season for OKC...White last pitched Aug. 26 against Iowa, allowing three runs and three hits over 3.0 innings. He allowed one homer and did not issue a walk, while recording five strikeouts. After retiring the first six batters, he stumbled to start the third inning, as the I-Cubs collected three straight hits, including a three-run homer by opposing pitcher Tyson Miller...Since his most recent return from the IL Aug. 15, White has made three appearances totaling 8.0 innings. He's retired 24 of the 30 batters he's faced, allowing five hits and one walk with 11 strikeouts...White has been placed on the IL twice this season due to recurring blister issues...Prior to joining OKC in mid-May, White made seven starts with Double-A Tulsa and went 1-0 with a 2.10 ERA...White entered the 2019 season rated as the Dodgers' No. 9 prospect by Baseball America...He was selected in the second round (65th overall) of the 2016 MLB Draft out of Santa Clara University...Tonight is his second appearance of the season against New Orleans. On the road May 22, White was charged with the loss, allowing five runs (four earned) and six hits over 5.1 innings with two walks and eight strikeouts.

Against the Baby Cakes: 2019: 5-8 2018: 9-7 All-time: 183-162 At OKC: 97-75

The Dodgers and Baby Cakes close out the season with their fourth series of 2019 and second at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark...This is the final series ever between the Dodgers and Baby Cakes, as the New Orleans franchise is relocating to Wichita next season. OKC and New Orleans have been playing each other since 1993 in the American Association...The teams split their previous series in OKC, June 25-28, with each of the final three games decided by one or two runs...So far the Baby Cakes have outscored the Dodgers, 88-56, and outhit the Dodgers, 136-87. The Baby Cakes are batting .301, while holding OKC to a .202 average. The Dodgers have been held to one or no runs five times in 12 meetings, and have at least 10 strikeouts in 10 of 13 games...OKC won the 2018 series between the teams, 9-7, and has won four of the last five season series against the Baby Cakes.

Where's the Beef?: The Dodgers scored one run last night, marking the third time in the last six games, fifth time in the last nine games and eighth time in August OKC was held to two runs or less. Over the nine-game stretch the Dodgers have scored 28 runs while batting .223 (60x269) with eight home runs and 19 extra-base hits. They've struck out 96 times and have gone 7-for-62 (.113) with runners in scoring position...Including last night, the Dodgers have been outhit by their opponent in 13 of the last 15 games.

Simply De-Lux: Gavin Lux had Friday night off after being held without a hit in back-to-back games for the first time in his 48 games with OKC. Lux did draw two walks Thursday and scored two runs and has now reached base safely in 45 of his first 48 games with OKC...Since joining OKC June 27, Lux is slashing .390/.478/.723/1.201. He has 76 hits, 24 multi-hit games, 35 XBH, 39 RBI and 54 runs. During that time, Lux's AVG, OBP and OPS rank second in the domestic full-season Minors or Majors, while his runs are third, SLG is fifth, total bases are seventh and extra-base hits are tied for ninth...Between OKC and Tulsa, Lux is batting .346 and his 157 total hits are tied for sixth in the domestic Minors...He entered Thursday's game with a batting average below .400 for the first time since joining OKC.

Eddie Stays Ready: Edwin Ríos went 0-for-4 last night, going hitless for the first time in seven starts. It also snapped his three-game streak with a home run. Ríos leads OKC and all Dodgers farmhands with 30 homers this season, and he's gone deep in four of his last six starts...With his homer Thursday night, Ríos became just the third OKC player with a 30-homer season during the team's modern PCL era, joining Nelson Cruz (37 in 2008) and Mike Hessman (35 in 2012). He is up to 86 RBI this season, becoming the first OKC player with that many RBI since 2008...Ríos has cranked 16 homers in just 32 games following the All-Star Break after hitting 14 dingers in 71 games before the break. The 16 homers during that time rank tied for fifth in the PCL, and the four individuals ahead of him have played in at least five more games.

Mound Maladies: The Dodgers allowed six runs last night and their 6.90 ERA this month is the second-highest among all teams in the domestic Minors or Majors (Fresno -- 6.91). OKC is tied for fourth-most among all teams in the domestic Minors for runs allowed this month (194). Opponents have also totaled 274 hits, with 56 homers and 116 extra-base hits, batting .296...The 56 home runs allowed are second-most among all teams in the Minors (Reno - 59), although the Dodgers have held opponents without a home in back-to-back games for the first time since July 6...OKC issued seven more walks last night and has allowed five or more walks in seven of the last 14 games (74 BB). Their 128 free passes this month are the most in Triple-A...On the bright side, the team has received back-to-back quality starts and in three of the last four games after having none through the first 23 games of August. It's the first time starting pitchers have gone at least 6.0 innings in consecutive games since July 18-19.

Almost (In)Famous: After Friday night's loss, the Dodgers are 2-9 over their last 11 games, 3-12 over the last 15 games and 61-75 overall this season. OKC's 75 losses this season are tied for the most since the team rejoined the PCL in 1998, matching the 2011 team (68-75) and 2009 team (69-75)...The Dodgers' record is currently 14 games below .500. The most games an OKC team has finished a season below .500 since 1998 is seven in 2011...OKC has also dropped six of their last eight games at home. At 29-37, the Dodgers have ensured the team will finish with its worst home record in its 22 seasons at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The team has posted losing records only twice previously at The Brick and not since 2007...The team is 9-18 in August and needs a win tonight to avoid the fewest wins in a non-April month since going 10-18 in June 2005.

Around the Horn: OKC's pitching staff paces the PCL with 1,256 strikeouts needs 22 K's over the final three games to surpass the team record of 1,277 set in 2017...Since joining OKC Aug. 4, Zach McKinstry is batting .400 (32x80) with 15 extra-base hits, 26 RBI and 15 runs scored over 24 games...Connor Joe went 2-for-4, scored a run and collected his 72nd walk of the season Friday. His 72 walks are tied for second-most in the PCL and are tied for sixth-most in OKC team history (since 1998) and are the most walks for an OKC player since Brandon Boggs in 2010 (72). He ranks third in the PCL with a .428 OBP...Last night marked the first nine-inning game since June 27 vs. New Orleans neither the Dodger nor their opponent hit a home run. It was also just the second nine-inning game of the season to have one total extra-base hit, previously April 28 at San Antonio.

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