PCL Oklahoma City Comets

OKC Dodgers Game Notes - August 8, 2021

August 8, 2021 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City Dodgers (42-39) at Albuquerque Isotopes (37-43)

Game #82 of 130/Road #46 of 65

Pitching Probables: OKC-RHP Ryan Pepiot (1-0, 3.60) vs. ABQ-RHP José Mujica (2-6, 6.79)

Sunday, August 8, 2021 | Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park | Albuquerque, N.M. | 7:05 p.m. CT

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

Today's Game: The Oklahoma City Dodgers can even their series against the Albuquerque Isotopes with a win tonight as the teams continue their series at 7:05 p.m. CT at Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park...OKC is in second place in the East Division of Triple-A West, 4.5 games behind division-leading Sugar Land. The Isotopes enter tonight 8-2 in their last 10 games and 9-3 in the last 12 games.

Last Game: After dropping back-to-back games by one run, the Dodgers escaped a few late jams and captured a 6-4 win Saturday night over the Albuquerque Isotopes at Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park. Sheldon Neuse gave the Dodgers an early 1-0 lead after swatting a solo homer in the first inning. Hamlet Marte added a RBI single in the fourth inning to make it 2-0. In the bottom of the fourth with two outs, LJ Hatch hit a three-run triple to give Albuquerque the lead. On the second pitch of the fifth inning, Luke Raley evened the score with a home run. Later in the inning, Yoshi Tsutsugo provided a sacrifice fly to give the Dodgers a 4-3 advantage. Two runs followed in the seventh inning, with a RBI single by Neuse and RBI double by Carlos Asuaje. The Isotopes scored once in the seventh inning and left the tying runs on base in the eighth inning. In the ninth, the Isotopes loaded the bases with two outs before Dodgers reliever James Pazos struck out Joshua Fuentes to end the game.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Ryan Pepiot (1-0) is set to make his second Triple-A start of the season tonight...In his Triple-A debut Aug. 2 in Round Rock, Pepiot 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...He was transferred to OKC's roster from Double-A Tulsa July 31. The Dodgers' No. 5 prospect according to MLB Pipeline made 15 appearances (13 starts) for the Drillers and posted a 3-4 record and 2.87 ERA. He allowed a total of 19 runs and 30 hits with 26 walks and 81 strikeouts over 59.2 innings. Pepiot held the opposition scoreless in five of his 15 games and allowed no more than one run in 10 of 15 games. At the time of his promotion, he led the Drillers with 81 strikeouts and had the lowest ERA among regular starting pitchers. His 81 K's ranked fifth-most in the Double-A Central...Entering tonight, Pepiot leads all Dodgers minor leaguers with a minimum of 60.0 IP in ERA (2.92) and BAA (.145). He also ranks second in WHIP (0.94) and third in strikeouts, but just one off the lead...Pepiot did not play during the 2020 season due to the cancellation of the Minor League Baseball season, but spent part of the year at the Dodgers' Alternate Training Site on the campus of USC...He began his pro career after being selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Butler University, becoming the Bulldogs' highest-ever draft pick. Pepiot zoomed up to Triple-A, reaching the level after just 28 career games (23 starts) and 83.0 IP.

Against the Isotopes: 2021: 3-6 2019: 3-0 All-time: 110-96 At ABQ: 48-60 The Dodgers are making their second trip of the season to Albuquerque...The Isotopes took four of six games, May 20-25, including three of the final four. The Dodgers scored 10 or more runs three times during the series as they outscored the Isotopes, 47-38, and outhit them, 62-50. OKC also shut out the Isotopes 12-0 in the series finale. Four OKC players each collected seven hits in the first series and Luke Raley picked up seven RBI...The Dodgers swept a three-game set between the teams June 12-14, 2019 by a combined score of 27-13 at Isotopes Park, including a 10-0 victory June 13, 2019. The sweep also marked the first time OKC had won three straight games in one series at Isotopes Park since June 22-24, 2011...Since the teams each began new affiliations in 2015, the Isotopes lead the series, 14-13...After winning six straight games against the Isotopes between 2018-19, the Dodgers have now lost six of nine to Albuquerque to begin 2021, including five of the last seven meetings. Four of the last five wins for Albuquerque against the Dodgers have been by one run, including three last at-bat victories.

Road Warriors: With last night's win, the Dodgers improved to 5-4 on their current road trip and are now 24-10 in their last 34 road games. OKC is 26-19 on the road overall this season and are tied for the second-most road wins in Triple-A West with Reno and one behind league-leading Sugar Land's 27 road wins...OKC averages 6.2 runs and 9.3 hits per game on the road compared to 5.2 runs and 8.3 hits at home and has hit 23 more homers on the road even though the team has only played nine more road games...The Dodgers have won five consecutive road series, and in each of the last two, they bounced back from a loss in the series opener to win four of the final five games of the set. The only other road series they started in a 0-2 hole prior to the current one was their season-opening series in Round Rock, which they lost 5-1.

Same Names, Different Teams: When the Dodgers last played the Isotopes, they left the Duke City with a 5-13 record through the first 18 games of the season. Since then, the Dodgers are 37-26 - the best record in Triple-A West since May 26. The Isotopes have also significantly improved during that time, going from a 6-12 record to 31-31 since. Since the calendar turned to July 1, the Isotopes own the best record in Triple-A at 22-10. They're 9-3 in their last 12 games and have won eight of their last 10 games.

Getting Neuse: Sheldon Neuse tallied a game-high three hits Saturday, going 3-for-5 with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored. Neuse has now hit safely in five straight games, going 8-for-20 with five extra-base hits. He's gone deep three times in those five games, bringing his season total to eight homers with Oklahoma City...Neuse has also hit safely in 16 of his last 18 games with the OKC Dodgers...Since his first game with OKC May 31, Neuse leads the team with 52 hits (47 games).

Yoshi's Island: Yoshi Tsutsugo has reached base safely in 21 of his last 23 games, batting .325 (25x77) with six homers, six doubles, 21 RBI, 21 runs scored and a .438 OBP (OB 42/96 PA). Since July 10, his 16 walks are third-most in Triple-A West, while his 21 runs scored are tied for fourth-most in the league...Over his last eight games, Tustsugo is 10-for-29 (.345), including a homer, five doubles, four multi-hit games, nine RBI, eight runs scored and six walks. He's picked up at least one extra-base hit in five of the eight games...Over his first 16 games with OKC, Tsutsugo batted .127 (8x63) and had a .211 OBP.

Rehab Recap: Corey Knebel pitched on back-to-back days for the first time during his Major League Rehab Assignment. Last night he entered the game with two outs in the seventh inning and OKC leading, 6-4. After giving up a single on the first pitch, he struck out Taylor Motter - the league leader in home runs - to end the inning. Knebel threw six pitches, including five strikes...Over six outings during the rehab assignment, Knebel has allowed one run and four hits over 5.2 innings, with one walk and 11 strikeouts.

Guess Who's Back?: Gavin Lux is scheduled to join Oklahoma City today to begin a Major League Rehab Assignment. He was placed on the Los Angeles Dodgers' 10-day Injured List with a left hamstring strain July 19. Lux has played in 82 games with LAD during his first full season in MLB, slashing .227/.307/.349 with 10 doubles, three triples and six homers, 37 RBI, 39 runs scored and 31 walks...In 2019, Lux was named Baseball America's Minor League Player of the Year after slashing .347/.421/.607 with 26 homers, 25 doubles, eight triples, 76 RBI, 99 runs and 61 walks in a combined 113 games between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A OKC. In 49 games with OKC, Lux compiled a 1.197 OPS with 79 hits, 35 extra-base hits and 54 runs scored.

Matt the Bat: Matt Davidson had last night off, but went 2-for-4 Friday and had the only multi-hit game for OKC. He also turned an unassisted double play at first base in the eighth inning...Davidson is 5-for-9 in the first two games of the series and is 6-for-12 over his last three games. He's reached base safely in seven consecutive games, collecting eight hits, scoring six runs with two RBI and four walks...Over his last 29 games, Davidson has batted .324 (35x108) with 13 homers, 21 extra-base hits and 30 RBI.

Santana's Greatest Hits: Cristian Santana picked up a hit last night and has now hit safely in his last 11 starts, going 19-for-46 (.413) with nine RBI and seven multi-hit games. He has tallied two or more hits in six of his last nine starts (15x37), seven of his last 11 starts (19x46) and eight of his last 13 starts (21x50). He has also hit safely in 21 of his last 23 starts...Since July 1, he's batted .340 (33x97) and is tied for first among OKC players with 33 hits during the stretch after batting .236 through June 30...With the recent surge, Santana is now third on the team this season with 15 multi-hit games, tied for third with 12 doubles and fifth with 50 total hits this season.

Sales Pitch: For the seventh time in nine games during the current road trip, the Dodgers allowed three earned runs or fewer. Over the nine games, the pitching staff has posted a 3.56 ERA (31 ER/78.1 IP), notched 94 strikeouts and posted a 1.23 WHIP and .231 BAA (68x294)...Last night the Dodgers registered 10 or more strikeouts for the 11th time in the last 16 games. Over the last 14 games, the Dodgers have racked up 167 strikeouts against 45 walks (3.7 K/BB). The Dodgers lead Triple-A West with 796 strikeouts this season...After starting pitcher Austin Bibens-Dirkx was ejected following the end of the fourth inning, the Dodgers bullpen combined to allowed one unearned run and four hits over the final 5.0 innings, recording eight strikeouts. Not counting piggyback starters as part of a tandem, the bullpen has allowed only seven earned runs (10 runs total) and 31 hits over 44.2 innings (1.41 ERA) while notching 71 strikeouts in the last 12 games.

Around the Horn: The Dodgers hit two homers Saturday night after being held without a home run Friday and have now hit 46 homers in their last 27 games - second-most in Triple-A West during the stretch. The OKC pitching staff held the Isotopes without a homer for the second straight night, after giving up at least one homer in 11 consecutive games. Prior to Friday, Albuquerque had hit 45 home runs since July 8 - most among all Triple-A teams...Hamlet Marte went 1-for-4 with a RBI single last night and is now 6-for-12 with three extra-base hits and four RBI over his last three games...Drew Avans has tallied an extra-base hit in each of his last four games (HR, 3B, 2 2B)...Yesterday Luke Raley connected on his first homer since June 22 at Round Rock, ending a drought of 24 games between OKC and LA...Reliever Justin Bruhil was selected by Los Angeles today for his first career Major League call-up. Bruhil did not allow an earned run over his last 10 outings (13.0 IP) and allowed nine hits with four walks and 15 strikeouts.

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