OKC Dodgers Game Notes - July 13, 2021
Published on July 13, 2021 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release
Oklahoma City Dodgers (31-28) at El Paso Chihuahuas (25-32)
Game #60 of 130/Road #36 of 65
Pitching Probables: OKC-RHP Markus Solbach (0-3, 6.65) vs. ELP-RHP Jesse Scholtens (3-6, 5.77)
Tuesday, July 13, 2021 | Southwest University Park | El Paso, Texas | 7:35 p.m. CT
Radio: KGHM AM-1340 The Game, 1340thegame.com, iHeartRadio; Video: MiLB.tv
Today's Game: The Oklahoma City Dodgers close out their road series against the El Paso Chihuahuas at 7:35 p.m. CT at Southwest University Park. The Dodgers lead the series, 3-2, and are 17-5 in the last 22 road games and are 9-3 in the last 12 road games...The Dodgers are guaranteed to leave El Paso with at least a split in the current series regardless of tonight's result and will have won or split all five of their series at Southwest University Park since the Tucson franchise relocated there in 2014.
Yesterday's Games: The Dodgers and Chihuahuas opened play Monday with a game that was suspended Sunday due to rain. The teams picked things up in a 7-7 tie in the seventh inning. Between the seventh and eighth innings, the Dodgers had five at-bats with the go-ahead run in scoring position, but could not break through. Gosuke Katoh gave El Paso the lead with a solo homer in the eighth that proved to be the difference in an 8-7 win for the Chihuahuas. OKC led the game, 7-0, entering the bottom of the fifth. The Chihuahuas scored six runs in the bottom of the fifth - including an inside-the-park grand slam - and then evened the score in the sixth inning before the game was halted. OKC scored two runs in the third inning with RBI singles by Keibert Ruiz and Luke Raley. Yoshi Tsutsugo and Sheldon Neuse each homered for OKC in the fourth inning, accounting for four runs. Tsutsugo picked up another RBI in the fifth on a fielder's choice...In Monday's regularly scheduled game, Mitch White delivered six scoreless innings, and two runs by OKC in the third inning held up in a 2-0 win in seven innings. White scattered six hits - all singles - over six frames with no walks and two strikeouts. He combined with Kevin Quackenbush on the team's second shutout of the season. The Dodgers strung three straight hits together with two outs in the third inning to score the game's only runs. Yoshi Tsutsugo hit a RBI single and Cristian Santana followed with a RBI double to make it 2-0. In the bottom of the seventh, the Chihuahuas loaded the bases with one out. Pinch hitter Tyler Malone hit a line drive toward the middle, but it was caught by shortstop Sheldon Neuse, who then stepped on second base to complete a game-ending double play.
Today's Probable Pitcher: Markus Solbach (0-3) makes his ninth appearance and fifth start of the season in tonight's series finale...Solbach most recently pitched July 6 in a start against Salt Lake in OKC. He allowed three runs (one earned) and three hits over 4.0 innings with two walks and four strikeouts. He allowed two unearned runs in the first inning then settled in and retired nine straight batters before allowing two singles, a walk and a run in the fourth inning...In four starts this season, Solbach has allowed 13 runs (11 earned) and 18 hits over 11.0 innings. But in four relief outings, he's allowed five runs and eight hits over 10.2 innings...Solbach joined OKC May 24 from Extended Spring Training. He did not play in the U.S. in 2020 and played for San Marino of the Italian Baseball League, dominating over nine appearances, including eight starts, allowing two runs total and just one earned run over 30.1 IP for a 0.30 ERA. He scattered 15 hits while racking up 53 K's against eight walks...2021 is his 11th season of his pro career. He signed with the Dodgers as a free agent Jan. 3, 2019 and has spent time in the Twins (2011-13), Diamondbacks (2014-16) and Dodgers organizations, in two different independent leagues as well as the Australian Baseball League...Tonight is his third start of the season against the Chihuahuas and second at Southwest University Park. He is 0-2 against El Paso in 2021, having allowed seven runs and 12 hits over 5.0 innings with three walks and five strikeouts.
Against the Chihuahuas: 2021: 10-7 2019: 2-2 All-time: 24-17 At ELP: 14-9 Tonight the Dodgers and Chihuahuas wrap up their third series of the season and second at Southwest University Park in 2021...The teams split their most recent series in OKC June 10-15, with the Dodgers winning the first two games and the series finale, but El Paso winning three straight meetings in between...OKC won the first series between the teams May 27-June 1, with the Chihuahuas winning the series opener and finale and OKC winning four straight games in the middle at Southwest University Park...Entering the current series, the Dodgers outscored the Chihuahuas, 85-55, and hit 20 homers through the first 12 games...Outside of the 2018 series, OKC has won or split each season series against the Chihuahuas since Tucson's franchise relocated to El Paso for the 2014 season, including all four previous series at Southwest University Park (2015, 2017, 2019, 2021)...Current OKC Dodgers Carlos Asuaje (2016-18), Tim Federowicz (2015) and Kevin Quackenbush (2014-17) have all played for El Paso during their careers...The Dodgers are 7-4 at Southwest University Park this season and have scored 92 runs with 23 homers over the 11 contests.
West Texas Shootout...And Shutout: After combining for 77 runs through the first four games of their current series, the Dodgers and Chihuahuas totaled two runs in Monday's regularly scheduled game with OKC winning, 2-0, to buck several current trends in El Paso. The Dodgers scored 38 runs through the first four games of the current series - and at least seven runs per game. It was their second-highest scoring four-game stretch of the season, trailing only the team's last trip to El Paso in which they scored 44 runs May 28-31, including a 20-9 victory. The Dodgers racked up 52 hits through the first four games of the series, picking up at least 11 hits in each game. Their lone stretch with more hits this season was May 28-31 also in El Paso when they had 54 hits...On the other hand, the Dodgers allowed 39 runs and 45 hits over the first four games of the series - the most they have allowed in either category during a four-game stretch this season...OKC's shutout win in Game 2 last night was the team's second of the season and first since May 25 at Albuquerque. The two total runs scored were the lowest in any OKC game this season.
It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over: Sunday's suspended game marked the second time in the current series a team had a 7-0 lead slip away and ended up losing. The Dodgers overcame a 7-0 deficit Friday to win, 15-11. On Sunday, the Chihuahuas trailed, 7-0, entering the bottom of the fifth inning. They scored six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and scored another run in the sixth inning to tie the game before play was halted due to rain. After play resumed Monday, the Chihuahuas went on to take an 8-7 win...It's the second time this season OKC lost a game when leading by at least seven runs (also May 23 at Albuquerque). Between June 10, 2003 and May 22, 2021, OKC played 2,376 games without losing when leading by at least seven runs before it happened twice in the span of 43 games.
Omar Comin': Omar Estévez did not play in Monday's regularly scheduled game, but went 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored in the suspended game completed Monday. The infielder had his biggest game of the season Saturday, going 4-for-5 with a homer, double and three RBI. It was his third career four-hit game and first since Sept. 3, 2018 with High-A Rancho Cucamonga against Inland Empire. His three RBI set a season high and his two extra-base hits were also a season high...Estévez has hit safely in a season-best six straight games overall, going 11-for-25 (.440) with three multi-hit games, three extra-base hits and five RBI. Prior to the recent hot streak, Estévez went 6-for-46 over 16 games between June 1-July 1...His current .222 batting average is the highest it's been all season.
Luke Using the Force: Luke Raley reached base four times in Sunday's suspended game and followed it up by going 1-for-3 with a double in Monday's game. He has now hit safely in four straight games (6-for-14) and in 11 of his last 12 games, going 15-for-42 (.357) with a home run, four doubles, 11 runs scored and five RBI and nine walks. Even though he's only played in 35 of the team's 59 games, Raley leads OKC with 39 RBI and 33 runs scored, while his 43 hits and nine doubles are second and his nine homers are tied for second on the team...Since May 23 (32 games), Raley is second in Triple-A West with both a .461 OBP and 1.125 OPS, while his .664 SLG is third and his 38 RBI are tied for third.
Dinger Details: After hitting 11 homers in the first four games of the series, with at least two in each game, the Dodgers were held without a homer in Monday night's regularly scheduled game. The 11 dingers marked the team's most in a four-game stretch this season and OKC ranks tied for third in Triple-A West with 16 homers so far in July...The Dodgers didn't allow a homer Monday either and have kept El Paso inside the park in three of the last four games in the current series and in nine of the last 11 games against the Chihuahuas overall...Since June 3, the Dodgers have allowed 28 home runs in the last 35 games - fewest in Triple-A West by 15...Taylor Kohlwey's inside-the-park grand slam in the fifth inning Sunday for El Paso was incredibly the third inside-the-park home run hit against OKC within 42 games and the first grand slam hit by an OKC opponent this year. Kohlwey joined Albuquerque's Danny Edgeworth (May 24) and Round Rock's Carl Chester (June 21) as opponents who have traipsed around the bases.
Double the Fun: The Dodgers have turned at least one double play in a season-best eight straight games and tied their season-high mark with three in three games during the stretch (15 total), including in last night's regularly scheduled game. They've turned nine double plays over the last four games and 13 in the last six games...For comparison, the Dodgers had just 10 double plays in the 17 games prior to the recent stretch and turned a total of 32 double plays in their first 51 games of the season
In the Zone: After issuing 17 walks over the first two games of the series, the Dodgers have only handed out three walks over the last three games combined. They allowed two or fewer walks in 13 of the last 21 games, as well as 11 of the last 18 games...Since June 19 (21 games), the Dodgers have allowed 62 walks, which are second-fewest in the league. Although the total is one more than Tacoma's, the Dodgers have pitched 9.2 more innings than the Rainiers during that time.
Around the Horn: Tonight marks just the second time this season the Dodgers enter a six-game series finale with a chance for a series win on the line. They were successful in their first instance June 8 at home against Sugar Land. The team had won four straight series finales until taking a loss a week ago tonight at home against Salt Lake... Last night marked the first time all season Kevin Quackenbush allowed two hits in an appearance. It still didn't deter him from notching his Minor League-leading 13th save...Keibert Ruiz had reached base in 13 straight games before he struck out in his lone at-bat as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning of Monday's regularly scheduled game...Cristian Santana is riding a season-best eight-game hitting streak, going 10-for-33 (.303) with a home run, three doubles, three RBI and five runs scored. He has also hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games and in 14 of his last 16 games...DJ Peters has hit safely in five straight games, going 8-for-22 with two homers, two doubles, four RBI and three runs scored...The Dodgers have scored first in each of their last three games and are now 14-3 in the last 17 games they've scored first.
Pacific Coast League Stories from July 13, 2021
- Series Split Eludes Chihuahuas in 3-1 Loss - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Round Rock Closes out Homestand with 3-2 Loss to Albuquerque - Round Rock Express
- Skeeters Close out Homestand with 3-1 Win over Tacoma - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Isotopes Take Series Finale from Express, Win Fifth Straight - Albuquerque Isotopes
- OKC Dodgers Game Notes - July 13, 2021 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Las Vegas Aviators Host El Paso Chihuahuas in Six-Game Homestand from Thursday-Tuesday, July 15-20 - Las Vegas Aviators
- Aces Notes - Reno Aces
- Margaritaville, Military Appreciation Nights to Star in Aces' August Promotions - Reno Aces
- Aces Top Aviators Behind Three RBIs Each from Beer, Ramos - Reno Aces
- Alcántara, Bishop shine offensively as River Cats strike out 13 - Sacramento River Cats
- Bees Come up Short against River CatsÃâà- Salt Lake Bees
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