PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

OKC Dodgers Game Notes - July 14, 2018

Published on July 14, 2018 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City Dodgers (47-40) vs. Round Rock Express (44-47)

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Texas Rangers

Game #88 of 140/Road #43 of 70 (19-23)

Pitching Probables: OKC-LHP Manny Bañuelos (8-4, 3.39) vs. RR-RHP Adrian Sampson (4-3, 5.00)

Saturday, July 14, 2018 | Dell Diamond | Round Rock, Texas | 6:05 p.m. CT

Radio: KGHM AM-1340 The Game, 1340thegame.com, iHeartRadio - Alex Freedman

Today's Game: The Oklahoma City Dodgers continue their road series against the Round Rock Express at 6:05 p.m. at Dell Diamond. The four-game series is tied, 1-1. OKC is looking for back-to-back wins for the first time since June 17.

Last Game: The Dodgers scored in six of nine innings Friday night, piling up eight runs and 12 hits on the way to an 8-5 victory against Round Rock at Dell Diamond. OKC opened the scoring in the second inning when a run scored on a double play. In the third, OKC rallied for three straight hits with two outs, capped with a two-run double by Kyle Farmer to make it 3-0. The Express answered with two runs in their next at-bat on RBI singles by Willie Calhoun and Carlos Perez. Travis Taijeron extended the lead to 4-2 when he connected on his eighth home run of the season in the fourth inning. A two-run, two-out double by Edwin Ríos in the fifth inning gave the Dodgers their largest advantage of the night at 6-2. In the bottom of the inning, a RBI double by Calhoun plus a sacrifice fly by Perez pulled Round Rock back within two runs. Angelo Mora socked his fourth home run of the season with an opposite field shot out to left field in the sixth to make it 7-4. Calhoun picked up his third RBI on a fielder's choice in the seventh inning. In the ninth inning with two outs and two runners on, Ríos sent a dribbler up the third base line that kicked off the base for a RBI single, extending the lead to 8-5. Brian Schlitter retired the side in order on six pitches in the ninth inning to earn his 12th save. OKC starting pitcher Tyler Pill (3-3) earned the win after allowing four runs (three earned) and six hits over five innings. Round Rock starting pitcher Michael Roth was tagged for a season high-tying six runs across five innings in the loss.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Manny Bañuelos (8-4) makes his team-leading 16th start of the season tonight for the Dodgers...He returned to action July 7 after a stint on the Disabled List, pitching 5.0 innings against the Express in OKC. He allowed four runs and allowed a season-high nine hits. He also issued a season-high four walks and recorded seven strikeouts in a no decision...Bañuelos was one of four OKC Dodgers selected to the Mid-Season PCL All-Star Team. It was his third career Mid-Season All-Star honor and the second time he's been selected to the Triple-A All-Star Game (also 2015 with Gwinnett). However, he was unable to participate in the All-Star Game...Bañuelos currently ranks tied for second in the PCL with 98 strikeouts, while his 3.39 ERA ranks seventh in the league. He is also posting 10.62 strikeouts per nine innings - second-most among PCL starting pitchers...In addition to starts, wins and strikeouts, he leads OKC in innings (82.1)...He signed with the Dodgers as a free agent Nov. 14, 2017 after spending the 2017 season with Triple-A Salt Lake in the Los Angeles Angels organization...Tonight is his fourth start of the season against the Express. So far this season, he is 2-0 with a 3.18 ERA against Round Rock. He has allowed six runs and 17 hits over 17.0 innings, with six walks and 18 strikeouts.

Against the Express: 2018: 8-6 2017: 9-6 All-time: 122-98 At RR: 63-46

The Express and Dodgers are meeting again after playing each other in a five-game series in OKC prior to the All-Star Break. Rock Round took four of five games and outscored the Dodgers, 41-23, in the series. The Express opened the series by winning three consecutive games at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark for the first time since 2014 and won three straight in one series in OKC for the first time since 2011...Over the first seven meetings between the teams, the Express batted just .204 while scoring 23 runs. But over the five games at The Brick, the Express batted .356 (69x194) while scoring 41 times...The teams last met in Round Rock April 17-20, with the Dodgers winning the series, 3-1, which still stands as the Dodgers' only four-game road series win this season...The Dodgers won the 2017 head-to-head series, 9-6, and have won three straight season series against Round Rock.

Teach Me How to Dugie: Over his last seven games with an at-bat, Alex Verdugo is 14-for-28 with five multi-hit outings, two homers and six runs scored, including a season-high three runs scored Friday. Last night he picked up his team-leading 24th multi-hit game of the season and has 30 hits over his last 20 games...Verdugo paces the Dodgers with 82 hits in 59 games and his .350 season batting average is tied for best in the PCL with Salt Lake's David Fletcher, who is currently with the Los Angeles Angels...Verdugo has eight homers this season with OKC after hitting six homers in 117 games last season with the team.

Adding Some Flavor: Kyle Garlick has hit safely in six straight games, going 12-for-25 with four multi-hit games, three doubles, a homer and five runs scored...Over his last 10 games, Garlick is 15-for-38 (.395) with five extra-base hits and five multi-hit games...His 12 hits this month are tied with Alex Verdugo for the team lead.

Along the Ríos Grande: Edwin Ríos collected his fourth multi-hit outing over his last seven games Friday, going 2-for-4 with a double. He also racked up a team-best three RBI in the game for his second-highest RBI total this season (Five; June 10 at Fresno)...Ríos has hit safely in seven of the last eight games and is 11-for-26 (.423) during the stretch...Over the last two seasons, he has batted .418 (23x55) against the Express.

Summer Blues: Following a 5-3 win over Las Vegas on June 17, the Dodgers stood a season-best 17 games above .500 with a 41-24 record and had a 6.0-game lead in the American Northern Division standings. Since that day, they have gone 6-16 over the last 22 games, including 4-13 over the last 17 games. They now trail Colorado Springs by 1.5 games in the division standings...The Dodgers have a -36 run differential during the 22-game span and four losses have come by six runs or more...Over the 22-game stretch, the pitching staff has a 5.87 ERA and 1.70 WHIP, with opponents batting .313. The starting rotation has given up 69 runs and 112 hits over 81.2 IP during the last 18 games, with eight starts of 4.0 or fewer innings...Each of the team's last five wins have been followed by a loss, and tonight the Dodgers will try to string two wins together since a four-game win streak June 14-17.

(Messed) Around a Got a Triple Double: Kyle Farmer hit three doubles Friday night becoming the second Dodger in the last seven games with three doubles in one game. Prior to Travis Taijeron accomplishing the feat against Round Rock July 4 in OKC, no OKC player had collected three doubles in a game since Domingo Santana on April 12, 2014 against New Orleans.

Around the Horn: Today is Tim Locastro's 26th birthday...OKC designated hitters this season have combined to bat .329 with 22 extra-base hits and 21 RBI over 42 games...Brian Schlitter has allowed just two runs over his last nine appearances, spanning 12.2 innings. During that time opponents are 7-for-43 (.163) with just one walk. His 12 saves are tied for second in the PCL...Over Henry Ramos' last 10 games, he is batting .406 (13x32) with five multi-hit games, three homers, seven RBI and five runs. Four of his eight homers have come in his last 12 games...The two strikeouts yesterday by OKC's pitching staff marked the fewest in a nine-inning game since Aug. 29, 2016 vs. Memphis.

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