PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

OKC Dodgers Game Notes - July 20, 2018

Published on July 20, 2018 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City Dodgers (52-42) vs. Nashville Sounds (47-49)

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Oakland A's

Games #95 of 140/Road #46 of 70 (22-23)

Pitching Probables: OKC-RHP Drew Hutchison (3-1, 3.60) vs. NAS-LHP Eric Jokisch (3-8, 4.50)

Friday, July 20, 2018 | First Tennessee Park | Nashville, Tenn. | 7:05 p.m. CT

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

Today's Game: The Oklahoma City Dodgers travel to play a four-game series against the Nashville Sounds over the next three days starting at 7:05 p.m. at First Tennessee Park. Tomorrow the teams will make up a postponed game from May 29 in Nashville due to inclement weather.

Last Game: New Orleans overcame an early deficit Thursday night to defeat the Dodgers, 4-2, in the series finale between the teams at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Oklahoma City built a 2-0 lead in the first inning, as Kyle Farmer picked up a RBI groundout and Alex Verdugo hit a RBI single. After the first two batters of the fourth inning reached for the Baby Cakes, Austin Dean lined a RBI single into center field to cut the Dodgers' lead to 2-1. The Baby Cakes loaded the bases with two outs later in the inning, but Dodgers starting pitcher Logan Bawcom got Austin Nola to ground out to end the inning. The Baby Cakes took the lead in the fifth inning on a two-run single by Eric Campbell for a 3-2 edge. Campbell later scored in the inning on a throwing error by first baseman Edwin RÃ-os. New Orleans starting pitcher and former Dodgers farmhand Jeff Brigham (1-0) pitched seven strong innings, holding OKC to two runs and eight hits. He allowed just one walk and recorded five strikeouts. Baby Cakes relievers Joe Gunkel and Jumbo Diaz followed with two scoreless frames, as Diaz recorded his seventh save. In his first game with OKC since 2016, Bawcom got off to a great start, holding New Orleans scoreless and to one hit through three innings. However, Bawcom (0-1) went on to allow four runs (three earned) and six hits over 5.1 innings and was charged with the loss.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Drew Hutchison (3-1) makes his fifth start with OKC tonight...He pitched 6.0 scoreless innings for the second time in three starts in his last outing July 15 at Round Rock. He allowed four hits and three walks with four strikeouts, as he picked up his third win in six appearances with the Dodgers...In three of his four starts this season, Hutchison has kept the opposition scoreless. Overall in his starts he's posted a 2.25 ERA while keeping opponents to .230 batting average...He began the 2018 season with the Philadelphia Phillies and was designated for assignment May 31 before being outrighted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley June 5. He rejected the assignment and became a free agent before subsequently signing with the Dodgers June 12...He made 11 relief appearances for the Phillies, going 1-1 with a 4.64 ERA over 21.2 IP and allowing 21 hits and 11 runs with 13 walks and 19 strikeouts...Hutchison has 93 career MLB appearances (74 starts) with Toronto (76 games), Pittsburgh (6 games) and Philadelphia (11 games)...He was originally drafted by Toronto in the 15th round of the 2009 MLB Draft from Lakeland (Fla.) High School...Tonight is his second start of the season against the Sounds. He started Game 2 of a doubleheader June 27, pitching 4.0 scoreless innings and holding the Sounds to three singles with two strikeouts.

Against the Sounds: 2018: 5-7 2017: 11-5 All-time: 181-151 At NAS: 86-79 The Dodgers are playing their fourth and final series of the season against the Sounds...The teams last met June 26-28 in OKC with the Sounds completing a four-game sweep. Each Sounds victory was by one run. It was the first time the Dodgers were swept in a four-game series since May 23-26, 2016 at Fresno and the first time they were swept at home in a four-game set since June 2-5, 2015 vs. Sacramento. Additionally, it was the first time the Sounds swept OKC in a four-game series since 2006 and the first time they swept any series in Bricktown in 17 years...In their last meeting in Music City, the Sounds and Dodgers split a weather-abbreviated series, 2-2, May 25-28. The teams combined to score just 18 runs total...In 2017, the Dodgers won the season series, 11-5, posting at least 10 wins against the Sounds for the third straight year. OKC outscored the Sounds, 85-54, and Dodgers pitchers racked up 158 strikeouts in 16 meetings for an average of 9.9 per game...Each of the last seven meetings has been decided by one run, with the Sounds winning six times, including the last five straight.

Teach Me How to Dugie: Alex Verdugo went 2-for-3 with a RBI last night and is currently on a 12-game hitting streak, going 20-for-43 (.465) with six multi-hit outings, two homers and six runs scored. He has 36 hits over his last 25 games. A hit in his next game would tie his longest hitting streak of the season at 13 games (June 3-18), which is also tied with Rocky Gale for the longest hitting streak by a Dodger this season...Verdugo paces the Dodgers with 88 hits in 64 games, and his .353 season batting average is tops in the PCL...Verdugo has eight homers this season after hitting six homers in 117 games last season with the team.

Along the RÃ-os Grande: Over his last 14 games, Edwin RÃ-os is batting .367 (18x49) with six multi-hit outings, 10 runs scored and 12 RBI...RÃ-os currently paces the Dodgers with 12 RBI and 11 runs scored in July. His 18 hits this month are tied for second...After missing close to two months at the start of the season due to injury, RÃ-os is slashing .309/.364/.467 over 46 games and he has picked up 17 multi-hit games.

Farm Fresh: Kyle Farmer picked up his team-leading ninth double of July last night. Over his current six-game hitting streak he is 11-for-26 (.423) with six doubles, six RBI and four runs scored...Ten of his team-leading 19 hits this month have gone for extra bases.

Welcome Back: Since returning from the Disabled List last week, both Tim Locastro and Donovan Solano have had noticeable impacts. Solano is 8-for-18 with a pair of games with three-plus hits, four RBI and three runs scored. Locastro has hit safely in all six games he's played in, going 8-for-24 with seven runs and a RBI...Neither played in last night's loss. Sunday was the first day both players were active, and since then, the team is 3-0 when both are in the starting lineup and 1-2 when one or neither is in the lineup.

Mound Turnaround?: Over the last six games, the Dodgers have posted a 2.33 ERA (14 ER/54.0 IP) and .215 BAA (41x191), including 10-for-59 (.169) with RISP. The team has not allowed a homer in a season-best six straight games...Prior to Sunday, the pitching staff had a 5.83 ERA and 1.72 WHIP, with opponents batting .313 over the previous 23 games.

It's Not Rocket Science: The Dodgers are 6-2 over the last eight games. In the six wins, the team has batted .303 (71x234) with 42 runs and eight homers, while scoring at least five runs each game. In the two losses, the team has batted .200 (13x65) with three runs, no homers and has not scored past the first inning in either game...After starting last night's game 3-for-4, the Dodgers went 6-for-31 the rest of the way, including 0-for-the-last 14 with runners on base.

Around the Horn: The Dodgers have scored first in nine of the last 10 games, but are only 5-4 during that stretch when striking first. The team is 6-8 the last 14 times scoring first after beginning the season 30-5... OKC designated hitters this season have combined to bat .341 with 22 XBH and 21 RBI over 44 games...The Dodgers have lost nine of the last 11 series openers, including the last five straight. This season they are 0-4 when flying in the morning and playing the same night.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 20, 2018


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