PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

OKC Dodgers Game Notes - July 28, 2018

Published on July 28, 2018 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


El Paso Chihuahuas (56-48) vs. Oklahoma City Dodgers (57-45)

San Diego Padres vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Game #103 of 140/Home #54 of 70 (33-20)

Pitching Probables: ELP-LHP Jerry Keel (3-1, 3.75) vs. OKC-LHP Manny Bañuelos (8-5, 3.91)

Saturday, July 28, 2018 | Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark | Oklahoma City, Okla. | 7:05 p.m. CT

TV: YurView on Cox (Channel 1333/703): Alex Freedman & Grant Hansen

Radio: KGHM AM-1340 The Game, 1340thegame.com, iHeartRadio - Randy Renner

Today's Game: The Oklahoma City Dodgers continue their series against the El Paso Chihuahuas at 7:05 p.m. as part of ¡Celebración Cielo Azul! at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The Dodgers will take the field as Cielo Azul de Oklahoma City against Los Chihuahuas de El Paso. A silent auction for players' and coaches' game-worn Cielo Azul jerseys will be held during the game to benefit the OKC Dodgers Baseball Foundation and Latino Community Development Agency. The Xpogo Stunt Team will perform throughout the evening, presented by Okie 811. Tonight's game will be televised live on YurView on Cox (Channel 1333) for all Cox cable subscribers, beginning five minutes before first pitch.

Last Game: A five-run sixth inning pushed El Paso to an 8-2 win against the Dodgers Friday night in the series opener between the teams at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. OKC built a 2-0 lead in the first inning, then was held without a run as the Chihuahuas scored eight times over the final four frames. The Dodgers pounced with two quick runs on a RBI double by Andrew Toles, followed by a RBI single by Connor Joe. It remained a 2-0 game until the Chihuahuas took the lead in the sixth inning. With the bases loaded and two out, Shane Peterson drew a walk from Edward Paredes to cut Oklahoma City's lead to 2-1. Diego Goris came up next hit a grand slam onto the Budweiser Deck in left field for a 5-2 El Paso advantage. The Chihuahuas added a run on a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning for a 6-2 lead. A RBI single by El Paso pinch-hitter Francisco Mejia in the eighth inning gave the Chihuahuas a 7-2 lead before a RBI single by Peterson boosted El Paso's lead to six runs in the ninth. El Paso starting pitcher Brett Kennedy improved to 10-0 on the season with the win, allowing two runs and five hits over 6.0 innings. After four straight Dodgers reached base with one out in the first inning, Kennedy retired 16 of the last 18 batters he faced. He issued one walk and recorded seven strikeouts. OKC starting pitcher Zach Neal (2-2) was charged with the loss, allowing three runs and five hits over 5.1 innings.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Manny Bañuelos (8-5) makes his team-leading 18th start of the season tonight for the Dodgers, looking to break out of a recent rut...The lefty was tagged for the loss in his last start July 22 in Nashville. He allowed a season-high seven runs and six hits over 5.0 innings, with six runs scoring with two outs. He issued three walks and racked up eight strikeouts in OKC's 8-5 defeat...Over his last four starts, Bañuelos has surrendered 17 runs (16 ER) and 25 hits over 17.2 innings. During that time opponents have batted .325 (25x77) with 11 walks and 24 strikeouts, resulting in a 2.04 WHIP and a rate of 5.6 walks per nine innings...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)...Bañuelos currently ranks second in the PCL with 110 strikeouts, while his 3.91 ERA ranks tied for ninth in the league. He is posting 10.97 strikeouts per nine innings - most among PCL starting pitchers...In addition to starts, wins and strikeouts, he leads OKC in innings (89.2)...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 Bañuelos' sixth career appearance and second start against the Chihuahuas. He made five appearances (one start) against El Paso last season while pitching for Salt Lake, going 0-2 with a 7.56 ERA

Against the Chihuahuas: 2018: 0-1 2017: 3-1 All-time: 11-6 At OKC: 6-3

El Paso comes to OKC for the lone series of the season between the teams...The Dodgers won the 2017 season series in El Paso, 3-1. The Chihuahuas won the first game before OKC closed out the series with three straight wins, including one-run victories in the last two meetings...Alex Verdugo batted .444 in the series, going a team-best 8-for-18 with six runs scored and three RBI...In El Paso's last regular-season visit to Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark Aug. 12-15, 2016, the Dodgers swept the four-game set in dominant fashion, outscoring the Chihuahuas, 33-9, while batting .345 in the series...However, during the rematch between the teams in the PCL Championship Series, the Chihuahuas took the crown, 3-1...This marks the fifth regular-season series between the teams after Tucson's franchise relocated to El Paso for the 2014 season. OKC is 11-6 against the Chihuahuas during the regular season and owns a 2-0-2 series record...Dodgers catcher Rocky Gale spent parts of four seasons playing for El Paso (2014-17) and logged 326 career games as a Chihuahua.

Reversal of Fortune: Through the first 32 innings of the current homestand, the Dodgers allowed just two runs and 21 hits, with opponents batting .184 (21x114), including 3-for-20 with RISP, while tallying a total of two extra-base hits. But over the final four innings of last night's game, the Chihuahuas went 8-for-17 with eight runs and two extra-base hits, while going 3-for-8 with RISP. Diego Goris' go-ahead grand slam in the sixth inning ended a streak of eight straight games without allowing a homer at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark...Four relievers combined to allow five runs and seven hits, with four walks over 3.2 innings while throwing a staggering 107 pitches. During the Albuquerque series, the bullpen did not allow a run over a combined 9.1 innings with eight hits and one walk...During El Paso's last trip to OKC in 2016, the Chihuahuas scored nine runs total over four games...At the plate, the Dodgers began last night's game 3-for-4 with two runs, but were held 3-for-28 with no runs over the remainder of the contest.

For Whom the Bell Toles: Andrew Toles was the only Dodger with a multi-hit game last night, going 2-for-4 with a double, RBI and a run scored. It was his fifth multi-hit outing in his last eight games...Toles has now hit safely in nine straight PCL games, dating back to July 7. During the nine-game stretch, he is 15-for-36 (.417) with four RBI, a homer and six runs scored...Through 41 games total with OKC, Toles is batting .339 (56x165) with 17 XBH, 24 RBI and 28 runs scored.

Dominant Donovan: Since returning from the Disabled List July 15, Donovan Solano is batting .424 (14x33) with 10 RBI and five runs scored over nine games. He's recorded four multi-hit outings, including three games with three or more hits. Thursday night he went 3-for-4 with a run scored...The team is 8-1 when he's been in the lineup since coming off the DL and 1-4 when he's not in the lineup, with losses in four straight...In 47 games overall with OKC, Solano is batting .380 (68x179) with 12 doubles, three homers, 31 RBI and 25 runs.

Oh Henry!: Henry Ramos picked up a hit and scored a run last night and has now hit safely in seven of his last eight games, and in nine of his last 11 games with an at-bat, going 12-for-34 (.353)...Ramos leads the Dodgers with 52 hits in 46 games at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark this season, along with 28 RBI and 23 runs scored in OKC.

Around the Horn: The Dodgers are in a stretch of 14 straight games against Pacific Conference opponents. They are 11-7 against Pacific Conference teams so far in 2018, including 7-4 at home...Tim Locastro has 13 hits and 13 runs scored over 13 games since coming off the Disabled List. Yesterday he recorded his team-leading 12th stolen base of the season...The Dodgers offense tied its season high for a nine-inning game with 13 strikeouts last night, marking the sixth time that has happened this season (last June 2 vs. Omaha).

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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 28, 2018


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