PCL Oklahoma City Comets

OKC Dodgers Game Notes - July 5, 2021

Published on July 5, 2021 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Salt Lake Bees (24-27) at Oklahoma City Dodgers (28-24)

Game #53 of 120/Home #23 of 60

Pitching Probables: SL-LHP Brian Johnson (1-0, 0.00) vs. OKC-RHP Aaron Wilkerson (4-3, 3.99)

Monday, July 5, 2021 | Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark | Oklahoma City, Okla. | 7:05 p.m. CT

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

Today's Game: The Oklahoma City Dodgers try to gain the edge in their six-game series with the Salt Lake Bees when the teams meet at 7:05 p.m. at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark as part of Triple-A West Night in America. Each team has won two of the first four games...The Dodgers are 13-4 in the last 17 games and sit 1.5 games out of first place in the Triple-A West East Division in sole possession of second place.

Last Game: The OKC Dodgers homered twice and Zach Reks finished the night with a game-high three RBI as the Dodgers defeated the Salt Lake Bees, 6-3, in an Independence Day game Sunday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The Dodgers grabbed the early lead when Yoshi Tsutsugo knocked a two-run double into left field to put the Dodgers in front, 2-0, in the first inning. Reks' RBI double pushed the Dodgers' lead to 3-0 in the second inning. After the Bees cut into the lead in the third inning with a two-run homer, Reks extended the Dodgers' lead again in the fourth inning with a two-run homer of his own. A Bees' RBI single in the sixth inning trimmed the lead to two runs before Matt Davidson connected on the Dodgers' second homer of the night, making the score 6-3.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Aaron Wilkerson (4-3) makes his first start in OKC since June 12 after three straight starts on the road...In his last outing June 29 at Sugar Land, Wilkerson allowed three runs on six hits over 5.1 innings of work with one walk and five strikeouts (ND). He held the Skeeters to one run over the first five innings and retired 11 of 12 batters entering the sixth inning...Overall this season, Wilkerson's 1.15 WHIP leads Triple-A West while his 55 strikeouts are third-most in the league. His .245 AVG is fourth as are his 49.2 IP. His 3.99 ERA ranks fifth and his four wins are tied for fifth...Since May 25, Wilkerson is 4-0 over seven games (six starts) and leads the league with a 2.58 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, .216 BAA and 38.1 innings...Entering tonight, the Dodgers have won five of his last six starts, including the last three straight...Wilkerson signed with the Dodgers as a free agent May 1. He originally signed with Rakuten of the Chinese Professional Baseball League during the 2020-21 offseason, but opted out of his contract due to family reasons...Wilkerson was under contract with the Milwaukee Brewers during the 2020 season, but was not part of the team's player pool and did not play due to the canceled Minor League season...In 2019, Wilkerson spent most of the year with Triple-A San Antonio but also made eight relief appearances over three stints with Milwaukee. While with San Antonio, he made 17 starts and went 8-2 with a 3.42 ERA over 76.1 IP with 81 strikeouts...Wilkerson last faced the Bees June 5, 2019 while with San Antonio. He earned the win with 5.1 scoreless frames, holding the Bees to three hits with three walks and eight strikeouts.

Against the Bees: 2021: 2-2 2019: 2-1 All-time: 54-52 At OKC: 31-24 The Dodgers and Bees are meeting for their first of two series in 2021 and their lone series at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark...The Dodgers won the series opener before the Bees won back-to-back games against OKC for the first time since 2013...The teams played a three-game series in 2019 as the teams met at Smith's Ballpark. OKC won the first two games of the series by a combined score of 14-8 before the Bees won the series finale, 14-4. Edwin Ríos homered twice and had six RBI...Since OKC became affiliated with the Dodgers, the team owns a 15-7 advantage against the Bees in the Triple-A version of the Freeway Series. The Dodgers enter tonight having won nine of the last 13 meetings overall...OKC has won five straight season series and has not lost a season series against the Bees since going 1-3 in 2013 in OKC...Salt Lake's Jo Adell leads Triple-A West and is tied for the lead in all of the Minors with 17 homers this season. His 46 RBI pace Triple-A West as do his 124 total bases. His 30 extra-base hits are second and his 40 runs scored are tied for second...The Dodgers and Bees will square off later this season in Salt Lake Sept. 9-14.

Gray Matter: In his first game action since OKC's season opener May 6, Josiah Gray opened last night's game and pitched 2.0 innings, retiring all six batters he faced on four groundouts, one popout and one strikeout. He threw 27 pitches, including 20 strikes. The Dodgers' top pitching prospect returned to the mound after an extended stint on the Injured List with a right shoulder impingement.

Back on Track: After losses in back-to-back games for the first time since mid-June, the Dodgers got back on the winning track Sunday with their 13th win in the last 17 games. And after being held to a total of three runs over the previous two games, the Dodgers scored six runs Sunday on eight hits - five of which went for extra bases. The Dodgers were held to just one extra-base hit in the previous two games before posting their most extra-base hits in the last six games...Over the last 12 games, the Dodgers are 8-4. In the four losses, OKC has combined to go 21-for-128 (.164) overall and 3-for-30 with RISP while scoring nine runs over 38 innings. In the eight wins, they've batted .261 (75x284) overall and 22-for-71 with RISP (.310) while scoring 49 runs in 72 innings...Last night the Dodgers went 5-for-13 and scored all six of their runs with two outs. In the previous two games, the Dodgers went 2-for-18 with one run scored with two outs.

Keibert Goes Kaboom: Keibert Ruiz hit safely in a third straight game last night and scored a run. He is 11-for-27 (.407) over his last eight games with one double, three homers, seven runs scored, nine walks, eight RBI and a .541 OBP (20/37 PA)...Ruiz currently paces OKC with 11 homers as well as three multi-homer games. His 22 extra-base hits are tied for the OKC team lead, while his 38 total hits are second-most among OKC players, as are his 28 RBI...Ruiz's .626 SLG ranks fifth in Triple-A West while his .999 OPS is eighth and his 13 doubles are tied for eighth. Ruiz entered this season with a career .420 SLG...Ruiz has homered in three of his last five home games as well as seven times in his last nine games at The Brick (11x31, 13 RBI)...Between OKC and his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers this season, Ruiz has hit 12 homers and 11 doubles in 157 total plate appearances (40 games). During his last full season in 2019, Ruiz hit six homers and nine doubles between OKC and Double-A Tulsa over 350 plate appearances (85 games). He has matched his career high with 12 homers, set in 2018 over 415 plate appearances.

Luke's Using the Force: Luke Raley doubled last night, walked, scored a run and was hit by a pitch to extend his season-high hitting streak to seven games, going 9-for-23 with a home run, three doubles, six runs scored and three RBI. It is his longest streak since hitting safely in nine consecutive games April 28-May 10, 2019 with Triple-A Rochester...Over his last 23 starts with OKC, Raley is 32-for-83 (.386) with eight doubles, two triples, seven homers, 34 RBI and 26 runs scored. He paces the Dodgers with 37 RBI in 30 games this season - tied for eighth-most in Triple-A West despite playing in just over half of OKC's total games...Since May 23, Raley's 36 RBI are second-most in Triple-A while his 1.167 OPS and .714 SLG lead the league during the span...Raley ranks second among Triple-A West players and third overall in Triple-A with 10 HBP.

Bullpen Bolsters: OKC reliever Alex Vesia struck out the side in the top of the eighth inning Sunday and has now struck out each of the last 13 batters he has faced going back to June 17 at Round Rock. For context, the Major League record for most consecutive strikeouts by a relief pitcher is 10 by Eric Gagné in 2003 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Over his eight appearances with OKC, Vesia has allowed just one run and two hits over 8.0 total innings with three walks and 16 strikeouts...Kevin Quackenbush recorded his league-leading 11th save of the season last night, retiring all three batters he faced in the ninth inning. He has now held opponents scoreless in 18 of his 19 appearances, allowing just one unearned run over 19.2 IP. Opponents are batting just .152 (10x66). Quackenbush is tied for the Triple-A lead with 11 saves along with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's Luis García and is tied for second overall in the Minors.

Reks in Effect: After being held without a hit in a season-high three games, Zach Reks finished Sunday's game 3-for-4 with a double, homer and three RBI. It was his team-leading 13th multi-hit game of the season, fourth game of the season with three or more hits and his second game of the season with three RBI...Reks leads the Dodgers with 47 hits, 15 doubles and 34 runs scored in 38 games this season. He has reached base in 35 of his 37 starts this season, including 22 of the last 23. He ranks among Triple-A West top-10 league leaders in doubles (T-5th, 15), OBP (7th, .421), OPS (10th, .990) and AVG (10th, .322).

Pitching Plaudits: Sunday marked the 22nd time in the last 30 games the Dodgers allowed four or fewer runs in a game. Over the last 17 games, they've allowed three or fewer earned runs eight times and two or fewer runs in five games. The team's 4.00 ERA over that span is best in Triple-A West...At the same time, the Dodgers did not allow a walk last night for the second time this season (also June 19 at Round Rock). It's the ninth time in the last 14 games they've issued two or fewer walks, as well as for the seventh time in the last 11 games. Since June 19, the Dodgers have allowed the fewest walks among all Triple-A teams (37).

Getting Neuse: Last night was just the third time in the last 18 games Sheldon Neuse was held without a hit as his five-game hitting streak was snapped. He drew a walk last night and has hit safely in 15 of his last 18 games, going 24-for-71 (.338) with 16 RBI, 12 runs scored and 11 walks...Since June 12, Neuse leads the Dodgers with 24 hits.

Around the Horn: Since May 25, the Dodgers are tied with Durham for the best record in Triple-A at 24-11...The Dodgers are 12-2 over their last 14 games when scoring first. The team has now scored in the first or second inning in 13 of the last 16 games (25 R) ...Last night Matt Davidson went deep for the third time in his last four games. During that time he's gone 5-for-16 with four extra-base hits and eight RBI. He is 9-for-29 (.310) with three multi-hit games, four homers and nine RBI over his last seven starts...Elliot Soto went 0-for-4 yesterday and had his season-best nine-game hitting streak come to an end. He was 12-for-36 with four doubles during the streak...Andy Burns drew his team-leading 27th walk of the season last night and recorded his team-leading 10th stolen base of the season. His stolen base total is tied for fourth in Triple-A West while his walk total ranks eighth in the league. However, since returning to OKC after his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Burns is now 1-for-29...The Dodgers have allowed four home runs over the past two games after not allowing a homer in eight consecutive home games.

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