PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

OKC Dodgers Game Notes - July 7, 2019

Published on July 7, 2019 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Round Rock Express (51-38) vs. Oklahoma City Dodgers (38-50)

Game #89 of 140/Home #44 of 70 (17-26)

Pitching Probables: RR-RHP Brandon Bielak (2-3, 6.16) vs. OKC-RHP Dennis Santana (2-6, 6.41)

Sunday, July 7, 2019 | Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark | Oklahoma City, Okla. | 1:05 p.m. CT

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

Today's Game: The Oklahoma City Dodgers try for a series sweep when they play their final game before the PCL All-Star Break against the Round Rock Express at 1:05 p.m. at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The Dodgers have won four straight home games for the first time this season and lead their series against Round Rock, 4-0...Today is a Chaparral Energy Family Sunday.

Last Game: DJ Peters belted a three-run home run as part of a five-run fourth inning for the Dodgers in a 7-3 victory against Round Rock Saturday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Round Rock got on the scoreboard first. With two outs in the second inning, Chas McCormick reached base on an OKC throwing error and later scored on a RBI double by Alex De Goti. Oklahoma City then held the Express scoreless over the next six innings as starting pitcher Rob Zastryzny (3-3) kept Round Rock to one unearned run and five hits over 6.0 innings. He did not issue a walk and recorded four strikeouts in the win. The Dodgers took the lead in the bottom of the second inning thanks to a two-run double by Angelo Mora. The Dodgers added five more runs in the fourth inning. The first three batters of the inning reached base, including a RBI single by Mora. Will Smith added a sacrifice fly, and Peters followed with a three-run home run past the Dodgers bullpen in left-center field and onto the concourse to extend OKC's lead to 7-1. The Express added two runs in the top of the ninth inning on a RBI double by Nicky Tanielu and RBI single by De Goti to cut the Dodgers' lead to 7-3. Newly acquired Casey Sadler allowed the two late runs, along with five hits over 3.0 innings with one walk and four strikeouts to earn the save in his team debut. Round Rock starting pitcher Framber Valdez (1-1) was charged with the loss, allowing two runs and two hits with two walks and seven strikeouts over 3.0 innings.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Dennis Santana (2-6) looks to snap a recent skid when he takes the mound for his team-leading 14th start...Santana last pitched July 2 in Nashville, allowing five runs (four earned) with seven hits, three walks and three strikeouts over 5.0 innings as he was charged with a second consecutive loss...Between his last three outings, Santana has allowed 18 runs (14 earned), 19 hits and 13 walks over 14.0 innings...He's notched 64 strikeouts over 59.0 innings this season with OKC...Santana started the season with OKC, but was recalled April 7 by Los Angeles. He made three appearances out of the LAD bullpen before he was optioned back to OKC April 14...Santana began the 2018 season with Double-A Tulsa before making his first career start with OKC May 19, 2018 and his Major League debut on June 1. However, a right rotator cuff strain sent him to the 60-day Disabled List June 9...Santana entered 2019 ranked as the Dodgers' No. 7 prospect, according to Baseball America...He originally signed as a shortstop as an international free agent in March 2013 at the age of 16 and converted to pitching in 2014...Today is Santana's second start of the season against the Express. On May 12 at Round Rock, he allowed three runs and three hits over 4.0 innings and was charged with the loss in OKC's 4-2 defeat. He issued four walks and had four K's.

Against the Express: 2019: 5-6 2018: 10-6 All-time: 129-104 At OKC: 63-55

The Dodgers and Express are meeting for their third series of 2019...The Express won the first six meetings of the season, but now the Dodgers have won five straight. The six-game win streak earlier by the Express was just the second time since the teams started playing in 2005 the Express won six straight and the first time since 2006...In the first series in OKC, Round Rock swept a weather-shortened three-game set May 1-2 for the Express' first sweep of OKC since 2011...The Dodgers have held the Express to six runs and 18 hits over the last three games after the Express batted .301 and scored 56 runs over the first eight games while hitting 13 homers and collecting 35 extra-base hits. However, the main source of offense earlier this year was Yordan Alvarez, who is currently with the Houston Astros. Alvarez batted .609 (14-for-23) with eight runs and 10 RBI in six games against OKC...Entering this season OKC had won four straight season series against Round Rock.

Home Cooking: The Dodgers have won four straight home games for the first time this season. Entering the current series, the Dodgers had not opened a home series 2-0 this year and last won four consecutive home games June 14-17, 2018 with two wins each against Salt Lake and Las Vegas. The Dodgers last won five straight home games as part of a 15-game winning streak to open the 2018 season at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark...OKC has won five of the last six home games and six of the last eight after totaling just 11 home wins through June 24...The Dodgers last swept a five-game series April 25-29, 2018 vs. Iowa.

Triple Threat: Since the trio of Jon Kemmer, Gavin Lux and DJ Peters all joined the Dodgers June 27, the OKC offense has found another gear. Over the last 11 games, the team is batting .303 (111x366) with 79 runs and has reached at least 10 runs in a game four times. The team has collected 111 total hits - including 56 for extra bases and 18 home runs - and drawn 57 walks during the span, resulting in a .406 OBP.

Go DJ, That's My DJ: DJ Peters has homered in each of the last two games, bringing his total up to three dingers with OKC and 14 overall this season. He later added a triple that nearly was an inside-the-park home run, but he was thrown out at the plate. It's the third time in his career he's homered and tripled in the same game, last done July 21, 2018 for Double-A Tulsa at Northwest Arkansas...Peters has reached base in each of his first 11 Triple-A games and is slashing .368/.480/.763 during his time with OKC. He has hit safely in nine of his last 10 games, batting .389 (14x36) with eight extra-base hits and 13 RBI.

For Pete's Sake: Jake Peter extended his hitting streak to a season-best 10 games last night. He is 14-for-37 (.378) during the streak with four multi-hit games, 10 extra-base hits, seven RBI and nine runs scored...After slashing .160/.331/.298 through the end of May, Peter is slashing .299/.393/.545 since June 1 with 23 hits and 13 extra-base hits after collecting 15 hits and six extra-base hits in April and May combined.

Back to the Future: Infielder Gavin Lux and pitcher Dustin May are slated to represent the Dodgers in today's 2019 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Progressive Field in Cleveland. The Top-10 Dodgers prospects were both promoted to OKC last week and named to the Futures Game National League roster...Lux has hit safely in each of his first seven Triple-A games, batting 15-for-30 with seven extra-base hits, four RBI and 12 runs...In May's Triple-A debut June 30 at Nashville, he earned the win after two runs and five hits over 5.0 innings with two walks and three strikeouts...Today's Futures Game can be seen at 6 p.m. Central time on MLB Network, MLB.com and heard on SiriusXM.

Around the Horn: OKC starting pitchers this series have allowed just four earned runs (six runs total) and 17 hits over 22.1 innings...Team designated hitters have combined to bat .326 with seven homers, 16 extra-base hits and 27 RBI over 35 games against American League affiliates...Connor Joe drew three more walks last night to increase his team-leading total to 48. He is tied for sixth in the PCL in walks and is also sixth with a .435 OBP...All-Star reliever Kevin Quackenbush enters today with scoreless appearances in 14 of his last 15 games, holding opponents to one run and 11 hits with 25 strikeouts over 15.1 IP...The Dodgers have allowed three or fewer runs in three straight games for just the second time this season, previously achieved May 31-June 2 at Memphis.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 7, 2019


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