PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

OKC Dodgers Game Notes - June 1, 2015

Published on June 1, 2015 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City Dodgers (34-15) vs. Fresno Grizzlies (28-22)

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Houston Astros

Game #50 of 144/Home #22 of 72 (15-6)

Pitching Probables: OKC-LHP Eric Surkamp (0-1, 9.00) vs. FRE-RHP Asher Wojciechowski (3-0, 4.37)

Monday, June 1, 2015 | Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark | Oklahoma City, Okla. | 7:05 p.m. CT

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

Today's Game: The league-leading Oklahoma City Dodgers close out their four-game series against the Fresno Grizzlies at 7:05 p.m. at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The Dodgers lead the series, 2-1, and have won eight of their last 10 games.

Last Game: Scott Baker pitched the first nine-inning complete game of the season for the Dodgers in a 4-1 win against Fresno Sunday afternoon at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Baker's shutout bid was broken up in the ninth inning, as he allowed one run on seven hits. He issued two walks and recorded a season-high seven strikeouts. The Dodgers broke through at plate in the fourth inning on a bases-clearing double by O'Koyea Dickson to give Oklahoma City a 3-0 advantage. Fresno threatened in the sixth inning. Carlos Correa led off with a triple. Alex Presley came up next and sent a fly ball to center field. Scott Schebler made the catch and threw out Correa at the plate. A RBI double by Darnell Sweeney in the seventh inning extended the Dodgers' lead to 4-0. L.J. Hoes got Fresno on the board with a RBI groundout in the ninth inning to cut Oklahoma City's lead to 4-1, but Baker (4-3) punctuated his complete game by striking out Matt Dominguez. Fresno starting pitcher Alex White was hit with the loss and fell to 1-4 on the season.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Eric Surkamp (0-1) makes his second start since joining the team...In his OKC debut May 27 in Salt Lake, Surkamp allowed three runs and five hits over 3.0 innings. He struck out three and walked one and took the loss in OKC's 6-2 defeat...The Dodgers acquired Surkamp in a May 22 trade with the Chicago White Sox, in exchange for minor league pitcher Blake Smith...Prior to the trade, Surkamp appeared in 11 games with Triple-A Charlotte, going 3-0 with one save and a 2.81 ERA. He recorded 30 strikeouts over 25.2 innings. Surkamp held International League opponents to a .204 average, and left-handed hitters batted just .189...He split last season between Charlotte and the White Sox. In Major League action, he went 2-0 with a 4.81 ERA over 35 appearances...He was originally selected by the Giants in the sixth round of the June 2008 draft and was claimed by the White Sox off waivers in December 2013...Surkamp started 11 games for Fresno during the 2013 season when the team was affiliated with the San Francisco Giants (7-1, 2.78 ERA).

Against the Grizzlies: 2015: 2-1 2014: 3-1 All-time: 56-32 In OKC: 30-14

Fresno is now the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, after Oklahoma City served as Houston's affiliate the previous four seasons (more below)...This marks the first series for the Grizzlies in Bricktown since 2012 and is the lone series between the teams this season...Oklahoma City is 2-0-2 in the last four series against the Grizzlies and went 3-1 in Fresno in 2014. They outscored the Grizzlies, 22-9, in the four-game set in California and the pitching staff posted a combined 1.80 ERA....In fact, Oklahoma City has only lost one season series against the Grizzles (2010) since the teams first started playing each other in 1998 and is 12-1-4 all-time.

RedHawks Reunion: Many familiar faces make their return to OKC with the Fresno Grizzlies this series. Sixteen of the active players on the Grizzlies' current roster, along with manager Tony DeFrancesco, hitting coach Leon Roberts and developmental specialist Jeff Murphy, all spent time with Oklahoma City in 2014...Domingo Santana led the 2014 RedHawks with 16 home runs, 27 doubles, 81 RBI and 64 walks. Jason Stoffel pitched in a team-high 54 games with 11 saves and 10 holds. Max Stassi represented the RedHawks in the 2014 Triple-A All-Star Game...The RedHawks went 302-272 during the four-year affiliation and won the 2013 American Southern Division title.

Simply the Best: At 34-15, the Dodgers own the team's best record through 49 games since joining the PCL in 1998...The Dodgers finished May with an 18-10 record and lead the league with 18 wins...OKC is one of four teams in the Minors with at least 34 victories. Low-A Quad Cities leads the Minors with 35 wins.

Shake and Baker: Scott Baker's nine-inning complete game was the first by an Oklahoma City pitcher since Jake Buchanan tossed a shutout on May 20, 2014 in New Orleans. It marked the 10th overall complete game of Baker's career, and his sixth in the Minors. Baker also joined Duane Below of Las Vegas as the only two pitchers in the PCL with two complete games this season...The last time he pitched a nine-inning complete game was June 11, 2011 vs. Texas Rangers while pitching for the Minnesota Twins (5 H, ER, 0 BB, 7 K). Through the first seven innings yesterday, Baker threw just 74 pitches and never needed more than 12 to complete an inning. His 110 pitches for the game were the most thrown by an OKC Dodgers pitcher this season and the most for Baker since a 119-pitch effort on June 29, 2011 vs. the L.A. Dodgers (7.1 IP, 6 H, 0 R, BB, 9 K).

Pitching Prowess: Over the first three games of the series, the Dodgers pitching staff has held Fresno to four runs and 14 hits (.159 BAA), with six walks and 22 strikeouts. The Grizzlies are 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position. The bullpen has allowed one run (solo homer) and two hits, with eight strikeouts and no walks over 8.0 IP...The team has posted a 2.65 ERA at home and has allowed two or fewer runs in 11 of 21 games at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark this season.

Gimme Some Glovin': The Dodgers have committed only one error over their past 10 games -- a fielding error by outfielder Brian Burgamy following a base hit on May 27 at Salt Lake. They've jumped up to second among PCL teams in fielding percentage (.985) and are now tied with New Orleans for the fewest errors committed (26).

Bases Loaded Bashers: Including O'Koyea Dickson's bases clearing double yesterday, four of OKC's seven runs this series have come with the bases loaded. The Dodgers are now batting .404 with the bases full this season to rank second in the league. (Iowa is best at .409, but the Dodgers have had 25 more at-bats.) They have also drawn seven bases-loaded walks this year.

May Matters: The Dodgers finished May with an 18-10 record, and their 18 wins were most in the PCL. The team's 12 road wins were the second-most during the team's PCL history, and the most since capturing 14 wins on the road in May 2003...Corey Seager led the team with 33 hits, 15 runs, and 15 RBI, and O'Koyea Dickson's .308 average was tops on the squad.

Monday Minutia: Yesterday's 2:09 time of game marked the quickest nine-inning contest the Dodgers have played this season. It was also just the third home game this season that has been decided by more than two runs...OKC has not homered in three straight games, tying a season long dinger drought.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)

DATE TIME OPPONENT OKC PITCHERS OPP. PITCHER

Tuesday, June 2 7:05 p.m. Sacramento RHP Joe Wieland (4-1, 5.45) LHP Nik Turley (0-1, 13.50)

Wednesday, June 3 7:05 p.m. Sacramento RHP Zach Lee (5-3, 2.38) LHP Ty Blach (4-5, 3.82)

Thursday, June 4 7:05 p.m. Sacramento RHP Deck McGuire (1-1, 1.98) RHP Clayton Blackburn (1-3, 4.32)

Wednesday, June 5 7:05 p.m. Sacramento RHP Scott Baker (4-3, 4.47) TBA

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