PCL Oklahoma City Comets

OKC Dodgers Game Notes - June 8, 2021

Published on June 8, 2021 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Sugar Land Skeeters (19-9) at Oklahoma City Dodgers (12-17)

Games #30 of 120/Home #12 of 60

Pitching Probables: SUG-RHP Peter Solomon (2-0, 4.34) vs. OKC-RHP Markus Solbach (0-1, 10.80)

Tuesday, June 8, 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 wrap up the first six-game series of their 12-game homestand with a 7:05 p.m. game against the Sugar Land Skeeters on a $2 Tuesday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark...The Dodgers are 8-4 over the last 12 games and own a 3-2 edge in the current series.

Yesterday's Games: The Skeeters took a 2-0 lead in the second inning on consecutive run-scoring hits with two outs in Game 1. Still trailing, 2-0, in the fourth inning, the Dodgers scored three runs despite collecting one hit. There were three walks in the inning, including one with the bases loaded by Zach Reks to get the Dodgers on the board. Later with the bases loaded and two outs, Luke Raley hit a grounder to the right side of the infield that was misplayed by Sugar Land second baseman Alex De Goti. Two runs scored and put the Dodgers ahead, 3-2. Hamlet Marte hit a solo homer in the sixth inning to give the Dodgers some breathing room. With two outs in the seventh inning, Sugar Land drew three consecutive walks to load the bases, but Kevin Quackenbush got Bryan De La Cruz to hit into a game-ending forceout at second base in OKC's 4-2 win.

Sugar Land took a 1-0 lead in the first inning of Game 2 without a hit, using three walks and an error to their advantage. Abraham Toro hit a two-run homer in the third inning to extend the lead to 3-0. Through the first five innings, the Dodgers were held to no runs and one hit by Skeeters starting pitcher Ryan Hartman. Following a double by Keibert Ruiz, Rangel Ravelo smashed a two-run homer to center field to cut the deficit to one in the sixth inning. The Dodgers still trailed, 3-2, in their final at-bat. A two-out error by Miguelangel Sierra put the tying run on base, but Skeeters closer Ronel Blanco struck out Cristian Santana to end the game.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Markus Solbach (0-1) makes his second start and third overall appearance of the season with the OKC Dodgers...He made his first start of the season June 1 at El Paso, allowing four runs and four hits over 1.1 innings with three walks and two strikeouts and was charged with the loss in OKC's 9-4 defeat. Solbach threw 44 pitches, with only 20 strikes...He made his OKC debut May 25 in Albuquerque after joining the team May 24 from Extended Spring Training. He pitched 2.0 scoreless innings against the Isotopes, as he closed out OKC's 12-0 victory...Solbach did not see any formal game action in the U.S. in 2020 due to the canceled Minor League season, but played with San Marino of the Italian Baseball League and dominated over nine appearances, including eight starts. He allowed two runs total and just one earned run over 30.1 IP for a 0.30 ERA. He scattered 15 hits while racking up 53 strikeouts against eight walks...He began the 2019 season on the Injured List and did not see game action until mid-June on a rehab assignment in the Arizona League before joining Double-A Tulsa in late July. He appeared in eight games, including seven starts, to close out the season with the Drillers, posting a 5-1 record with a 2.57 ERA, 39 strikeouts and a 1.07 WHIP...Solbach continued to roll in the postseason, allowing one run and 10 hits over 13.1 IP over two playoff starts and was the winning pitcher in both outings...Solbach signed with the Dodgers as a free agent Jan. 3, 2019. He originally signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Twins on Feb. 19, 2011 and in addition to spending time in the Twins (2011-13), Diamondbacks (2014-16) and Dodgers organizations, has also played in two different independent leagues as well as the Australian Baseball League and for Team Germany in the 2019 European Baseball Championship.

Against the Skeeters: 2021: 3-2 2019: N/A All-time: 3-2 At OKC: 3-2 The Dodgers and Skeeters are meeting for the first of their first of four series (24 games) this season...Triple-A newcomer Sugar Land was previously an independent team and is now the top affiliate of the Houston Astros. The team was established in 2012 and is one of three previously independent teams to become affiliated in 2021 along with the St. Paul Saints (Triple-A East; Twins) and Somerset Patriots (Double-A Northeast; Yankees)...Despite dropping three of five games in OKC and being outscored, 29-15, Sugar Land owns the league's best record and their +55 run differential is still the best in Triple-A West. Their .379 OBP paces the league, while their .286 AVG is second. The Sugar Land pitching staff leads Triple-A West with a 3.24 ERA, .207 BAA and 1.24 WHIP...The Astros' Triple-A affiliate was previously in Round Rock (2019-20) and Fresno (2015-18) after a four-year stint in Oklahoma City from 2011-14. In 2019 with Round Rock, the team went 84-56 and won the American Southern Division as well as American Conference before falling in the PCL Finals to Sacramento. They went 10-6 against OKC...Skeeters manager Mickey Storey pitched for OKC in both the 2011 and 2012 seasons.

Slow Your Roll: OKC entered Monday's doubleheader averaging more than eight runs per game and nearly 11 hits per game over their previous 14 contests, batting .300 as a team. However, they were held 6-for-47 (.128) across the two games and scored six total runs. The team's streak of 11 straight games scoring at least four runs came to an end in Game 2...Through the first 13 games of the season, the Dodgers scored 48 runs (3.7 rpg) with a .216/.306/.345 slashline. But over the last 16 games, the team has scored 124 runs (7.8 rpg) and slashed .285/.381/.504...Since May 21, the Dodgers lead the Minor Leagues with 124 runs and rank fourth with 159 hits behind Triple-A West foes Sacramento, Reno and Salt Lake. During the same period, the Dodgers pace all Triple-A teams with a .381 OBP...Over the last 16 games, the Dodgers are batting .356 (64x180) with runners in scoring position after starting the season .227 (25x110) with RISP over the first 13 games...Hamlet Marte and Rangel Ravelo each hit homers yesterday for OKC. The team hit just 12 homers through the first 13 games of the season but has swatted 25 homers since...OKC has now drawn 79 walks in the last 16 games (4.9 pg), which are the most in Triple-A West and second-most in all of Triple-A. Their 130 walks overall this season are second-most in the league.

Raging Ravelo: Rangel Ravelo was the only Dodger to hit safely in both games yesterday, extending his hitting streak to a team season-best 13 games. He went 2-for-6 and hit his team-leading eighth home run of the season in Game 2. During his current hitting streak, Ravelo is 23-for-45 (.511) with nine extra-base hits (six homers), 18 RBI and eight walks...The hitting streak is his longest since a 16-game streak in May 2019 with Triple-A Memphis from May 8-24...On Friday, the MiLB.com Triple-A West Player of the Month for May hit two home runs, including a grand slam, on the way to a career-high six RBI. The multi-homer game was Ravelo's second in nine games after notching just one multi-homer game though the first 926 games of his entire pro career...Since May 22, Ravelo leads all players in the Minors with a .511 AVG, .582 OBP, 1.560 OPS, is tied for first with 23 hits, ranks second with .978 SLG and third with 44 total bases...Overall this season, he leads all Triple-A players with a .758 SLG and 1.263 OPS, while he ranks second with a .407 AVG, third with a .504 OBP and third in total bases (69), tied for third with 16 extra-base hits and fourth with 37 hits...He leads the Dodgers' offense with 37 hits, eight homers, 17 walks, tied for first with 27 RBI and third with eight doubles...Ravelo has 17 walks against 11 strikeouts in 113 total plate appearances this season.

Burn Notice: Andy Burns went 1-for-2 with a double, walk and run scored in Game 1 yesterday. Since May 17, Burns is batting .411 (23x56) with seven multi-hit games, nine doubles, three homers, 18 runs scored and 14 RBI over 17 games. During his current seven-game hitting streak, Burns is 13-for-23 (.565) with two homers, four doubles and eight RBI...For the season, he leads the team with nine doubles and is second with 28 hits. His 21 runs scored are second on the team.

Mound Turaround: The Dodgers pitching staff held Sugar Land 6-for-43 (.140) over the two games yesterday and allowed four earned runs in 14.0 innings. They also kept the Skeeters 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. The bullpen combined to throw 6.2 scoreless innings throughout the doubleheader and allowed just one hit (1x17), but did issue nine walks...The Dodgers have allowed three runs or less in five of their last seven games, including four games with two runs or less and three with one run allowed...Beginning with a shutout May 25 in Albuquerque, the pitching staff has posted a 4.06 ERA over the past 12 games (46 ER/102.0 IP). During that time they've held opponents to a .224 batting average (85x380). Prior to May 25, the team had a 7.44 ERA, 1.72 WHIP and .293 BAA over the first 17 games...The team has allowed just two homers over the first five games of this series after giving up 42 HR over the first 24 games.

Reks in Effect: Zach Reks was held hitless over two games yesterday, but he walked in three of his seven plate appearances and picked up a RBI. Over his last eight games, Reks is 11-for-31 (.355) with four doubles...Reks has now reached base in 21 of his 22 games this season. His current .446 OBP ranks seventh in Triple-A West, and he is also tied for sixth in the league with 22 runs.

Cool Hand Luke: Luke Raley only played in Game 1 Monday and went 0-for-2 with a walk. Over his last nine starts, Raley is 16-for-34 (.444) with four doubles, a triple, four homers, 24 RBI and 13 runs scored...Raley is tied for the team lead and tied for third in Triple-A West with 27 RBI despite playing in just 16 of the team's 29 games...Since being optioned by the Los Angeles Dodgers May 21, Raley is batting .353 (18x51) with five homers, four doubles, a triple, 14 runs scored and 26 RBI over the 14-game stretch. Since May 23 he leads all players in the Minors or Majors with 26 RBI (13 games).

Going for the Gold: Catcher Tim Federowicz returns to the team today after spending time with Team USA during the WSBC Baseball Americas Qualifier in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Although Federowicz did not appear in a game, Team USA went 4-0 and secured a bid to the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan beginning in July.

Around the Horn: The Dodgers are 1-3 in series finales this season (0-1 at home)...Austin Bibens-Dirkx was named Triple-A West Pitcher of the Week for May 31-June 6. He pitched 5.0 scoreless innings June 6 against Sugar Land in OKC, allowing three hits with one walk and four strikeouts, throwing 69 pitches. It's already the third Pitcher of the Week honor for OKC this season, and for Bibens-Dirkx, it's his first weekly award since May 2013 with the High-A Dunedin Blue Jays...Over his 14 games with OKC this season, Keibert Ruiz now has 12 extra-base hits, scored 12 runs and totaled 10 RBI...Reliever Garrett Cleavinger made the first appearance of a Major League Rehab Assignment last night, throwing a scoreless inning with one strikeout in Game 2. Cleavinger was placed on the Los Angeles Dodgers Injured List May 18 with left elbow inflammation after making eight appearances for LAD this season.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 8, 2021


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