PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

OKC Dodgers Game Notes - June 9, 2016

Published on June 9, 2016 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Nashville Sounds (36-22) vs. Oklahoma City Dodgers (29-27)

Oakland A's vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Games #57 & 58 of 144/Home #23 & 24 of 73 (9-13)

Pitching Probables: NAS-RHP Angel Castro (0-2, 6.07) vs. OKC-RHP Jharel Cotton (4-3, 5.32)

NAS-RHP Eduard Santos (0-1, 3.42) vs. OKC-RHP Frankie Montas (0-0, 0.00)

Thursday, June 9, 2016 | Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark | Oklahoma City, Okla. | 4:35 p.m. CT

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

Today's Game: After having Wednesday off, the Oklahoma City Dodgers return home to open a nine-game homestand over eight days with a five-game series against the Nashville Sounds. The teams will play a doubleheader starting at 4:35 p.m. today at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Both games are scheduled for seven innings, and the second game will follow approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game. Today's doubleheader will make up a rainout between the Dodgers and Sounds on April 17.

Last Game: Zach Walters homered twice, and pitchers Jose De Leon and Carlos Frias shut down Round Rock in a 7-1 win Tuesday at Dell Diamond. De Leon threw three perfect innings, retiring all nine batters he faced with six strikeouts. Frias (1-2) followed and held the Express to one run and four hits over the final six frames for the win. The Dodgers took a quick lead in the first inning. Charlie Culberson and Micah Johnson hit back-to-back singles to open the game before Walters connected on a three-run homer to put the Dodgers in front. Round Rock's lone run of the night came in the fifth inning when Justin Ruggiano hit a solo homer and cut the Dodgers' lead to 3-1. The Dodgers' offense tallied four more runs in the ninth. Culberson and Johnson each picked up RBIs, before Walters belted his second homer of the game - a two-run shot - to put the Dodgers in front, 7-1. Round Rock starting pitcher Kyle Lohse (2-2) was charged with the loss.

Today's Probable Pitchers: Jharel Cotton (4-3) looks to keep his recent roll going in game one...In his last start June 3, Cotton held Iowa without a hit until the fifth inning and retired 11 of the first 12 batters he faced. Cotton allowed three runs on two hits, walked two and struck out five over a season-high six innings in a no decision...Cotton was named PCL Pitcher of the Week for May 23-29. Over two starts spanning 10.0 IP, Cotton allowed two runs and four hits, with 15 strikeouts and three walks...Since returning to the starting rotation in late May, Cotton is 1-0 over three starts with a 2.81 ERA and opponents are batting just .113 (6x53). He's recorded 20 strikeouts with five walks over 16.0 IP...Cotton's .224 opponent average ranks second in the league. He ranks sixth in the league with 56 strikeouts, and averages 11.04 strikeouts per nine innings...Tonight marks his second career start and second start of the season against the Sounds. He held Nashville to one run and five hits over 5.2 innings in his season debut April 8 (ND).

Frankie Montas (0-0) makes his second start with OKC in the nightcap...In his first start and second appearance during his rehab assignment with OKC, Montas pitched 2.1 scoreless innings June 4 in Round Rock. He allowed two hits, with one walk and three strikeouts...He joined OKC on a rehab assignment May 30 and pitched that day in Sacramento, throwing a scoreless sixth inning...Montas was placed on the Los Angeles Dodgers 60-Day DL after rib resection surgery in February...He began his rehab assignment with Double-A Tulsa May 22 and made three appearances (4.2 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 7 K). Opponents went 2-for-15 with seven K's...Montas spent most of 2015 with Double-A Birmingham (Chicago White Sox) and was a Mid-Season Southern League All-Star. He ranked among Southern League leaders in ERA (2.97, 4th), WHIP (1.22, 4th), opponent average (.219, 4th), and strikeouts per 9.0 IP (8.68, 4th). He spent the final month of the season in the Majors with the White Sox...Tonight marks his first career appearance against the Sounds.

Against the Sounds: 2016: 4-3 2015: 11-5 All-time: 159-136 In OKC: 84-62

The Dodgers and Sounds meet for the third series between the teams this season...Nashville won the most recent, rain-shortened series in OKC, 2-1, April 15-18, and the Dodgers took the season-opening series between the teams April 7-10 at First Tennessee Park, 3-1...The Dodgers have held the Sounds to a .204 average through the first seven meetings and outscored Nashville, 21-16. However, the Dodgers are hitting just .214...The Dodgers won the 2015 season series between the teams, 11-5, and took 10 of the first 12 meetings. The Dodgers went 7-1 against the Sounds in Bricktown in 2015, winning the last six straight...OKC is 30-13 against Nashville at home since the start of the 2011 season and 48-19 since the start of the 2008 season.

Double Dipping: The Dodgers will play their first doubleheader of the season today, with three more currently scheduled on the books (June 26 vs. Iowa, July 9 vs. Omaha, and Sept. 3 at Omaha). Last season the Dodgers played seven doubleheaders, going 8-6 overall with a 3-2-2 record for the sets (5-1/2-0-1 at home). OKC and Nashville last played a doubleheader July 18, 2014, when the teams split a pair of games at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark (NAS 7-6, OKC 9-7).

Zach Attack: Zach Walters' offensive tear continued Tuesday as he went 3-for-5 for his fifth straight multi-hit game. He homered twice to rack up five RBI in the game, becoming the first OKC player to accomplish the feat since Brian Ward did against Nashville on June 12, 2015. Over his last five games he's gone 13-for-22 (.591) with seven extra-base hits, nine RBI, and eight runs scored. Since June 3, his 13 hits are tied for the most in the Minors overall and are tops in the PCL...Walters has now hit safely in 10 straight games overall, and is 18-for-38 (.474) during that span with four doubles, two triples, three home runs, 16 RBI, and nine runs scored. This is his longest streak since hitting safely in 13 consecutive games July 8-21, 2014 while with Triple-A Syracuse...After hitting just .170 in April, Walters is batting .346 (36x104) since the beginning of May.

Fear the Apostrophe: O'Koyea Dickson tallied his second consecutive three-hit game Tuesday in Round Rock, marking the second time in his career he's notched consecutive three-hit games, and the first time since Aug. 19-20, 2012 with Low-A Great Lakes (seven hits). He went 7-for-13 with a home run, two doubles, a stolen base and four RBI during the four-game series against the Express. After collecting two hits through his first six games with the Dodgers this season, Dickson has 15 hits in his 11 starts since.

Special K: Jose De Leon and Carlos Frias combined to strike out 10 Round Rock batters with no walks Tuesday. It was the 25th time this season (56 games) the Dodgers have struck out at least 10 batters in a game. OKC ranks second in the league with 500 strikeouts this season, trailing only Nashville with 511 K's, but the Sounds have played two more games...Tuesday's game was also the fifth time this season the Dodgers did not allow a walk.

First and Foremost: The Dodgers have scored in the first inning in four straight games. They have scored first 36 times this season, which is tied for the most in the PCL with Fresno, although the Grizzlies have played two more games. The Dodgers are 27-9 when scoring first, which is the second-best winning percentage in the league (Nashville -- 26-8).

UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)

DATE TIME OPPONENT OKC PITCHERS OPP. PITCHER

Friday, June 10 7:05 p.m. Nashville RHP Zach Lee (6-4, 4.65) LHP Dillon Overton (5-4, 3.98)

Saturday, June 11 7:05 p.m. Nashville RHP Nick Tepesch (5-2, 3.95) RHP Daniel Mengden (3-1, 1.39)

Sunday, June 12 6:05 p.m. Nashville RHP Jose De Leon (0-0, 0.00) LHP Eric Surkamp (3-1, 3.07)

Monday, June 13 7:05 p.m. Omaha RHP Carlos Frias (1-2, 5.68) TBA

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 9, 2016


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