PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

OKC Dodgers Game Notes - May 1, 2018

Published on May 1, 2018 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City Dodgers (18-4) vs. Memphis Redbirds (17-8)

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Game #23 of 140/Road #11 of 70 (6-4)

Pitching Probables: OKC-RHP Justin DeFratus (1-0, 2.53) vs. MEM-RHP John Gant (3-0, 2.25)

Tuesday, May 1, 2018 | AutoZone Park | Memphis, Tenn. | 6:35 p.m. CT

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

Today's Game: The Oklahoma City Dodgers try for a seventh straight win when they continue their series against the Memphis Redbirds at 6:35 p.m. at AutoZone Park. The Dodgers lead the Minors in winning percentage and are tied with the High-A Jupiter Hammerheads for the most wins. OKC is trying to record back-to-back road wins for the third time this season.

Last Game: Led by five sterling innings from spot starter Daniel Corcino, four Dodgers pitchers combined on a four-hit shutout to lead the way to a 6-0 win against Memphis at AutoZone Park Monday night. Corcino (2-0) allowed just one hit and retired 15 of 17 batters faced. Additionally, he went 2-for-3 at the plate. Emmanuel De Leon, Joe Broussard and Pat Venditte covered the final four innings and kept Memphis off the scoreboard to complete the team's first shutout. The quartet of Dodgers pitchers recorded six strikeouts and did not allow a walk for a second straight game. Travis Taijeron put the Dodgers ahead early when he connected on his first home run of the season with a two-run shot in the second inning. Jake Peter also went deep for the first time this season, sending an opposite field line drive onto the bluff in left field to make it 3-0 in the fourth. The Dodgers kept it rolling later in the inning, collecting three straight hits with two outs. After singles by Corcino and Tim Locastro, Donovan Solano brought both in to score with a double down the third base line. With two outs in the eighth, Peter drew a walk, and Angelo Mora and Rocky Gale followed with singles to make it a 6-0 lead. Memphis pitcher Kevin Herget (1-2) allowed two runs and five hits over three innings, with one walk and two strikeouts in the loss.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Justin DeFratus (1-0) returns to the mound for his third start with the Dodgers...Last time out April 26 against Iowa, he allowed two runs and seven hits over 5.0 innings with one walk and three strikeouts in a no decision...The 30-year-old veteran started the season with Double-A Tulsa, where he made two starts and went 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA over 11.1 innings. He allowed two unearned runs, seven hits, three walks and had nine strikeouts while holding opponents to a .171 batting average. As a result, he was named the first Texas League Pitcher of the Week of the season...He signed with the Dodgers as a free agent Feb. 17, 2018...DeFratus started the 2017 season in the independent Atlantic League before signing with Seattle May 11 and spending the rest of the season with Double-A Arkansas, going 5-7 with a 4.85 ERA over 98.1 innings with 53 strikeouts against 14 walks...DeFratus made his MLB debut Sept. 18, 2011 with Philadelphia and has appeared in 191 MLB games, all with the Phillies...He was originally drafted by the Phillies in the 11th round of the 2007 MLB Draft from Ventura (Calif.) College...Tonight is his first career start and second appearance against Memphis. He pitched one inning of scoreless and hitless relief July 7, 2016 in Memphis for Round Rock.

Against the Redbirds: 2018: 1-0 2017: 8-7 All-time: 169-151 At MEM: 74-88

The Dodgers and the defending PCL champion Redbirds meet for their first series of 2018...The Dodgers won the 2017 series, 8-7, and have won five consecutive season series against Memphis. OKC has not lost a season series to the Redbirds since 2011...The Dodgers were the only team in the PCL last season to have winning record against the 91-win Redbirds...The teams last met July 17-20 in OKC, splitting a four-game series...OKC went 4-3 at AutoZone Park in 2017 and has finished with a winning record in Memphis each of the past five seasons, going 25-14 over that span...Alex Verdugo paced OKC with 18 hits in the 2017 series, while O'Koyea Dickson racked up 10 RBI and four home runs...Memphis outscored OKC, 58-56, and outhit the Dodgers, 129-111, in their 15 meetings combined last season.

April Showers of Wins: The Dodgers wrapped up an incredible opening month with last night's shutout. Here are the highlights from April:

- Recorded the team's best-ever start through 22 games since rejoining the PCL in 1998.

- Tied the team's record for most victories in April set in 2008, but that team played five more games and went 18-9.

- Tied for the most wins in the Minors with the High-A Jupiter Hammerheads (Marlins) and led the Minors with a .818 winning percentage.

- Won nine straight games April 7-17, marking the team's fifth winning streak of at least nine games since rejoining the PCL in 1998.

- Went 12-0 at home. The team's previous best start at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark was 5-0 in 2006.

- Recorded the team's second-ever five game sweep since joining the PCL in 1998 (vs. Iowa April 25-29).

It IS How You Start: Dodgers starting pitchers have combined to go 8-0 with a 2.05 ERA (23 ER/101.0 IP) while holding opponents to a .218 batting average (81x371) over the first 22 games. The rotation has also totaled 94 strikeouts against 23 walks, resulting in a 4.09/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio...Only two times all season has a Dodgers starting pitcher allowed more than two runs - Manny Bañuelos allowed three runs over 5.0 innings April 29 vs. Iowa and Brock Stewart gave up three runs over 5.2 innings April 13 vs. New Orleans...There have only been two starts of 6.0 innings, however, and entering today, the starting rotation has barely thrown more innings (101.0) than the bullpen (95.1).

Mound Men: The Dodgers enter today with a league-leading 2.48 ERA. Monday marked the 10th straight game the Dodgers have held their opponent to three or fewer runs and marked the 16th time they've done so this season, including seven games with one or no runs...OKC has allowed just 19 total runs over its last 10 games. During that time, opponents have batted .198 (63x318), including 6-for-50 (.120) with RISP...Over the last six games, the Dodgers bullpen has covered 28.1 innings, but held opponents to three runs while going 15-for-100 (.150) with 31 strikeouts and two walks...Monday marked the second straight games the Dodgers did not allow a walk, and OKC has only issued one walk over the last 42 innings while racking up 41 strikeouts...Monday marked the first time this season the Dodgers did not yield an extra-base hit. Prior to Monday, OKC had allowed only one extra-base hit in 10 of the team's first 21 games as well as in four straight games.

On the Road Again: The Dodgers had one of their better nights at the plate on the road Monday with six runs and 11 hits. Through the season's first 22 games, there have been some noticeable home-road splits from the offense. At home, the Dodgers have slashed .341/.413/.499 while averaging 7.1 runs per game and 11.8 hits per game. Away from OKC, the slashline drops to .245/.309/.375, and the team averages 4.0 runs per game and 8.3 hits per game.

Around the Horn: Donovan Solano tallied his team-best 10th multi-hit game last night, going 2-for-5 with a two-run double. He currently leads the Dodgers with 29 hits, and his .387 average is fourth-best in the PCL. Over his last 15 outings, the shortstop is batting .429 (27x63)...Travis Taijeron has eight RBI over his last five games after collecting four RBI in his first 16 contests...Reliever Pat Venditte has put together six straight scoreless relief outings totaling 8.1 innings, allowing two hits and one walk with 11 strikeouts...Dodgers pitchers entered last night 1-for-25 at the plate before Daniel Corcino went 2-for-3...Rocky Gale is 8-for-21 with 14 RBI with runners in scoring position.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from May 1, 2018


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