OKC Dodgers Game Notes - May 10, 2021
May 10, 2021 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release
Oklahoma City Dodgers (0-4) at Round Rock Express (4-0)
Game #5 of 120/Road #5 of 60
Pitching Probables: OKC-RHP Austin Bibens-Dirkx (NR, -.--) vs. RR-LHP Brock Burke (NR, -.--)
Monday, May 10, 2021 | Dell Diamond | Round Rock, Texas | 7:05 p.m. CT
Radio: KGHM AM-1340 The Game, 1340thegame.com, iHeartRadio - Alex Freedman
Today's Game: The Oklahoma City Dodgers continue their season-opening road series against Round Rock Express at 7:05 p.m. at Dell Diamond. The Dodgers are still seeking their first win of the 2021 season, as the Express own a 4-0 lead in the Red Dirt Rumble rivalry series. The current six-game series is OKC's first since wrapping up the 2019 season and following the cancellation of the 2020 Minor League Baseball season.
Last Game: Round Rock took a three-run lead three batters into the bottom of the first inning and never led by less than two runs for the remainder of the game, sending the OKC Dodgers to a 6-3 defeat on Mother's Day afternoon at Dell Diamond. The Dodgers were held to one run through the first seven innings, mostly in part due to a strong six-inning start by Sam Gaviglio. Rangel Ravelo and Andy Burns connected on the team's first back-to-back home runs of the season in the eighth inning to cut the deficit to three, but the Dodgers were unable to threaten again after that.
Today's Probable Pitcher: Austin Bibens-Dirkx makes his 2021 season debut and first start for the OKC Dodgers tonight...Bibens-Dirkx made 40 appearances (31 starts) for Round Rock from 2016-18, but tonight marks his first career appearance against the Express since playing for the Iowa Cubs in 2010-11...He last played for the Express in 2018, making 17 appearances (15 starts), during which he posted a 3-6 record and 5.68 ERA over 82.1 innings pitched with 79 strikeouts against 28 walks...Bibens-Dirkx did not see any formal game action in 2020, but he was with the Texas Rangers during Spring Training and was eventually released June 1...In 2019, he started the season in the Chinese Professional Baseball League before signing a minor league contract with the Rangers in June and finishing the season with Triple-A Nashville. With the Sounds, he posted a 2-3 record in eight starts with a 7.98 ERA and 33 strikeouts against 15 walks...He made his MLB debut May 17, 2017 for the Texas Rangers and went on to be voted Texas Rangers Rookie of the Year in 2017 by DFW BBWAA chapter, ranking among team leaders in wins (6th - 5), starts (8th - 6), innings (8th - 69.1) and games (T-9th - 24)...He was originally selected in the 16th round of the 2006 MLB Draft by Seattle from the University of Portland, and has spent time playing in the Mariners, Cubs, Rockies, Nationals, Blue Jays and Rangers organizations.
Against the Express: 2021: 0-4 2019: 6-10 All-time: 130-112 At RR: 67-56 The Dodgers and Express continue their Red Dirt Rumble rivalry series tonight and meet for the third time in their six-game series to begin the 2021 season...Only 371 miles separate Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark from Dell Diamond, making it the shortest distance between the Dodgers and any of their Triple-A opponents as well as a perfect set-up for a rivalry as the teams meet 30 times this season...The teams last played one another in 2019, with the Express winning the season series for the first time since 2014...The Dodgers went 2-6 at Dell Diamond, posting a losing record there for the first time since 2009 and taking their most losses ever in one season at the stadium...OKC is now 2-10 over the last 12 games at Dell Diamond, exceeding their losses from the 2016-18 seasons combined (seven). The team went 22-10 at the venue over the first four seasons of the Dodgers affiliation...OKC has lost four straight games in the same series at Dell Diamond for just the second time since the teams started playing in 2005 (May 1-4, 2006). Including the current series, the Dodgers have started each of their last three series at Dell Diamond by losing three straight.
Down in a Hole: The Dodgers have dropped their first four games, resulting in their slowest start to a season in the Bricktown era (since 1998). OKC started a season 0-3 just twice previously - in 2017 against Iowa in OKC and in 2005 at Memphis. The team had won at least one of its first two games in 13 of the last 14 seasons and in 20 of its first 22 seasons overall. In 2017, the team followed its 0-3 start by winning seven of its next eight games. In 2005, the first three losses were followed by wins in seven of the next nine games. Both teams also finished the regular season with a winning record...OKC is one of two Triple-A teams still searching for its first win of 2021, along with 0-4 Salt Lake.
The Run Around: OKC has allowed the second-most runs in Triple-A West through three games (33 R/32 ER) and has allowed a league-high 12 homers. The 33 runs allowed by the Dodgers are the most given up by an OKC team through four games in the Bricktown era. OKC's previous high for runs allowed through the first four games of a season was 27 at Memphis in 2013. In previous years, an OKC team had not allowed a combined 33 runs prior to their sixth game of a season (2002, 2001)...Going back to Thursday's season opener, the pitching staff has retired the side in order just three times over the past 28 innings, allowing 40 hits and 17 walks during that span (2.04 WHIP), including 11 home runs.
Numbers on the Board: After being held scoreless through the first 11 innings to begin the season, the Dodgers have scored 14 runs on 23 hits over the 25 innings since. Following a collective 5-for-39 (.128) start, the team is 23-for-99 (.232)...Although 11 of the team's first 28 hits have gone for extra bases, the team is now 3-for-31 with runners in scoring position...OKC's leadoff batters reached base just once yesterday and have reached base in only seven of 36 innings. Of the seven successful instances, the leadoff man scored six times...OKC's 14 total runs scored through four games are tied for fewest in Triple-A with Albuquerque (4 G) and Indianapolis (5 G).
Sent by a Rangel: Despite the offense's overall struggles, Rangel Ravelo has been a bright spot. Through the first four games, Ravelo is 5-for-15 with four extra-base hits. Yesterday he went 2-for-4 with his first homer of the season and became the first Dodger to pick up his second multi-hit game.
Big Flies: On Sunday, Rangel Ravelo and Andy Burns connected on the Dodgers' first back-to-back homers of the season against Demarcus Evans in the eighth inning. It marked OKC's second multi-homer game of the season, as the Dodgers have five homers through four games hit by five different players...The 2019 OKC Dodgers went on to hit a team-record 203 home runs, including nine instances of going back-to-back.
Developing Champions: The Los Angeles Dodgers won their seventh World Series championship in 2020, marking the third time in OKC's minor league history the team's parent club won the World Series, as well as the first time since 1980. The Dodgers' official 2020 World Series roster had 16 former OKC Dodgers, including eight players who spent time in OKC during the 2019 season. Eight former OKC Dodgers were on the field for the final out of the championship-clinching Game 6, and former OKC shortstop Corey Seager was named World Series MVP.
Around the Horn: Catcher Keibert Ruiz was optioned to OKC by the Los Angeles Dodgers and is expected to be in the starting lineup as the designated hitter tonight. The organization's No. 1 prospect was 1-for-6 over five games with LAD this season, and he hit a home run in his first at-bat of the year against Chicago's Kyle Hendricks on May 4...Due to various injuries and not being able to add additional players prior to game time yesterday, the Dodgers had to bat the pitcher in a game played under American League rules...Andy Burns has reached base in eight of his first 16 plate appearances (4 H, 4 BB). He hit his first homer Sunday after banging 19 of them in 2019 with Triple-A Buffalo...The 47 strikeouts by OKC's offense are the most in the 10-team Triple-A West after the Round Rock pitching staff racked up 14 K's Sunday afternoon, paced by starter Sam Gaviglio's nine strikeouts...Reliever Edward Cuello retired all four batters faced yesterday and is off to an impressive start. Despite having just seven career appearances above rookie ball - all at Low-A in 2019 - he has allowed no runs and two hits, with no walks and four strikeouts over 3.1 innings...Fellow reliever Darien Núñez made his team and Triple-A debut Sunday and did not allow a run or hit over 2.1 innings of relief with two walks and one strikeout...Omar Estévez has started in center field each of the last two days after playing each of his first 462 career games in the infield.
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