PCL Oklahoma City Comets

OKC Dodgers Game Notes - May 15, 2022

May 15, 2022 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City Dodgers (22-13) at Round Rock Express (20-15)

Game #36 of 150/Road #18 of 75

Pitching Probables: OKC-RHP Andre Jackson (0-2, 6.14) vs. RR-RHP Spencer Howard (0-0, 2.45)

Sunday, May 15, 2022 | Dell Diamond | Round Rock, Texas | 1:05 p.m. CT

Radio: KGHM-AM 1340 The Game, 1340thegame.com, iHeartRadio; Video: MiLB.tv

Today's Game: The Oklahoma City Dodgers look to match their longest winning streak of the season when they close out their six-game road series against the Round Rock Express at 1:05 p.m. at Dell Diamond. The Dodgers have won at least four straight games for the third time this season...The Dodgers own first place in the Pacific Coast League after winning seven of the last nine games as well as 10 of the last 14 games. They sit a season-best nine games above .500 - the most games above .500 the Dodgers have been since the end of the 2018 season.

Last Game: The Oklahoma City Dodgers scored three runs in the top of the first inning and led until the finish, defeating the Round Rock Express, 5-1, Saturday night at Dell Diamond for the team's fourth straight victory. Four of the first six batters of the game collected hits, including a RBI single by Kevin Pillar and RBI double by Eddy Alvarez, as the Dodgers took an early 3-0 lead. The Express got on the board in the bottom of the third inning but failed to score again in the frame after having runners at second and third with one out. Alvarez extended OKC's lead in the sixth inning when his bunt single scored Pillar. The Dodgers notched their final run of the night in the ninth inning when pinch runner Drew Avans stole two bases and scored on a throwing error. Five Dodgers pitchers held the Express to one run and six hits throughout the game, with no extra-base hits.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Andre Jackson (0-2) looks to rebound from back-to-back losses when he closes out OKC's road series...Jackson was charged with the loss in the current series opener May 10, allowing a career-high six runs (five earned) and five hits over just 2.1 innings. He issued five walks - his highest total since April 27, 2019 with Single-A Great Lakes - and had two strikeouts...After returning to OKC in late April, Jackson has made two starts totaling just 4.0 innings. During that time, he's allowed 10 runs (9 ER), nine hits and seven walks in 4.0 innings. He's thrown 122 pitches during that span (28 batters faced) and opponents are 9-for-21...Over his first three starts with OKC, Jackson allowed just one run and three hits over 10.2 innings, holding opponents 3-for22 overall...He was recalled by the LA Dodgers April 25, but did not see game action before being optioned to OKC April 30...Jackson was selected by the Dodgers in the 12th round of the 2017 MLB Draft out of the University of Utah, where he primarily played as an outfielder...Jackson entered this season ranked as the Dodgers' No. 9 prospect by Baseball America...He made two starts against the Express in 2021, going 1-1 and posting a 3.60 ERA with three walks and seven strikeouts over 10.0 IP. He made his Triple-A debut at Dell Diamond Aug. 3 and earned the win after five solid innings (5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K).

Against the Express: 2022: 4-1 2021: 16-13 All-time: 150-122 At RR: 81-61 The top two teams in the PCL East Division meet for their first series of 2022 after playing 29 games against one another during the 2021 season. They are scheduled to play a total 30 times in 2022...The Dodgers won the 2021 series, 16-13, as the Dodgers finished with a slight edge in runs (147-146) and homers (40-39) while the Express outhit OKC, 261-225. After losing five of the first six games, the Dodgers went 15-8 over the final 23 meetings, including a 9-3 record at Dell Diamond...Cristian Santana led the Dodgers with 27 hits in the series and tied with Zach Reks for a team-leading 16 RBI. Luke Raley homered six times in the series while pitcher Austin Bibens-Dirkx went 5-1...The first 18 games of the season between the teams were played at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, with the Dodgers going 10-8. The final 11 games of the series were played at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark with the Dodgers going 6-5 in those games...The Dodgers have won five of the last six season series between the teams...Entering today, the Dodgers are 13-4 over their last 17 games at Dell Diamond.

Getting Offensive: The Oklahoma City Dodgers' Triple-A-leading offense scored five more runs last night, marking the ninth consecutive game the Dodgers have scored at least five runs in a game. However, last night was the first time during the current series OKC scored fewer than six runs, as the Dodgers have outscored the Express, 50-23, through the first five meetings...The Dodgers lead all 30 Triple-A teams with 241 runs and 177 walks through 35 games and their 338 hits are tied with Albuquerque and Round Rock for most in Triple-A. OKC's run total is second-highest in all of the Minors, trailing only Double-A Amarillo's 246 runs. OKC also paces all Triple-A teams in batting average (.283) and on-base percentage (.381) and ranks second in slugging percentage (.476)...Last night OKC compiled 10 hits, marking the fourth time in the last five games they have had at least 10 hits...So far in May, the Dodgers are batting a PCL-best .320 (133x416) with a league-leading 67 walks.

Steady Eddy: Eddy Alvarez had a game-high three hits last night and reached base in all four of his plate appearances. He collected two doubles, was hit by a pitch and finished with two RBI. Over his last two games, Alvarez has reached base in eight of his nine plate appearances (4 H, 3 BB, HBP), and in his last three games is 6-for-12 with four extra-base hits, six RBI and three walks...His eight HBP lead the PCL. He set a career-high with 15 HBP last season.

Mighty Miguel: Miguel Vargas tallied a third straight multi-hit game, going 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored Saturday. He extended his current on-base streak to 17 games, and Vargas has now hit safely in 14 of his last 15 games, going 24-for-59 (.407) with 14 RBI, 12 walks and 21 runs scored. He's also scored at least one run in 14 of his last 15 games...Vargas' 33 runs scored this season pace all of Triple-A and rank tied for third in all of the Minors. His 41 hits lead the PCL while his 24 walks are tied for second in the league. He leads the Dodgers in runs and hits and his nine hits during the current series are the most by an OKC player.

Pillar of Strength: Kevin Pillar picked up his third multi-hit game of the current series last night, going 2-for-3 with a walk, RBI and scored a run. In five games against Round Rock this series, he is 7-for-20 with two homers, a double, seven RBI and six runs scored...Over his last eight games, Pillar is 14-for-32 (.414) with 14 RBI and nine runs scored... Overall this season, his 31 RBI and nine homers pace the Dodgers, while his 32 runs scored are second on the team...He ranks among the PCL's top three players in runs (2nd - 32), total bases (T-2nd - 72), triples (T-2nd - 3), RBI (3rd - 31), homers (3rd - 9) , SLG (3rd - .661) and OPS (3rd - 1.073).

Zach Attack: Zach McKinstry extended his current hitting streak to a season-long eight games Saturday, going 1-for-4 with a walk and a run scored. McKinstry is 14-for-32 (.438) during the hitting streak with nine runs, four RBI and four multi-hit games. He now has 36 hits in 25 games (24starts) with OKC, recording a multi-hit game 11 times, and ranks second on the team in hits despite playing in just 25 of the team's 34 games...He leads the PCL with a .371 batting average, a .447 on-base percentage and four triples.

That's My JM: Jason Martin had Saturday night off, but on Friday drew two walks, collected a RBI and scored a run. He's now reached base in four straight games as well as in 12 of his last 13 games, batting .383 (18x47) with three doubles, three triples, a home run, 11 RBI, 14 runs scored and eight walks. He also has seven multi-hit games during the 13-game stretch...Martin's 27 runs scored this season are third-most in the league behind teammates Miguel Vargas and Kevin Pillar and his .978 OPS currently ranks sixth.

Tomás the Tank: Tomás Telis entered last night's game as a defensive substitution for the bottom of the ninth inning and did not have a plate appearance. On Friday, he went 2-for-5 with a double and RBI single. The catcher has hit safely in a season-high six straight games, going 9-for-23 with six RBI. He has collected at least one hit in 11 of his last 12 games with a plate appearance, batting .400 (18x45) during the stretch.

On the Lamb: Jake Lamb's season-best eight-game hitting streak and 15-game on-base streak both came to an end Saturday as he was held 0-for-4. During the hitting streak, Lamb went 11-for-31 (.355) with five extra-base hits, six walks, nine runs scored and 11 RBI...During his 15-game on-base streak, Lamb hit safely in 13 games, going 20-for-55 (.364) with five homers, three doubles, 17 RBI, 12 runs scored and 11 walks...His eight homers this season are second-most among Dodgers players as are his 26 RBI. He ranks tied for sixth in the PCL in both categories. Lamb has homered in two of his last four games as well as three of his last seven games.

Dinger Details: The Dodgers have been held without a home run in back-to-back games for just the third time this season after six different Dodgers homered Thursday night and the team racked up nine homers over the previous two games combined. The Dodgers did not homer in three straight games once previously this season: April 22-24 in Sacramento...On the flip side, after allowing a season-high four home runs to the Express Friday night - all solo shots, the Dodgers held Round Rock without a homer Saturday for the second time in the last three games...Yesterday's game marked the fourth time this season neither the Dodgers nor their opponent went deep.

'Pen Pals: The Dodgers' bullpen had another strong night Saturday, covering the final six innings. Four relievers combined keep the Express scoreless and to three hits. Over the last two games, the bullpen has thrown 11 scoreless innings while surrendering just four hits - all singles - with 11 strikeouts...Carson Fulmer recorded his second straight save after notching the final four outs Saturday. Over his last eight appearances, Fulmer has thrown 10.2 scoreless innings while holding opponents 4-for-36 (.111)

Around the Horn: OKC set a season high with three stolen bases yesterday. Ryan Noda swiped a bag in the first inning before Drew Avans nabbed two steals in the ninth inning. Avans and Noda are tied for the team lead with five steals apiece this season, and Avans became the first OKC player to notch two steals in one game this season...Last night marked OKC's season-best fourth straight game without committing an error...Stefen Romero had Saturday off, but on Friday went 2-for-5 and made a diving catch in right field to end the seventh inning with the go-ahead run at third base. Romero has hit safely in eight of his first 10 games since joining the team...Including last night, the Dodgers are now 12-0 when they score in the first inning this season.

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