PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

OKC Dodgers Game Notes - May 2, 2018

Published on May 2, 2018 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City Dodgers (18-5) vs. Memphis Redbirds (18-8)

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Game #24 of 140/Road #12 of 70 (6-5)

Pitching Probables: OKC-RHP Tyler Pill (0-0, 5.73) vs. MEM-RHP Daniel Poncedeleon (1-2, 1.59)

Wednesday, May 2, 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 continue their road series against the Memphis Redbirds at 6:35 p.m. at AutoZone Park. Despite a loss Tuesday night, the Dodgers still lead the Minors in winning percentage (.783) and are tied with Memphis and High-A Jupiter for the most wins in the Minors (18).

Last Game: Memphis built a pair of three-run leads, which proved to be a bit too much for the Dodgers as they lost, 5-4, at AutoZone Park Tuesday night. After getting shut out Monday, the Redbirds scored their first run of the series in the third inning on a two-out RBI single by Randy Arozarena. In the fourth, Memphis started the inning with three straight hits, including a two-run single by Yairo Munoz for a 3-0 lead. OKC scored one run in each of the next two innings to cut the deficit to one. Tim Locastro hit a RBI double in the fifth, and on the first pitch of the sixth, Rob Segedin hit a home run out to center field to get the Dodgers within 3-2. But the Redbirds answered with a homer of their own in the bottom of the inning when Patrick Wisdom sent a two-run blast out to left-center field. The Dodgers collected two runs in the seventh, stringing together four straight hits with one out. After Locastro's second RBI double of the night, the Dodgers had the tying runs in scoring position. Donovan Solano then hit a single to right field, scoring Alex Burg. Locastro tried to score on the play as well, but he was thrown out at home plate. Memphis starting pitcher John Gant improved to 4-0 after turning in six solid innings. He held the Dodgers to two runs and five hits, with two walks and four strikeouts. Sam Tuivailala recorded the last six outs to earn his first save. Dodgers starting pitcher Justin DeFratus took his first loss of the season. Over six innings, DeFratus (1-1) allowed five runs and eight hits. He walked two and notched one strikeout.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Tyler Pill (0-0) makes his third start of the season for OKC tonight...Pill last started April 27 against Iowa at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, pitching 4.0 scoreless innings, allowing four hits, with three strikeouts and no walks...Over his first two games with OKC, Pill has thrown a combined 7.0 scoreless innings with five singles allowed as he builds up his pitch count...Pill began the season in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization with Triple-A Reno and was acquired by the Dodgers in a trade for cash considerations April 17. He made two appearances out of the bullpen for Reno, allowing a combined seven runs and eight hits, including three home runs, over 4.0 IP...He signed with the Diamondbacks in January and prior to that spent his entire career in the New York Mets organization...Pill made his MLB debut last season with the Mets May 27, 2017 against Pittsburgh and ended up making seven appearances (three starts) in the Majors (0-3, 5.32 ERA)...He started the 2017 season with Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Las Vegas, not allowing an earned run over his first 29.1 innings. He made 15 starts in the Minors and went 5-3 with a 3.08 ERA...Pill was selected by the Mets in the fourth round of the 2011 MLB Draft out of Cal State Fullerton, where he also was an outfielder...Tonight is Pill's first career appearance against the Redbirds.

Against the Redbirds: 2018: 1-1 2017: 8-7 All-time: 169-152 At MEM: 74-89

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.

Out of the Gates: The Dodgers have won 18 of their first 23 games of 2018, tying for the best overall record by an Oklahoma City team through 23 games since OKC rejoined the PCL in 1998. The 2015 squad also went 18-5 to start the season. A win tonight would give OKC its most wins through 24 games since 1998...OKC and Memphis are tied with the High-A Jupiter Hammerheads (Marlins) for the most wins in the Minors, but the Dodgers own the best winning percentage in the Minors (.783).

Timmay!!: Tim Locastro matched his season high with three hits Tuesday night, including two RBI doubles. He reached base four times, walking once. He also stole two bases and made a tremendous diving catch in left field in the fifth inning. Overall this season, Locastro has 25 hits through 21 games, including eight multi-hit outings...In 52 career games with OKC over the past two seasons, Locastro is slashing .369/.446/.528 and is 17-for-19 in stolen base attempts.

It IS How You Start: Justin DeFratus became the first starting pitcher for OKC to be charged with a loss this season Tuesday night, allowing the most runs (5) and hits (8) by a Dodgers pitcher this season. Entering Tuesday's game, Dodgers starting pitchers had 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. Tuesday night marked just the third time a Dodgers starting pitcher allowed more than two runs, and marked the first time one allowed more than three runs. The rotation has totaled 95 strikeouts against 25 walks, resulting in a 3.8/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio...Tuesday marked just the third start of 6.0 innings this season, and entering today, the starting rotation has barely thrown more innings (107.0) than the bullpen (97.1).

Mound Men: The Dodgers enter today with a league-leading 2.60 ERA, although Memphis' five-run night Tuesday snapped a streak of 10 consecutive games in which OKC allowed three or fewer runs...Over the last 11 games, opponents have batted .207 (72x348), including 8-for-59 (.136) with RISP...Over the last seven games, the Dodgers bullpen has covered 30.1 innings, but held opponents to three runs while going 16-for-106 (.151) with 34 strikeouts and three walks...The Dodgers issued three walks during the final five innings last night after allowing one walk over previous 45 innings while racking up 41 strikeouts.

Brock-N-Roll: Catcher Cael Brockmeyer continued his hot hitting at the plate Tuesday night, going 2-for-4 with a double. During his current seven-game hit streak, Brockmeyer is 12-for-23 with four doubles and six runs. It's his longest hit streak since June 4-14, 2015 with the Low-A South Bend Cubs, when he hit safely in nine games...For the season, Brockmeyer is 13-for-27 (.481) and has hit safely in all eight of his starts.

Around the Horn: Last night Donovan Solano picked up his seventh hit in the last four games and paces the Dodgers with 30 hits in 2018. His .380 average is fifth-best in the PCL. Over his last 16 outings, the shortstop is batting .418 (28x67)...Reliever Pat Venditte has put together six straight scoreless relief outings totaling 8.1 innings, allowing two hits and one walk with 11 strikeouts...Rocky Gale is 8-for-21 with 14 RBI with runners in scoring position...Travis Taijeron has eight RBI over his last six games after collecting four RBI in his first 16 contests.

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