PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

OKC Dodgers Game Notes - May 28, 2019

May 28, 2019 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City Dodgers (17-33) vs. Omaha Storm Chasers (24-28)

Game #51 of 140/Road #28 of 70 (9-18)

Pitching Probables: OKC-RHP Dennis Santana (0-3, 6.04) vs. OMA-RHP Josh Staumont (0-2, 3.04)

Tuesday, May 28, 2019 | Werner Park | Papillion, Neb. | 6:35 p.m. CT

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

Today's Game: The OKC Dodgers continue their six-game road series against the Omaha Storm Chasers at 6:35 p.m. at Werner Park. Omaha leads the series, 3-1, as the Dodgers have lost six of their last seven games.

Yesterday's Games: Omaha took both ends of a doubleheader from the Dodgers Monday afternoon at Werner Park, winning the first game, 7-3, and completing a four-run comeback in the second game to win, 6-5. The first game was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning when Jorge Bonifacio hit a RBI single. The Storm Chasers added three more runs in the fifth via a two-run homer by Brett Phillips and sacrifice fly by Erick Mejia. In the sixth, OKC's Connor Joe connected on a two-run homer, but Phillips hit his second homer in as many as innings - a three-run poke - in the bottom of the inning that gave Omaha a five-run lead. Jake Peter hit a sac fly in the seventh. Omaha starting pitcher Jonathan Dziedzic (1-2) allowed two runs and three hits over 5.1 innings. Dodgers starting pitcher Mitchell White (0-1) was handed the loss...OKC grabbed an early lead in Game 2 as Joe doubled on the first pitch of the game and later scored on a RBI single by Cameron Perkins. Omaha knotted the score with a sac fly by Bonifacio in the bottom of the first, but the Dodgers regained the lead in their next at-bat when Joe and Perkins each picked up RBI singles. A sacrifice fly by Peter in the third and a RBI single by Shane Peterson in the fourth made it 5-1. In the bottom of the inning, Xavier Fernández hit a three-run homer. Samir Dueñez evened the score in the sixth with a RBI single, and Fernández later sent a go-ahead single up the middle to give Omaha its first lead. OKC put the tying run in scoring position with one out in seventh, but could not bring him in. Omaha reliever Andres Machado (1-0) earned the win and Richard Lovelady closed things out to earn his first save. Dodgers reliever Josh Sborz (1-2) took the loss.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Dennis Santana (0-3) looks to rebound from a loss in his last start when he takes the mound tonight...Santana most recently started May 23 at New Orleans, allowing a season-high seven runs (five earned) and six hits. He issued two walks and also racked up a season-best eight strikeouts in the Dodgers' 12-4 loss...Entering his last start, Santana had held opponents to three runs or less in four straight outings...Santana started the season with OKC, but was recalled April 7 by Los Angeles. He made three appearances out of the LAD bullpen and allowed a total of four runs and six hits over 5.0 IP with four walks and six K's. He was optioned back to OKC April 14...Santana began the 2018 season with Double-A Tulsa before making his first career start with OKC May 19, 2018 and his Major League debut on June 1. However, a right rotator cuff strain sent him to the 60-day Disabled List June 9...Santana entered 2019 ranked as the Dodgers' No. 7 prospect, according to Baseball America...He originally signed as a shortstop as an international free agent in March 2013 at the age of 16 out of the Dominican Republic and converted to pitching in 2014...He's faced the Storm Chasers twice this season and is 0-1. In 7.0 IP, he's allowed seven runs and 10 hits, with five walks and 10 strikeouts. Tonight is his first career game at Werner Park.

Against the Storm Chasers: 2019: 6-8 2018: 8-8 All-time: 163-154 At OMA: 78-80 The Dodgers return to Omaha for the fourth and final series of the season between the teams...The Dodgers won the final meeting in OKC May 20, 10-5, to secure their first series win of 2019...Including Game 2 yesterday, eight of the team's first 14 matchups of the season have been decided by one or two runs...Entering today's games, the Storm Chasers are outhitting the Dodgers, 135-133, in the season series and have a 90-72 edge in runs scored...Cameron Perkins paces the Dodgers with 20 hits, while Edwin RÃ-os leads OKC with 13 RBI and nine runs scored. Connor Joe has four home runs in his eight games against Omaha...With two losses yesterday, the Dodgers can at best split the season series. Including this season, OKC has only won one season series against Omaha over the last nine years (1-5-2 entering 2019).

Perking Up: Cameron Perkins went 4-for-4 in Game 2 Monday afternoon with a pair of doubles, two RBI and a run scored. He reached base five times throughout the doubleheader in seven plate appearances. His four-hit outing in Game 2 yesterday was the fourth of his career and his first since April 14, 2018 with Tacoma against Sacramento...The multi-hit game was his 10th of the season - tied for most among Dodgers players this season...After slashing .207/.270/.310 over 19 games in April, he's up to .364/.417/.597 over 20 games in May...Perkins leads the club with 28 hits this month and is now in a three-way tie for the team lead with 40 hits overall this season. His 15 doubles also lead the team are tied for sixth-most in the PCL this season.

Not Your Average Joe: After starting the current road trip on a 0-for-14 slide - albeit with six walks - Connor Joe is 4-for-10 with a homer and two doubles. He has now reached base in 14 of his 15 games with the Dodgers this month and his 13 walks in May pace OKC...In 21 games with OKC this season, Joe is slashing .292/.435/.538. Last season he led full-season Dodgers minor leaguers with a .935 OPS.

Mayday: OKC allowed at least six runs in both games of yesterday's doubleheader and has now allowed six or more runs in 15 games this month and five or more runs 19 times through 27 May games...The Dodgers have allowed 185 runs and 269 hits total in May. OKC's runs allowed are second-most in all of the Minors, only behind Reno (194 R), while their hits allowed are third-most behind Reno (289 H) and Albuquerque (273 H)...The team's current ERA this month is 6.83, tying OKC's highest monthly ERA on record (May 2007) since the team rejoined the PCL in 1998.

On Strike: The Dodgers' pitching staff has seen a noticeable dip in strikeouts over the last three games. Prior to Sunday, the team had racked up 10 or more strikeouts in six of the last eight games. But in the last three games over the last two days, there's only been 11 strikeouts over 20.0 IP. Before tallying just two strikeouts on Sunday, the Dodgers had struck out a minimum of six batters in each game this season, but there have been no more than six strikeouts in each of the last three games...The Dodgers currently rank third in the PCL in strikeouts this season with 469 over 418.0 innings pitched, trailing league-leader Sacramento, which has 505 strikeouts in 452.1 innings and second-place New Orleans, which has 472 strikeouts in 444.1 innings.

Shaggy 2 Dope: JT Chargois pitched a perfect inning Saturday night with two strikeouts. He has been scored upon just twice in 15 outings this season and once over his last 14 games. In his last 13 outings, he's allowed just two runs in 17.0 innings. Opponents are 11-for-58 (.190) during the stretch with 23 strikeouts...Over his last six games, he's retired 17 of 20 batters faced with 10 strikeouts.

Unfortunate Fifty: OKC is 17-33 through the first 50 games of the season, marking the team's fewest wins through 50 games since joining the PCL in 1998. The previous low mark was 20-30 in 2006...The team is also 16 games under .500 for the first time since 2011 (49-65). At no point since joining the PCL in 1998 has an OKC team been as many as 17 games below .500.

Around the Horn: Yesterday Will Smith became the fourth OKC player this season to receive his first career Major League call-up, joining Matt Beaty, Kyle Garlick and Josh Sborz...Each of the last nine homers allowed by the Dodgers have been hit with at least one runner on base.

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