PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

OKC Dodgers Game Notes - May 4, 2018

Published on May 4, 2018 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Colorado Springs Sky Sox (18-8) vs. Oklahoma City Dodgers (19-6)

Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Game #26 of 140/Home #13 of 70 (12-0)

Pitching Probables: COS-RHP Bubba Derby (1-0, 2.13) vs. OKC-LHP Manny Bañuelos (3-0, 2.16)

Friday, May 4, 2018 | Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark | Oklahoma City, Okla. | 7:05 p.m. CT

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

Today's Game: The Oklahoma City Dodgers return home to Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark where they are undefeated this season and open an eight-game homestand at 7:05 p.m. against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox. The Dodgers are 12-0 in Bricktown to start 2018 for their best-ever home start since the ballpark opened in 1998 and the team's fourth-longest home winning streak ever. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the first 2,000 fans will receive an OKC Dodgers hat. Fireworks, presented by TerraScapes, are scheduled to follow the game.

Last Game: The Dodgers broke a scoreless tie in the eighth inning, then escaped a ninth-inning jam to hang on and beat Memphis, 1-0, Thursday night in the series finale between the teams at AutoZone Park. Leading 1-0 in the bottom of the ninth, the Redbirds put runners at the corners with no outs following an infield single and an error. Steven Baron then lined out to OKC first baseman Wes Darvill, who stepped on the bag to double off Patrick Wisdom for an unassisted double play. Randy Arozarena drew a walk to once again put the winning run on first base with two outs, but Brian Schlitter got Wilfredo Tovar to swing with a full count for a game-ending strikeout. OKC scored the game's lone run in the eighth. Darvill reached base on an error and Rocky Gale singled before a sac bunt by Logan Landon advanced the runners to second and third. Angelo Mora then hit a weak grounder toward first, and Darvill beat a throw to the plate to put the Dodgers in front, 1-0. Starting pitcher Guillermo Moscoso pitched six shutout innings, allowing six hits, one walk and recorded five strikeouts, but exited the game in a scoreless tie. Pat Venditte (2-0) followed on the mound for OKC and picked up the win with two scoreless innings. Schlitter earned his sixth save. Memphis starting pitcher Dakota Hudson (3-1) held the Dodgers to one run and five hits over 8.0 innings, but was charged with the loss.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Lefty Manny Bañuelos (3-0) returns to the mound trying for a second straight win and fourth in his last five starts...Bañuelos last started April 29 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark against Iowa. He allowed a season-high three runs and seven hits over 5.0 innings, but earned the win in team's 5-3 comeback victory. He recorded six strikeouts and did not issue a walk...He pitched four scoreless and hitless frames April 23 in New Orleans, allowing one walk and striking out nine before exiting due to a blister on his left thumb. He retired 12 of the 14 batters he faced and posted his highest strikeout total since Aug. 6, 2010 with the High-A Tampa Yankees (11)...Bañuelos has allowed just six earned runs over his first five starts (25.0 IP) and carries a 2.16 ERA into today's game - fifth-lowest in the league...His 0.88 WHIP ranks second-lowest in the PCL, while his .200 average is third-lowest...Left-handed batters are 1-for-18 against him this season...He signed with the Dodgers as a free agent Nov. 14, 2017 after spending 2017 with Triple-A Salt Lake in the Los Angeles Angels organization...Bañuelos appeared in a team-leading 39 games (nine starts) with Salt Lake, pitching 95.0 innings to a record of 5-6, a 4.93 ERA and 85 strikeouts...Bañuelos has appeared in seven career ML games (six starts), all with Atlanta in 2015. He compiled a 1-4 record over 26.1 IP, with a 5.13 ERA, and 19 K's...Tonight is Bañuelos' second career appearance against the Sky Sox. He made one relief appearance against Colorado Springs while with Salt Lake Aug. 4, 2017. He allowed one run and two hits over two innings with three strikeouts.

Against the Sky Sox: 2018: 0-0 2017: 4-12 All-time: 98-82 At OKC: 59-33

The top two teams in the American Northern Division face off for their first series of 2018...Colorado Springs won 12 of 16 meetings against Oklahoma City last season, including six of the final seven games. They took three of four games in each of the four series...The Sky Sox collected more than eight wins in a season against OKC for the first time since the teams started playing in 1998...Colorado Springs outscored the Dodgers, 96-66, and outhit OKC, 161-139...Alex Verdugo led the Dodgers offense in the series, batting .408 over 14 games with a team-best 20 hits, while O'Koyea Dickson had 12 RBI in 14 games. Bobby Wilson hit five homers in 12 games...Since joining the PCL in 1998, the only other instance the team lost 12 games in the same season against one opponent was in 2007, when the RedHawks were 6-12 against Nashville.

Out of the Gates: The Dodgers have won 19 of their first 25 games of 2018, tying for the best overall record by an Oklahoma City team through 25 games since OKC rejoined the PCL in 1998. The 2015 squad also went 19-6 to start the season. A win tonight would give OKC its most wins through 26 games since 1998...The Dodgers own the best winning percentage in the Minors (.760). High-A Jupiter (Marlins) paces the Minors with 20 wins. OKC, Memphis and Low-A Delmarva (Orioles) are tied for the second-most wins with 19.

Home Front: The Dodgers are 12-0 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark for the best start in OKC since the ballpark opened in 1998. The team's previous best start was 5-0 in 2006...The Dodgers have trailed at some point in eight of 12 home contests, including seven of the last nine, and have trailed in the eighth inning or later in five games...The Dodgers are the only team in pro baseball still undefeated at home...The Dodgers have four walk-off wins this season, including three straight April 14-16 against New Orleans...At the plate, the Dodgers are tied with Colorado Springs for a Triple-A-leading .341 batting average at home. OKC has outscored opponents, 85-37, at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark and has also outhit opponents, 142-89...Over their first 12 home games, the Dodgers have slashed .341/.413/.499. They have eight-plus runs in five of 12 games and totaled four games with 14 or more hits...They've scored four or more runs in an inning eight times already.

Mound Men: The Dodgers pitching staff rebounded nicely one night after giving up eight runs and a season-high 16 hits to throw their second shutout of the season -- and series -- Thursday in Memphis. OKC paces the PCL with a league-low 2.68 ERA. The Dodgers have held an opponent to one run or less eight times this season...Last night Memphis went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, and OKC opponents are batting just .174 with RISP (15x84) over the last 13 games.

Brock and Rock: The Dodgers have gotten tremendous production from catching duo Rocky Gale and Cael Brockmeyer, as they have combined to bat .344 (31x90) with 17 RBI...Brockmeyer is currently on an eight-game hit streak -- the longest hitting streak for a Dodger this season. Over the eight games, Brockmeyer is 13-for-24 with five 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 14-for-28 (.500). He has hit safely in all eight of his starts and in nine of 10 games overall...Over Gale's last four games, he is 7-for-15 with four RBI and three multi-hit games. He's currently riding a season-best seven-game hitting streak (10x27, 6 RBI). For the season, Gale is 9-for-24 (.375) with 15 RBI with runners in scoring position.

Around the Horn: Last night was the team's first 1-0 win since Aug. 27, 2016 vs. Colorado Springs...Reliever Pat Venditte has put together seven straight scoreless relief outings totaling 10.1 innings, allowing three hits and one walk with 13 strikeouts...Last night marked the first time this season the Dodger did not tally an extra-base hit. It also snapped a streak of eight straight games scoring four or more runs.

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