PCL Oklahoma City Comets

OKC Dodgers Game Notes - May 6, 2023

Published on May 6, 2023 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City Dodgers (21-10) at El Paso Chihuahuas (14-17)

Game #32 of 150/First Half #32 of 75/Road #17 of 75

Pitching Probables: OKC-RHP Matt Andriese (2-2, 6.99) vs. ELP-RHP Matt Waldron (0-3, 9.49)

Saturday, May 6, 2023 | Southwest University Park | El Paso, Texas | 7:35 p.m. CT

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

Today's Game: The Oklahoma City Dodgers have lost three consecutive games for the first time this season and look to rebound against the El Paso Chihuahuas at 7:35 p.m. CT at Southwest University Park...Despite losses the last three nights and in four of the last five games, the Dodgers still own the best record in the PCL and have the second-most wins in all of Triple-A.

Last Game: The El Paso Chihuahuas once again used a big inning to lead the way to victory, scoring six runs in the bottom of the second inning to defeat the Oklahoma City Dodgers, 7-4, Friday night at Southwest University Park. The Dodgers fell behind, 1-0, before tying the game with an RBI double by Devin Mann in the second inning. The Chihuahuas then took advantage of several OKC miscues in the bottom of the second inning to score six runs and jump out to a 7-1 lead. The Dodgers committed three errors in the inning, and the Chihuahuas scored three additional runs after the bases were empty with two outs. The Dodgers cut into the deficit with a solo home run from Drew Avans in the fourth inning and a two-run double from Ryan Ward in the seventh. The Dodgers left two runners in scoring position in the eighth inning and then were retired in order in the ninth inning to end the game.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Matt Andriese (2-2) seeks a third straight win when he starts against the Chihuahuas tonight...Andriese last pitched in Game 1 of a doubleheader April 30 against Sacramento in OKC. He was credited with the win in the Dodgers' 9-4 victory, allowing three runs and six hits over 5.0 innings with no walks and two strikeouts...Between his last two starts, Andriese has limited opponents to four runs and nine hits over 11.0 innings, with no walks and seven strikeouts...He has allowed one or no walks in four of his six appearances this season, with three walks in his last five starts combined (24.1 IP)...Andriese is in his 13th professional season and first in the Dodgers organization. He signed with the Dodgers Jan. 30 after spending the 2022 season with the Yomiuri Giants of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, going 5-2 with a 2.86 ERA over 15 games. He notched 56 strikeouts against 14 walks across 63.0 innings...In 2021, he split the season between the Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners...Andriese was selected in the third round of the 2011 MLB Draft by San Diego from UC Riverside and he made his ML debut with Tampa Bay April 10, 2015 at Miami. He's made a total of 217 appearances in the Majors with five different teams throughout his career...Tonight is his first career appearance against El Paso.

Against the Chihuahuas: 2023: 1-3 2022: 13-14 All-time: 42-36 At ELP: 23-23

This marks the first series between the Dodgers and Chihuahuas after the teams competed down the stretch for the 2022 PCL East Division title Sept. 20-25, 2022 in El Paso. The Chihuahuas won four of the final six games between the teams and won the division title by one game ahead of OKC. The Chihuahuas went on to lose in the PCL Championship game to Reno, 6-2, in Las Vegas...The Chihuahuas also won the season series against the Dodgers, 14-13, clinching just their second season series win against OKC since Tucson's franchise relocated to El Paso for the 2014 season and their first against OKC since 2018. The scheduled was unbalanced with 18 games in El Paso compared to only nine in OKC. The Dodgers went 6-3 at home, but 7-11 at Southwest University Park, including losses in seven of their last nine games...Jason Martin led the Dodgers with 28 hits, including 10 home runs, against the Chihuahuas last season and finished with 20 RBI and 22 runs scored. James Outman finished with a team-best 24 RBI in 16 games, including hitting for the cycle Aug. 26 in OKC...Pitcher Ryan Pepiot finished with 20 strikeouts in 13.0 IP...The Dodgers outscored El Paso, 185-168, and hit 46 homers...After the teams played five series in 2022, the teams meet for just three series in 2023, including two in El Paso, and their season series wraps up July 23...Entering tonight, the Dodgers have lost seven of their last nine games and 10 of their last 13 games in El Paso. Including the current series, they have lost at least three straight games within each of their last four series at Southwest University Park.

Thirty Something: The Dodgers continue to lead the PCL with a 21-10 record despite losses in the last three games and in four of the last five games. The team's 21 wins are second-most in all of Triple-A, trailing only Norfolk's 22 wins (22-8)...OKC's 21 wins through 31 games are third-most by an OKC team through 31 games in the Bricktown era (since 1998). Only the 2018 and 2015 teams had more wins, going 22-9. Only the 2018 Dodgers went on to improve to 23-9, while the 2015 Dodgers went 22-10.

Quiet Riot: After being held to five or fewer hits in each of the five previous games, the Dodgers' offense made positive strides with 10 hits Friday for their highest hit total in the last nine games. However, they lost for just the second time in 17 games this season when outhitting their opponent...Over the five games entering Friday, the Dodgers batted just .145 (19-for-131) as a team. The Dodgers also entered Friday 3-for-30 with runners in scoring position over the last four games, but managed to go 2-for-8 last night...During Friday's game, the Dodgers scored in three separate inning after scoring in just four innings through the first three games of the series...The Dodgers also improved their early-innings offense Friday, going 6-for-17 with two runs across the first four innings. In the previous four games, the Dodgers had a grand total of one run and one hit through the first four innings of a game, going 1-for-43.

Drew Conclusions: Last night, Drew Avans tallied a game-high three hits, tying his season high, including a home run and a double. He hit his fourth home run of the season and is now tied with Jahmai Jones and Hunter Feduccia for the team lead. Avans had been hitless in five straight games entering Friday, going 0-for-16 with five walks...Last season Avans finished with seven home runs over 119 games and he did not hit his fourth home run until June 7...His 24 walks lead the Dodgers and rank tied for fourth in the PCL this season, and his 25 runs scored pace OKC. He has reached base safely in 26 of his 28 games with the Dodgers this season, including in 18 straight games April 6-29 for the second-longest on-base streak by a Dodgers player this season.

More Than Lukewarm: Luke Williams went 2-for-5 Friday. In his four games since returning to the team after being optioned by the Los Angeles Dodgers, Williams has hit safely in each game and is 5-for-15 with two extra-base hits and four walks. He now has eight multi-hit games in his 18 total games with OKC this season. His 26 hits are tied for second on the team, including 14 extra-base hits...Williams currently ranks third in the league in slugging (.676) and fourth in both OPS (1.135) and batting average (.366).

What a Mighty Good Mann: Devin Mann doubled in a second straight game last night as he connected on his 17th double of the season. Mann leads all of the Minors in doubles by six and has 14 doubles in his last 16 games while hitting safely in 13 of the 16 games, going 18-for-55 (.327) with 10 RBI and nine runs scored...Mann and Matt Chapman (16) of the Toronto Blue Jays are the only two players to have more than 14 doubles in the Minors or Majors. Mann's 17 extra-base hits are tied for fourth in the PCL...Last season, Mann finished with 21 total doubles over 118 games in Double-A (16) and Triple-A (5) and his career-high mark for doubles in a season is 27 over 110 games with Tulsa in 2021.

Knockout Blows: For the second straight game, El Paso used a high-scoring inning to help defeat OKC last night. The Chihuahuas scored six runs in the bottom of the second inning, which included a season-high three Dodgers errors, leading to four unearned runs. On Thursday night, the Chihuahuas scored seven runs in the eighth inning after trailing, 2-1, to come back and defeat OKC...Prior to Thursday, the Dodgers had allowed a total of two innings throughout the entire season in which the opponent scored at least five runs, and in the 12 games leading up to Thursday, the Dodgers had allowed an inning of three runs at most just once.

Power Switch: Drew Avans' solo home Friday was just OKC's second in the last 10 games and third in the last 13 games. OKC's only other home run through the first four games of the current series was Luke Williams' solo shot in Tuesday's opener, which snapped a six-game drought without a homer for OKC. Since April 21, the team's three home runs are fewest among all Triple-A teams and tied for the second-fewest in all of the Minors. Prior to April 21, the Dodgers hit 25 home runs through their first 18 games of the season...On the other hand, OKC has allowed a home run in six straight games - the team's second-longest streak of the season - and El Paso has hit seven homers through the first four games of the series. OKC has given up 47 home runs through 31 games, which are the most in the PCL and are tied for second-most in the Minors. Last season, the team did not allow its 47th home run until Game 48 against Reno May 29...Opponents have bopped nine home runs over the last six games after the Dodgers allowed three homers over the preceding six games...Over the last 25 games (37 HR), 62 of the 122 total runs allowed (50.8 percent) have scored via home runs.

Two True Outcomes: The Dodgers have the second-most walks (180) and strikeouts (313) in the PCL this season. The 493 combined walks and strikeouts are most in the league, and an astonishing 40.6 percent of plate appearances this season are resulting in one of those outcomes...The Dodgers have drawn at least five walks in seven straight games (48 BB) with at least six walks in five of those seven games. Although they have drawn 18 walks over the last three games, they have converted just one of those walks into a run...The team has struck out at least 10 times in four straight games (47 K), which is their second-longest double-digit strikeout streak of the season. They went down on strikes at least 10 times in six straight games, April 1-7.

Close Calls: Each of the first three games of the current series were decided in the eighth inning or later. On Thursday, El Paso trailed, 2-1, before erupting for seven runs in the eighth inning during an 8-2 win. On Wednesday, El Paso scored two runs in the eighth inning to break a 3-3 tie and win, 5-3. On Tuesday, the Dodgers trailed, 2-0, before they scored five runs in the ninth inning to come back to beat the Chihuahuas, 5-2...On Tuesday, the Dodgers captured their seventh last at-bat win of the season, while El Paso has notched the second and third last at-bat wins by an OKC opponent this season.

Around the Horn: OKC's bullpen held El Paso scoreless Friday after being called into action in the second inning. Justin Hagenman, Adam Kolarek, Mark Washington and Tayler Scott combined to throw 6.1 scoreless innings with two hits, three walks and eight strikeouts. They allowed just one hit after the second inning, including no hits after the fourth inning, and retired 15 of the final 17 El Paso batters. It was the eighth time this season the bullpen has thrown at least 4.0 scoreless innings in a game...Ryan Ward doubled last night and has reached base in 12 straight games. He has 10 hits, 10 RBI and seven walks during the stretch that started April 21. Ward leads the team and ranks tied for fourth in the PCL with 27 RBI.

Check out the Oklahoma City Comets Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Pacific Coast League Stories from May 6, 2023


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central