OKC Dodgers Game Notes - September 20, 2023
Published on September 20, 2023 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release
Oklahoma City Dodgers (38-32/88-55) at Albuquerque Isotopes (38-32/65-80)
Game #144 of 148/Second Half #71 of 75/Road #71 of 75
Pitching Probables: OKC-RHP River Ryan (0-1, 21.00) vs. ABQ-LHP Ben Braymer (1-6, 9.58)
Wednesday, September 20, 2023 | Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park | Albuquerque, N.M. | 7:05 p.m. CT
Radio: 1340 AM The Game, 1340thegame.com, iHeartRadio; Video: MiLB.tv
Today's Game: The Oklahoma City Dodgers seek back-to-back wins to open their road series against the Albuquerque Isotopes at 7:05 p.m. CT at Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park...The Dodgers have won their last three road games, as well as five of their last six road games and are a Triple-A-best 46-24 on the road this season...The Dodgers last opened a series, 2-0, July 25-26 in Reno.
Last Game: The Oklahoma City Dodgers scored six runs over the final two innings as they defeated the Albuquerque Isotopes, 8-4, Tuesday evening at Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park. Trailing, 4-2, the Dodgers scored twice in the eighth inning with a sacrifice fly by Jake Marisnick before a passed ball later allowed the tying run to score. Hunter Feduccia gave Oklahoma City a 5-4 lead in the ninth inning with a solo homer before Michael Busch belted a three-run homer to make it 8-4. The Isotopes got on the board first with a RBI groundout from Coco Montes in the first inning. The Dodgers tied the score in the third inning with a RBI single from Miguel Vargas. Later in the inning, Vargas stole second base and eventually scored on the play due to two errors by Albuquerque, giving the Dodgers the lead. Montes tied the game for Albuquerque at 2-2 with a RBI single in the sixth inning before Drew Romo added a RBI single to make it 3-2 Isotopes. Jimmy Herron padded the lead with a RBI single in the seventh inning.
Today's Probable Pitcher: River Ryan (0-1) is scheduled to make his second start since he was promoted to OKC...Ryan made his Triple-A debut Sept. 13 in OKC against Tacoma, allowing a season-high seven runs and six hits, including two homers, over 3.0 innings with two walks and a season-high seven strikeouts. The seven runs tied a career high and it was the first time his career to allow to homers in one game, which included a grand slam in the second inning...Ryan joined OKC from Double-A Tulsa where he posted a 3.33 ERA and 1-6 record over a team-leading 97.1 innings in 24 games (22 starts) with 98 strikeouts and 44 walks. Of his 24 overall games with the Drillers, Ryan did not allow a run in 10 of those outings. He also allowed two or fewer runs in 16 of the 24 games...He is currently ranked as the No. 8 prospect in the Dodgers organization by MLB Pipeline and No. 11 prospect in the organization by Baseball America...Ryan joined the Dodgers organization March 28, 2022 in a trade with San Diego in exchange for first baseman Matt Beaty...Ryan made 10 starts with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga last season before closing out 2022 with five appearances (three starts) with High-A Great Lakes...Ryan was originally selected by San Diego in the 11th round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of UNC Pembroke, becoming the 15th selection in program history and the first since 2014. After signing with San Diego, Ryan began his pro career as a position player before fully converting to pitching last season.
Against the Isotopes: 2023: 8-11 2022: 12-6 All-time: 136-116 At ABQ: 59-65
The Dodgers and Isotopes close out the regular season against one another, meeting for their fourth series of the season and second at Isotopes Park...Albuquerque won five of six games at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark Aug. 22-27 after the teams split their first 12 meetings of the season. The Dodgers closed out that August series with a 14-0 win, tying for the team's largest shutout win ever at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark and tied for the second-largest shutout win in the Bricktown era overall (also April 25, 1998 vs. Nashville)...The teams also played a six-game series in OKC July 4-9, which the Isotopes won, 4-2, with OKC winning the series opener and series finale. It was Albuquerque's first series win in Bricktown since 2016 and the Isotopes won four straight games against the Dodgers within the same series since Aug. 8-11, 2008 in Albuquerque...The Dodgers won the first series between the teams April 18-23 in Albuquerque, 4-2, taking four of the final five games of the set...The Dodgers have not lost a season series to Albuquerque since 2017, going a combined 6-0 against the Isotopes in 2018 and 2019, 9-9 in 2021 and 12-6 last season...The Isotopes won nine games in OKC this season. Previously, the Isotopes' most wins in Bricktown in one season was five in 2009...Entering this final series, Ryan Ward has paced the Dodgers' offense against the Isotopes this season with 23 hits and 16 RBI in 17 games...After OKC started the season 5-2 against the Isotopes, Albuquerque has gone 9-3 against the Dodgers since.
Down the Stretch: The Dodgers picked up a win last night after losing their final two regular-season home games at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark for their first consecutive losses since a six-game skid Aug. 20-26...The Dodgers are now 3-3 in their last six games following a 10-4 stretch...Oklahoma City's 13 wins in the last 20 games are tied with Reno the most in the PCL since Aug. 27...The recent boost follows a 4-15 run from Aug. 5-26 as the Dodgers finished August with 10 wins (10-17), tied for second fewest in the league last month. OKC had not won fewer than 12 games in a month since May 2021 (9-14). It was the team's lowest monthly winning percentage since going 9-19 in August 2019.
The Big Picture: The Dodgers won their 88th game of the season last night to improve to 88-55, adding to the team's single-season Bricktown era record (since 1998). They are now tied with the 1964 Oklahoma City 89ers (88-70) for the second-most wins during OKC's Triple-A history, which began in 1962. The 1965 89ers went 91-54 for the most wins in franchise history...The last PCL team with at least 88 wins in a season was the 2017 Memphis Redbirds who went 91-50 - tied for the most wins by a PCL team since 2005 with Tucson, which went 91-53 in 2006...The Dodgers have had at least a share of first place in the PCL overall standings for all but seven days this season, holding first place from April 1-Aug. 25 and again since Sept. 2. They currently lead the overall Pacific Coast League standings by 3.5 games ahead of second-place Round Rock...This season's OKC squad became the fastest PCL team to reach 50, 60 and 70 wins since at least 2005, as data from 2004 and earlier is not available. They also became the second-fastest PCL team to reach 75 wins (117 games) since at least 2005, with the 2017 Memphis Redbirds doing it two games earlier (115 games). The fastest PCL team to reach 80 and 85 wins was also the 2017 Memphis Redbirds, who reached the 80-win milestone in 121 games (80-41) and the 85-win mark in 133 games (85-48). The Dodgers need to go at least 2-3 over the final five games to become just the second PCL team since 2006 to win 90 games in one season (Memphis, 2017)...During the Bricktown era (since 1998), OKC's best previous record through 143 games was in 2015 when the Dodgers went 86-57...OKC won the PCL's first-half title (50-23) and will host a best-of-three PCL Championship Series Sept. 26-28 against the winner of the second half.
Road Dogs: The Dodgers added to their single-season Bricktown-era record for road wins with last night's victory as they are 46-24 on the road this season with five road games remaining this week in Albuquerque. The Dodgers own the most road wins in the Minors this season and are just the fourth OKC team to reach at least 40 road wins in a season since 1998, surpassing the 2015 Dodgers who went 44-28 on the road...The last PCL team with at least 46 road wins in a season was the 2016 Nashville Sounds, who went 47-23 on the road...Earlier this season, the Dodgers set a Bricktown-era (since 1998) record with 12 consecutive road victories from June 29-July 28 between series in Sugar Land, Sacramento and Reno.
Late Show: Tuesday's win was the Dodgers' 15th victory of the season when trailing after seven innings, 12th win when tied after eight innings and was the team's 24th last at-bat win of the season. Last night was also the team's 45th come-from-behind victory of 2023, including 25 wins after trailing by at least two runs...Of the Dodgers' 143 games, 36 have been decided in a final at-bat...In four of the last seven, five of the last nine and six of the last 12 meetings between the Dodgers and Isotopes, a team trailing in the sixth inning or later ended up winning.
A Simple Formula: Over the last 25 games, the Dodgers are 13-12. They have allowed 29 runs total over the 13 wins, but have allowed 95 runs in the 11 losses (8.6 rpg), with at least eight runs in eight of the 12 defeats. And going back further to Aug. 8 which kick-started a current 16-21 stretch, the Dodgers have allowed a total of 33 runs in their 16 wins but 155 runs across the 21 losses (7.4 rpg), with at least six runs in 16 of the 21 defeats.
Feducciary Duty: Hunter Feduccia went 1-for-4 with a go-ahead home run in the ninth inning yesterday. Feduccia has homered in back-to-back games and is now up to 11 home runs on the season - tied for third-most on the team. It's the first time he's gone deep in consecutive games since April 18-19 in Albuquerque. Feduccia has now hit three homers over his last eight games after going deep just once in his previous 30 games...He has hit safely in five straight games, going 7-for-20 with eight RBI, tallying at least one RBI in all five games.
Buschwacked: Michael Busch extended his hitting streak to six games after going 1-for-4 with a walk and a three-run home run Tuesday night. Busch is 8-for-21 with two doubles, one home run and five RBI during the streak...He leads OKC with 25 home runs this season and leads qualified PCL players with a .607 SLG and 1.034 OPS this season. He also ranks among the top-five PCL leaders in AVG (2nd, .322), homers (4th, 25) and OBP (5th, .427)...Baseball America named Busch the 2023 Dodgers Minor League Player of the Year earlier this week.
Dinger Details: The Dodgers have hit five home runs over their last two games immediately following a four-game stretch without a homer - the team's longest homerless drought since a six-game streak April 25-30 against Sacramento. OKC had hit just one homer in their previous six games before hitting three homers Sunday and adding two more last night. Before Sunday, Oklahoma City had gone 11 straight games with one or no home runs (4 HR) and their 14 home runs so far in September are tied for second-fewest in the league...On the other hand, last night snapped a stretch of three straight games allowing a home run. Entering Tuesday, the Dodgers had allowed five home runs over the previous three games against Tacoma in OKC. However, the Dodgers have not allowed a home run in five straight road games and their 10 homers allowed so far in September (16 G) are fewest in the PCL.
Around the Horn: Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Jake Marisnick continued his Major League Rehab Assignment Tuesday and went 0-for-4 with a sacrifice fly. Over his five appearances with OKC, Marisnick is 5-for-18 with three doubles, a homer and five RBI. He was placed on the Los Angeles Dodgers Injured List July 19 with a left hamstring strain...David Dahl's season-high 11-game hitting streak came to an end after he went 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout. During the streak, Dahl was 13-for-43 (.302) with seven extra-base hits and eight RBI. It was the longest active streak by an OKC player and the fourth-longest hitting streak by an OKC player this season...Miguel Vargas recorded his 20th multi-hit game with OKC this season (56 G) last night, going 2-for-4 with a double, walk, RBI and three runs scored. His three runs tied his season high with OKC (July 28 in Reno).
Pacific Coast League Stories from September 20, 2023
- Sugar Land Tops El Paso - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Tacoma Rainiers Game Notes: vs. Round Rock (6:05 PT) - Tacoma Rainiers
- Bees Mount Heroic Comeback to Best Sacramento in Extras - Salt Lake Bees
- OKC Dodgers Game Notes - September 20, 2023 - Oklahoma City Comets
- "Bulls in the Ballpark" Returns to Dell Diamond November 10-11 - Round Rock Express
- Rainiers Hit Two First Inning Grand Slams, Win Third Straight to Stay in Race - Tacoma Rainiers
- Rainiers Beat Express Thanks to Nine-Run First Inning - Round Rock Express
- Sacramento's Six-Run Lead Slips Against Bees - Sacramento River Cats
- Alcántara Pilots Aces to Series Opening Win Over Aviators - Reno Aces
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.
