PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

OKC Dodgers Game Notes: June 8, 2015

Published on June 8, 2015 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City Dodgers (35-21) vs. Round Rock Express (35-21)

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Texas Rangers

Game #57 of 144/Road #31 of 72 (20-10)

Pitching Probables: OKC-LHP Eric Surkamp (0-2, 12.00) vs. RR-LHP Matt Harrison (1-0, 3.60)

Monday, June 8, 2015 | Dell Diamond | Round Rock, Texas | 7:05 p.m. CT

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

Today's Game: The Dodgers look to take the lead in their current series against the Round Rock Express at 7:05 p.m., as the top two teams in the PCL meet again at Dell Diamond at 7:05 p.m. The series is tied, 1-1.

Last Game: Anthony Ranaudo fired seven scoreless innings, and an early surge by Round Rock's offense led the Express to a 6-0 win over the Dodgers Sunday night at Dell Diamond. Ranaudo (6-1) combined with Ross Wolf on the shutout, as the Dodgers were held to a season-low three hits. Ranaudo and Wolf combined to face three over the minimum. They retired 13 of the final 14 Dodgers to step to the plate, including the last nine straight. Round Rock went in front, 2-0, in the second inning. Jared Hoying homered for the second straight game, and his two-run shot gave the Express the early lead. The Express rallied for four runs in the third inning to take control of the game. Brett Nicholas drove in the first two runs with a double to push the lead to 4-0. Round Rock scored twice more with two outs, first on an error by second baseman Buck Britton, and then another on a RBI bloop double by Hoying. The Dodgers pitching staff finished strong, keeping Round Rock scoreless with three hits over the final five innings. Matt Shelton worked four innings of scoreless relief with three strikeouts. OKC starter Joe Wieland (4-3) allowed six runs (four earned) and six hits over 4.0 innings. He struck out five batters and did not allow a walk.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Eric Surkamp (0-2) tries for his first win with the OKC Dodgers...He started last Monday's 14-1 loss to Fresno in Bricktown. He allowed five runs on six hits, issued five walks and had one strikeout over 3.0-plus innings...The Dodgers acquired Surkamp in a May 22 trade with the Chicago White Sox in exchange for minor league pitcher Blake Smith. Since joining OKC, the lefty has made a pair of starts and has allowed eight runs and 11 hits over 6.0 innings...Prior to the trade, Surkamp appeared in 11 games (one start) with Triple-A Charlotte, going 3-0 with one save and a 2.81 ERA. He recorded 30 strikeouts over 25.2 innings. Surkamp held International League opponents to a .204 average, and left-handed hitters batted just .189...He split last season between Charlotte and the White Sox. In Major League action, he went 2-0 with a 4.81 ERA over 35 appearances...Tonight marks his second career start against the Express. He earned a win July 30, 2013 while playing with Fresno, as he limited the Express to one run and three hits and notched five strikeouts over 7.0 innings.

Against the Express: 2015: 4-2 2014: 7-9 All-time: 87-78 In RR: 44-37

Last night's loss snapped OKC's four-game winning streak against the Express. Each of Round Rock's victories have been shutouts, and both started by Anthony Ranaudo...The Dodgers won the last series, 3-1, to open the 2015 season and claimed their first home series win against the Express since Aug. 31-Sept. 3, 2012. Round Rock shutout the Dodgers on Opening Night, 2-0, before Oklahoma City won the last three games. OKC returned the favor in the series finale, blanking the Express, 2-0...The teams last met in Texas July 29-Aug. 1, 2014. OKC won the first two games of the series, before the Express won the final two games.

Sunday Shutdown: The Dodgers were shut out for the fourth time in 2015 last night. They were held to a season-low three hits, two of which were infield singles. Only two Dodgers reached scoring position, with neither advancing as far as third base. Sunday's hit total was the lowest for an Oklahoma City squad since July 24, 2014 - also against Round Rock -- when the Express defeated the RedHawks, 2-1, at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

Road Warriors: Despite Sunday's loss, the Dodgers have the league's best road record at 20-10 this season and have won seven of their last nine road games. They average over one more run per game on the road (4.7) than at home (3.6) and have hit 33 dingers on the road -- more than double their total at home (16). The Dodgers have notched at least six runs in nine of their last 12 road games.

June Swoon: The Dodgers have gotten off to a rough start this month, going 1-6. Their .214 batting average is last in the PCL, and their 5.82 ERA ranks 13th. Opponents are averaging 6.9 runs per game and are batting .361 with runners in scoring position (31x86). OKC has been outscored, 48-21.

Little Big Seag: Corey Seager has hit safely in six straight games, going 8x25 (.320) with a home run, two doubles, and three RBI. Since joining the team May 1, he leads the OKC Dodgers with 41 hits, 20 runs, and 18 RBI over 34 games. Combined with his time with Double-A Tulsa, he leads all Dodgers minor leaguers with 71 hits and ranks second with both a .326 average and 33 RBI.

Buck Wild: Buck Britton doubled in a fourth straight game Sunday and is now 7-for-20 during his current five-game hitting streak. He is just the second OKC Dodger this season to record an extra-base hit in four straight games, following Andy Wilkins, who recorded an extra-base hit in five straight games May 26-30. Britton paces the Dodgers with 25 RBI and ranks second on the team with 55 hits.

Speedy Sweeney: Darnell Sweeney went 0-for-4 yesterday, snapping his eight-game hitting streak. Over his last nine contests, Sweeney is batting .385 (15x39) with eight extra-base hits (six doubles, one triple, one home run) and four multi-hit games, including three games with three hits. Sweeney paces the Dodgers with 56 hits, 16 doubles and 27 runs scored...Sweeney leads the PCL with 20 stolen bases this season and is now 20-for-27 in his attempts after going 15-for-31 at Double-A last season.

Derailing the Express: Between this season and last year when he played for New Orleans, Kyle Jensen has batted .358 (29x81) with eight homers, nine doubles, and 24 RBI over 21 games against Round Rock. He's been even better at Dell Diamond, going 16-for-43 (.372) with five homers and 18 RBI over 10 games.

Don't Walk: Last night marked the sixth time this season the OKC pitching staff did not allow a walk. The Dodgers have issued the fewest walks in the PCL (147) and also lead the circuit with a 3.1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. (Salt Lake is second at 2.7.)

Error Message: The Dodgers entered this series with the Express having committed the fewest errors in the league, but have three errors through the first two games, leading to five unearned runs. Prior to Saturday, OKC had three errors in the previous nine games combined.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)

DATE TIME OPPONENT OKC PITCHERS OPP. PITCHER

Tuesday, June 9 7:05 p.m. @ Round Rock RHP Deck McGuire (1-2, 3.20) RHP Jerad Eickhoff (4-3, 5.18)

Wednesday, June 10 OFF

Thursday, June 11 7:05 p.m. Nashville RHP Scott Baker (4-3, 4.22) LHP Barry Zito (4-4, 3.71)

Friday, June 12 7:05 p.m. Nashville LHP Ian Thomas (2-0, 9.82) RHP Zach Neal (5-0, 1.60)

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 8, 2015


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