PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

Rehabbing Royals Lead Omaha Past Dodgers

Published on June 22, 2018 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Papillion, Neb. - Rehabbing Kanas City Royals Jorge Bonifacio and Lucas Duda combined to drive in five runs, including three during a four-run rally in the seventh inning to lead the Omaha Storm Chasers to a 6-3 win over the Oklahoma City Dodgers Friday night at Werner Park.

Omaha trailed, 3-2, heading to the bottom of the seventh. After being held to two runs and three hits through six innings, the Storm Chasers (34-38) plated four runs on five hits in the seventh inning. Donnie Dewees evened the score with a RBI double, putting runners at second and third with one out.

Two batters later, Bonifacio sent a two-run double to deep center field to put the Storm Chasers in the lead. Duda followed with a RBI single to score Bonifacio and make it 6-3.

Bonifacio and Duda combined to go 4-for-6 with five RBI, three runs, two extra-base hits and two walks, while the rest of Omaha's lineup went 5-for-27.

The Dodgers (42-27) were unable to regroup after Omaha's big seventh inning, as the Storm Chasers retired all six OKC batters after taking the lead. Richard Lovelady (3-1) retired seven of eight batters faced across 2.2 innings to earn the win, with Jason Adam recording the final out to finish the game.

On Thursday, it took the Storm Chasers until the ninth inning to score. They didn't wait nearly as long Friday. With two outs in the first inning, Duda hit a two-run homer that barely cleared the fence down the right field line to give Omaha a 2-0 lead.

The Dodgers got on the board in the fourth inning when Edwin RÃ-os sent a RBI double to right-center field.

OKC then took the lead in the fifth inning. After Alex Burg led off with a single, Connor Joe connected on a two-run homer out to center field. It was the first Triple-A home run of Joe's career and his 12th overall this season between OKC and Double-A Tulsa.

The Dodgers had plenty of other chances to score throughout the night, but they went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position. After the first two batters of the sixth inning reached base, Omaha's pitching staff retired 11 of the final 12 batters of the game.

OKC starting pitcher Guillermo Moscoso shook off the early homer by Duda and turned in five solid innings. He gave up three hits, with one walk and three strikeouts. The only hit he allowed after Duda's home run was an infield single, and he retired 13 of the final 15 batters he faced.

Moscoso was piggybacked by Drew Hutchison, who worked the final three innings and took the loss. Hutchison (1-1) allowed four runs and six hits, with one walk and no strikeouts.

Friday's loss was the Dodgers' third when leading after six innings this season, with each of the last two against the Storm Chasers. The Dodgers also came up short again in their quest to win three straight road games and the first two games of a road series this season.

The Dodgers look to bounce back when they continue their series in Omaha at 7:05 p.m. Saturday. Live coverage begins 15 minutes before first pitch on AM 1340 "The Game," 1340thegame.com, or through the free iHeartRadio mobile app.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 22, 2018


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