Jones Sends Dodgers to 6-5 Walk-Off Win

Oklahoma City Dodgers – 6

Tacoma Rainiers – 5

(10 Innings)

Saturday, April 1, 2023 – Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark – Oklahoma City, Okla.

Game Summary: Jahmai Jones connected on a game-winning RBI single in the 10th inning to send the Oklahoma City Dodgers to their first win of 2023 and secure a 6-5 walk-off victory against the Tacoma Rainiers Saturday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The Dodgers (1-1) and Rainiers (1-1) exchanged runs in the eighth inning of a back-and-forth game that included five lead changes before the game stood in a 5-5 tie through nine innings. Dodgers reliever Wander Suero (1-0) retired all three Rainiers batters he faced in the ninth inning before escaping a bases-loaded jam in the top of the 10th inning to keep the score tied. Then with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning, Jones sent a fly ball into shallow right field that landed for OKC’s game-winning hit. Tacoma had taken the first lead of the night with two runs in the third inning before the Dodgers responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame to take their first lead of the season. Tacoma tied the game in the fourth inning before a RBI bunt single by Drew Avans put the Dodgers in front, 4-3. A solo home run and RBI single by Tacoma’s Mike Ford, who finished the night with four hits, put the Rainiers ahead, 5-4. OKC’s Pat Mazeika knotted the game, 5-5, with a RBI single in the eighth inning.

Of Note:

-For the second straight year, the Dodgers’ first victory of the season came in walk-off fashion. The Dodgers won their 2022 season opener via a walk-off home run by Jason Martin that resulted in a 3-2 victory against Albuquerque at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark April 5, 2022.

-OKC’s Luke Williams tripled for a second straight game, lining a RBI triple into center field in the third inning to give the Dodgers their first lead of the game and season, 3-2.

-Williams, Bradley Zimmer, Jahmai Jones and Pat Mazeika each recorded a team-leading two hits for the Dodgers, while Drew Avans finished with two RBI for OKC.

-The Dodgers and Rainiers have combined for 33 runs and 52 hits through their first two games of the series.

What’s Next: The three-game Opening Weekend series between the Oklahoma City Dodgers and Tacoma Rainiers is tied, 1-1, and wraps up at 2:05 p.m. Sunday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark and kids can run the bases following the game’s conclusion. Single-game tickets for OKC Dodgers games through June are available at okcdodgers.com/tickets. Live radio coverage of each OKC Dodgers game begins 15 minutes before first pitch on AM 1340 "The Game," 1340thegame.com and through the free iHeartRadio or MiLB First Pitch apps. Video broadcasts of all OKC Dodgers home games are now available to be streamed live for free on the Bally Live app.