OKC Overcomes Slow Start During 12-6 Win

Oklahoma City Dodgers – 12

Las Vegas Aviators – 6

Friday, April 7, 2023 – Las Vegas Ballpark – Las Vegas, Nev.

Game Summary: The Oklahoma City Dodgers trailed by five runs after the first inning but outscored the Las Vegas Aviators, 12-1, for the remainder of the game to capture a 12-6 victory Friday night at Las Vegas Ballpark. Las Vegas (1-6) plated five runs in the Aviators’ first at-bat of the night, including back-to-back home runs by Jordan Díaz and Cody Thomas to race out to a 5-0 lead. OKC answered with back-to-back homers of their own by Steven Duggar and Ryan Ward to start the second inning. The Dodgers (6-1) claimed their first lead with a four-run fifth inning, thanks to a two-run double by Drew Avans and two-run homer by Luke Williams. However, Las Vegas’ Pablo Reyes tied the game with a solo home run in the bottom of the inning. Still tied at 6-6, the Dodgers piled up five runs in the seventh inning. Michael Busch and Williams each notched RBI singles before Duggar smacked a three-run homer. Duggar also drove in the Dodgers’ final run with a single in the ninth inning.

Of Note:

-For the first time since July 18-24, 2019, the Dodgers have won six consecutive games. Between the 2021-22 seasons, they had five separate five-game win streaks, but lost in the sixth game each time. At 6-1, OKC has also matched its best start through seven games during the team’s Bricktown era (since 1998), joining the 2004 and 2018 teams. Only the 2018 team advanced to 7-1.

-OKC overcame a five-run deficit to win a game for the second time in five games. On Sunday at home against Tacoma, the team trailed, 7-2, before eventually winning, 10-9.

-The Dodgers set a season high with 12 runs scored and have scored at least five runs in each of their first seven games this season for a total of 56 runs. The five-run seventh inning was the team’s highest-scoring inning of the young season, and the Dodgers also set season highs with 14 hits, four home runs and seven extra-base hits.

-Steven Duggar set a career-high with five RBI during his second career multi-homer game, going 3-for-5. He became the second OKC player with two homers and five RBI in game, joining Jahmai Jones, who pulled off the feat Tuesday in the current series opener. Duggar’s previous two-homer game was April 17, 2016 with High-A San Jose at Inland Empire. Friday marked Duggar’s 660th career game between the Minors and Majors…After starting the season 1-for-12, Duggar is 6-for-14 with a walk over the last three games. He’s also collected seven RBI over the last two games.

-Luke Williams tallied his second consecutive three-hit game Friday and went 3-for-5 with a homer, double and three RBI. Williams has hit safely in all six games he’s played in, going 12-for-28 with eight extra-base hits and nine RBI.

-Drew Avans joined Duggar and Williams with a three-hit game, going 3-for-5 with two doubles. He set season highs with three hits and three runs scored. Avans collected hits in each of his final three at-bats, and entering the fifth inning Friday, he was 4-for-25 to begin the season.

-Steven Duggar and Ryan Ward hit the team’s first back-to-back home runs this season to start the second inning. Last year, the Dodgers mashed a total of 10 back-to-back homers…Ward hit the first home run of his Triple-A career, and he now has four extra-base hits over the last three games.

-Starting with the final out of the first inning, the OKC pitching staff retired 25 of the final 28 Las Vegas batters. The Aviators were limited to one run and three hits over the final eight innings, and each of the final 12 batters were retired, with nine via strikeout. The pitching staff set a season high with 14 strikeouts and did not allow a walk for a second consecutive game.

-The Dodgers have won the first four games of a six-games series for the first time since June 17-20, 2021 at Round Rock.

What’s Next: The Dodgers aim for a seventh straight win starting at 9:05 p.m. CT Saturday in Las Vegas. 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.