OKC Opens with Eight Straight Runs in 9-3 Home Win

Oklahoma City Baseball Club – 9

Salt Lake Bees — 3

Wednesday, May 1, 2024 – Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark – Oklahoma City, Okla.

Game Summary: The Oklahoma City Baseball Club jumped out to an 8-0 lead on the way to a 9-3 win against the Salt Lake Bees Wednesday afternoon at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Oklahoma City hit two home runs and held the Bees scoreless in eight of nine innings to even the series, 1-1. Drew Avans led off with a triple for Oklahoma City and scored on a sacrifice fly by Miguel Vargas for a 1-0 lead in the first inning. In the second inning, Chris Owings doubled and later scored on a Bees fielding error for a 2-0 lead, and in the fourth inning, OKC went in front, 4-0, on a two-run home run by Kody Hoese. Oklahoma City (17-12) scored four runs in the fifth inning, with Avans and Vargas hitting back-to-back doubles. Andre Lipcius added a RBI single before Kevin Padlo connected on a two-run home run for an 8-0 OKC lead. The Bees (10-18) scored all three of their runs in the eighth inning on two hits and OKC tacked on a final run in the bottom of the inning when Vargas reached base on a fielding error.

Of Note:

-Oklahoma City opened the May portion of its schedule by snapping a three-game losing skid and evening its home series against the Bees, 1-1.

-Kody Hoese and Kevin Padlo each homered for Oklahoma City, which has now hit a home run in a season-high eight consecutive games. OKC has hit 19 home runs during the span, which is OKC’s longest stretch of consecutive games with a homer since a nine-game span July 8-21, 2023 (12 HR)…Wednesday was the 12th time in the last 17 games that OKC hit at least two home runs…OKC also did not allow a home run in a season-best fourth consecutive game.

-Miguel Vargas went 1-for-4 with a double, two RBI, a stolen base and scored a run. He extended his hitting streak to a season-best nine games — also the longest current hitting streak by an OKC player. He is 15-for-37 during the streak with nine extra-base hits and 12 runs scored.

-Drew Avans went 2-for-4 with a double and a triple, a walk and scored two runs as he extended his hitting streak to eight games. This is his second hitting streak of the season of at least eight games and he is 13-for-36 with five extra-base hits and 15 runs scored during the latest stretch…Avans’ triple in the first inning was his 22nd career triple with Oklahoma City, moving him into a tie for first place on OKC’s all-time career list for triples in the Bricktown era (since 1998) with Joaquin Arias (2006-09)…Avans also moved into sole possession of first place on OKC’s all-time career walks list with his 195th walk with OKC Wednesday.

-Oklahoma City finished with double-digit hits for the seventh time in the last eight games, with at least seven extra-base hits for the fifth time in the last eight games and with seven or more runs for the sixth time in the last eight games.

-Blake Treinen pitched one inning, allowing one hit with one strikeout as he continued his Major League Rehab Assignment. He threw 15 pitches, including 11 strikes in the sixth inning, making the fourth appearance of his rehab assignment with OKC.

-OKC improved to 3-0 in games with local start times of 11:05 a.m. so far this season. OKC also won, 4-3, against Sacramento in OKC April 17 and won, 21-9, in Albuquerque April 25.

-The Bees recorded six stolen bases — the most allowed by OKC in a game this season.

-Trey Sweeney went 0-for-5 to snap his career-high on-base streak. Sweeney had reached base in each of the first 27 games he played this season for the longest on-base streak to start the season in all of Triple-A.

Next Up: Oklahoma City continues its series against Salt Lake at 7:05 p.m. Thursday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark on 89ers Night. OKC players and coaches will wear special OKC 89ers jerseys and hats in recognition of the franchise’s pre-Bricktown history and retro team mascot Robo Niner will be on hand.

Single-game tickets for OKC games through June are available now at okcbaseball.com/tickets. Live radio coverage of each OKC Baseball Club game begins 15 minutes before first pitch on AM 1340 "The Game," 1340thegame.com and through the free iHeartRadio or MiLB First Pitch apps.