Dodgers Hit Three Homers to Take Third Straight

Oklahoma City Dodgers – 9

Round Rock Express – 5

Thursday, May 11, 2023 – Dell Diamond – Round Rock, Texas

Game Summary: For the second time in three games during the current series, the Oklahoma City Dodgers hit a go-ahead grand slam in the seventh inning, with Luke Williams providing the key blast in a 9-5 victory Thursday night over the Round Rock Express at Dell Diamond. The teams traded blows throughout the first half of the game. OKC went in front in the third inning when Bradley Zimmer hit a two-run homer. But in the bottom of the inning, Rafael Ortega also hit a two-run homer to tie the game. The Dodgers (25-11) drew two walks with the bases loaded in the fourth inning to regain the lead. However, the Express (21-14) answered again in their next at-bat. After a sacrifice fly cut the Dodgers’ lead to one run, Dio Arias hit a go-ahead two-run home run. The Dodgers still trailed, 5-4, entering the seventh inning. After each of the first three batters walked, Williams was facing a full count when he sent a home run to the left field berm to the put the Dodgers ahead at 8-5. Ben DeLuzio connected on a home run to start the eighth inning and complete the scoring. The OKC bullpen combined for five scoreless innings, allowing just two hits.

Of Note:

-The Dodgers have taken each of the first three games of the current series in Round Rock and have now won four of their last five games. In a series between the top two teams in the Pacific Coast League, Oklahoma City now holds a 3.5-game lead ahead of Round Rock atop the PCL.

-At 25-11, the Dodgers are tied for the team’s best record through 36 games during the Bricktown era (since 1998), only matched by the 2015 team. OKC has also matched its high-water mark of the season at 14 games above .500, last at 21-7.

-The Dodgers won for a third consecutive night when trailing after six innings and have now won nine times this season when trailing after six innings. They have trailed at some point during 17 of their 25 wins this season. On the other hand, the Dodgers had two separate leads slip away in the game, marking just the second time that has happened this season and the first time since April 1 against Tacoma during the second game of the season.

-The Dodgers hit three home runs, accounting for seven of their nine runs Thursday. It’s the first time the team had hit more than one home run in a game since April 20 at Albuquerque (17 games) and the first time to go deep three times in one game since April 14 vs. Sugar Land (22 games).

-Luke Williams hit the team’s second grand slam of the season and series. He finished with three hits and a season-high four RBI…The Dodgers scored six of their nine runs with the bases loaded Thursday, going 1-for-4 with two walks.

-Ben DeLuzio notched a season-high three hits, including his first home run of the season to go along with a double.

-Bradley Zimmer tied his season high with three RBI, going 1-for-3 with a two-run homer and a bases-loaded walk. Over the last two games, Zimmer is 4-for-6 with two extra-base hits and five RBI while reaching base in six of eight plate appearances.

-Relievers Justin Hagenman, Adam Kolarek, Nick Robertson and Bryan Hudson combined for five scoreless innings with two hits, two walks and four strikeouts. Only one runner advanced as far as second base during those five innings, and that did not occur until a runner took second base on defensive indifference with two outs in the ninth inning…Over the last six games, the OKC bullpen has allowed two runs and 14 hits over 29.1 innings.

What’s Next: The Dodgers try to take the first four games of the series against the Express starting at 7:05 p.m. Friday. 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.