Aces Even Series and Send OKC to 6-5 Defeat

Reno Aces – 6

Oklahoma City Dodgers – 5

Wednesday, May 31, 2023 – Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark – Oklahoma City, Okla.

Game Summary: The Reno Aces evened their series against the Oklahoma City Dodgers with a 6-5 win Wednesday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The Aces (31-22) scored the first run of night in the second inning when Alek Thomas tripled and scored on a RBI groundout by Tristin English. The Dodgers (38-15) answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead. Yonny Hernández belted a three-run homer out to left-center field and Drew Avans later connected on a RBI single for a 4-1 advantage. Reno scored four runs in the fourth inning to regain the lead, 5-4, including a two-run homer by Jake Hager. Hunter Feduccia then tied the score, 5-5, in the bottom of the fourth inning with a RBI single for the Dodgers. Thomas’ RBI double in the fifth inning gave Reno a 6-5 edge as the Aces then held the Dodgers scoreless over the final five innings to tie the six-game series, 1-1.

Of Note:

-The Pacific Coast League-leading Dodgers’ record fell to 38-15 overall as they lost for the second time in the last four games and third time in the last seven games…Wednesday was just OKC’s third loss in the last 14 games at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark as the team fell to 17-6 at home this season.

-The current series features the top two teams in the Pacific Coast League and the league-leading Dodgers now have a seven-win lead ahead of the second-place Aces. The PCL season is split into halves in 2023, with the first half ending June 25 after 75 games. The winner of the first half — the team with the best record in the 10-team league — will serve as host of a League Championship Series starting Sept. 26, meeting the second-half winner for a best-of-three series.

-Yonny Hernández hit his first homer of the season and went 2-for-4 with a double as he extended his hitting streak to 12 games — the longest of the season by an OKC player. During the streak, he is 15-for-42 (.357). The homer was OKC’s first in four games and the sixth of Hernández’s career. He last homered June 1, 2022 while playing for Reno against Tacoma.

-Jahmai Jones doubled in a sixth consecutive game as he extended his hitting streak to seven games and pushed his on-base streak to 15 games. He went 2-for-3 with a double, run scored and HBP, reaching base in three of four plate appearances. Over his last 10 games, Jones is 11-for-24 with six doubles, 11 walks and three HBP, reaching base in 25 of 39 plate appearances.

-Devin Mann picked up a hit, scored a run and walked twice as he extended his on-base streak to 20 games — the second-longest on-base streak of the season by an OKC player.

-Drew Avans and Luke Williams also finished with multi-hit games for the Dodgers. Avans has now hit safely in six straight games, going 8-for-24.

-The Dodgers bullpen did not allow a run over the game’s final 4.2 innings as four pitchers combined to allow five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts.

-The Dodgers fell to 15-5 in one-run games with Wednesday’s loss.

What’s Next: The series between the Dodgers and Space Cowboys continues at 7:05 p.m. Thursday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. 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.