Dodgers Start Road Trip with 6-2 Win

OKC Dodgers – 6

Round Rock – 2

Thursday, June 17, 2021 – Dell Diamond – Round Rock, Texas

Game Summary: A key four-run sixth inning with two-out clutch hits by Cristian Santana and Elliot Soto proved to be the difference in a 6-2 victory for the Oklahoma City Dodgers Thursday night over the Round Rock Express at Dell Diamond. Round Rock (23-14) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning with a leadoff homer by Delino DeShields, but the Dodgers (17-20) answered in the second inning with a two-run homer by Zach Reks. Round Rock tied the game in the bottom of the inning when four straight batters reached base with two outs, even though the ball never left the infield. The game remained even at 2-2 until the sixth inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, Santana ripped a two-run double to left field, and Soto followed with a two-run single to make it 6-2. The score stayed the same into the bottom of the ninth inning when the Express got the tying run to the plate with two outs, but Elier Hernandez popped out to end the game.

Of Note:

-The Dodgers won a third straight series opener and their first road series opener of 2021. Going back to the 2019 season, OKC had dropped six consecutive series openers, including two in Round Rock.

-Sheldon Neuse went 4-for-4 with a walk, tying his career high in hits. It marked the sixth four-hit game of Neuse’s career and first since Sept. 13, 2019 with the Oakland A’s against the Texas Rangers. Between his final three at-bats Tuesday and first three at-bats Thursday, Neuse collected seven consecutive hits. He has now reached base in eight straight plate appearances after walking in the ninth inning Thursday. Neuse has hit safely in five straight games, going 11-for-21 with a homer, four RBI, five runs scored and three walks.

-Zach Reks connected on his fifth home run of the season in the top of the second inning, giving the Dodgers a 2-1 lead at the time. He finished 2-for-5 to pick up his third straight multi-hit game. Through 13 games (12 starts) in June, Reks has collected 10 extra-base hits.

-Yoshi Tsutsugo played in the first game of his Major League Rehab Assignment and went hitless in five plate appearances, going 0-for-4 with a walk. He also played eight innings in left field.

-Austin Bibens-Dirkx earned his team-leading fourth win of the season after allowing two runs and four hits over 5.0 innings. Bibens-Dirkx (4-1) issued two walks and registered a season-high six strikeouts.

-Dodgers manager Travis Barbary was ejected in first inning, marking his second ejection of the season. Keibert Ruiz appeared to foul a ball of his lower body while remaining in the batter’s box, but Ruiz was apparently called out for being hit by the batted ball in fair territory. Barbary was ejected following him contesting the call by home plate umpire Justin Robinson.

-The Dodgers have now homered at least once in nine of the last 10 games (14 HR total) and have hit 38 homers in their last 25 games, including 12 in the last eight games.

-Delino DeShields hit a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning to give Round Rock a 1-0 lead. It was the second leadoff homer allowed by OKC this season. In their entire previous six-game series against El Paso, the Dodgers did not allow a home run.

What’s Next: The Dodgers continue their series in Round Rock Friday night at 7:05 p.m at Dell Diamond looking for their first consecutive wins against the Express this season. 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. All OKC Dodgers games are also available streamed live on MiLB.TV with a subscription.