Lipcius' Four RBI Lead OKC to 8-4 Win in First-Half Finale

Oklahoma City Baseball Club — 8

Albuquerque Isotopes — 4

Sunday, June 23, 2024 – Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark – Oklahoma City, Okla.

Game Summary: Andre Lipcius drove in four runs as the Oklahoma City Baseball Club finished with its highest run total of the series in an 8-4 win against the Albuquerque Isotopes Sunday afternoon at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Albuquerque grabbed the first lead of the game in the first inning on a two-run home run by Jimmy Herron. Lipcius answered with a two-run homer for Oklahoma City in the bottom of the inning to tie the score, 2-2. The Isotopes took the lead again with a run in the third inning, but Oklahoma City (40-35) went in front for good with a four-run fifth inning. Drew Avans bunted a RBI single down the third base line to tie the score. A RBI single by Lipcius put OKC ahead, 4-3, before Ryan Ward belted a two-run homer in the fifth inning for a 6-3 advantage. After Albuquerque (26-49) added a run in the sixth inning, OKC scored two runs in the seventh inning on a RBI double by Lipcius and RBI single by Trey Sweeney for an 8-4 lead.

Of Note:

-Oklahoma City closed out the first half of the PCL season Sunday with a 40-35 record as the team snapped a three-game losing streak. OKC also wrapped up its season series against the Isotopes as Albuquerque won this week’s six-game series, 4-2, but OKC won the overall season series between the teams, 16-8.

-Andre Lipcius went 3-for-4 with a double, home run, four RBI and also scored three runs. Sunday marked his fourth game of the season with four or more RBI and he hit his 18th home run of the season, adding to his career-high homer total and ranking second in the PCL in home runs this season. Lipcius has now hit safely in eight straight games to tie his longest hitting streak of the season, going 11x36 (.306) with four extra-base hits, six RBI and seven runs scored during the current stretch.

-Ryan Ward homered in a second straight game as his two-run homer in the fifth inning was his league-leading 20th home run of the season and 21st overall of 2024 including one while on a rehab appearance with the ACL Dodgers. Ward has now hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games, going 13-for-47 (.277) with eight extra-base hits, including four homers, eight RBI and nine runs scored.

-Oklahoma City scored eight runs Sunday for the team’s highest run total since a 9-2 win in Sugar Land June 16. OKC had been held to five runs or less in each of the first five games of the series against the Isotopes and to three runs or less both Friday and Saturday…The eight runs marked OKC’s highest run total in a home game since a 10-9 win against Round Rock June 8 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

-Drew Avans went 2-for-4 with a RBI, stolen base and scored two runs. He extended his season-best on-base streak to 19 games — the second-longest on-base streak by an OKC player this season.

-Jonathan Araúz finished with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4, scoring a run and recording a stolen base.

-Pitcher Christian Romero (1-1) made a spot start for OKC and was credited with the win, allowing three runs (two earned) and four hits over 5.0 innings with one walk and one strikeout…Michael Flynn recorded his third save of the season.

Next Up: Oklahoma City opens the second half of the PCL season with a six-game road series against the Reno Aces starting at 8:35 p.m. CT Tuesday at Greater Nevada Field. 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.