Wilkerson, Dodgers Open Sugar Land Series with Win

OKC Dodgers – 5

Sugar Land – 3

Thursday, June 24, 2021 – Constellation Field – Sugar Land, Texas

Game Summary: A leadoff home run by Zach Reks gave the Oklahoma City Dodgers an early lead, and starting pitcher Aaron Wilkerson threw six scoreless innings to lead the Dodgers to a 5-3 win over the Sugar Land Skeeters Thursday night at Constellation Field. On the third pitch of the game, Reks hit a home run to right field to instantly put Oklahoma City ahead. With Wilkerson in command on the mound, the score stayed 1-0 until Sheldon Neuse swatted a home run leading off the sixth inning. The Skeeters (25-17) cracked the scoreboard in the seventh inning when a run scored on a wild pitch, but they left the tying run at third base in both the seventh and eighth innings. The teams combined for five runs in a sloppy ninth inning on both sides. The Dodgers (22-21) got some breathing room, scoring three runs despite collecting just one single in the inning. The Skeeters had a similar bottom of the ninth, scoring twice with one single, but never brought the tying run to the plate.

Of Note:

-The Dodgers won for the sixth time in seven games on the current road trip and are now 7-1 over the last eight games. The team also won a fourth consecutive series opener and improved to 11-3 in its last 14 road games and 10-2 in the last 12 road games.

-For the first time since the end of the 2018 season, the Dodgers are now above .500 at 22-21. After starting the season 4-13, the team has gone 18-8 since, including 13-7 in June. The Dodgers are now 3.5 games behind first-place Sugar Land for the East Division lead, marking the closest they’ve been out of first place since May 10.

-Dodgers starting pitcher Aaron Wilkerson (4-3) turned in 6.0 scoreless innings, as he scattered three singles with no walks and a season high-tying eight strikeouts. Wilkerson allowed only one runner to reach scoring position and held the Skeeters 3-for-21 overall and 0-for-6 with runners on base. He retired 10 of the final 11 batters he faced, as well as 15 of the final 17 batters he faced. Over his last six outings, Wilkerson is now 4-0 and has posted a 2.18 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, .203 opponent batting average and has 40 strikeouts against eight walks in 33.0 innings. Thursday marked his second scoreless start this season of at least since 6.0 innings (also May 25 at Albuquerque).

-In his first game back with Oklahoma City after making his Major League debut, Zach Reks connected on a leadoff home run on the game’s third pitch. It marked the team’s first leadoff homer of 2021 and Reks’ sixth homer of the season. Over his last seven starts with OKC, Reks is 12-for-33 (.364) with five multi-hit games, five doubles, two homers and five RBI. The Dodgers are now 11-3 when Reks has batted in the leadoff spot.

-The Dodgers have now homered at least once in each of the last 10 games and have 18 homers over the stretch, as well as at least one homer in 15 of the last 16 games (27 HR). Including Thursday, the Dodgers have hit two or more homers in four of the last five games and have gone deep 14 times over the first seven games of the current road trip.

-Sheldon Neuse connected on his second homer of the season with OKC. He’s now hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games, going 18-for-45 (.400) with nine RBI and five multi-hit games.

-The OKC pitching staff did not allow an extra-base hit for the fourth time in the last 12 games. They also issued just one walk, marking the fourth time in the last five games with two or fewer walks, including three games with one or no walks.

-In the seventh game of his Major League Rehab Assignment, Yoshi Tsutsugo went 0-for-4. Overall with OKC, he is 3-for-26 with two homers, four RBI, five walks and three runs scored.

-Reliever Scott Alexander also appeared for the first time with OKC on rehab assignment. He pitched the seventh inning and allowed one run and two hits, with one wild pitch, no walks and no strikeouts. He threw 11 of 15 pitches for strikes.

What’s Next: The OKC Dodgers next meet the Sugar Land Skeeters at 7:05 p.m. Friday at Constellation Field. 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.