First Half of PCL Season Comes to Close with 10-6 OKC Loss

Las Vegas Aviators – 10

Oklahoma City Dodgers – 6

Sunday, June 25, 2023 – Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark – Oklahoma City, Okla.

Game Summary: The Las Vegas Aviators scored 10 runs over two innings as they defeated the Oklahoma City Dodgers, 10-6, Sunday afternoon at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark as the first half of the Pacific Coast League season came to a close. The Aviators (34-40) scored the first three runs of the game in the fourth inning. Cody Thomas hit a two-run single and Kyle McCann added a RBI single for a 3-0 Las Vegas lead. The Dodgers (50-23) responded with five runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead. Bryson Brigman and Drew Avans hit RBI singles before the Dodgers loaded the bases and Ryan Ward hit a bases-clearing double out to center field for a 5-3 Dodgers advantage. Las Vegas then scored seven runs in their next at-bat in the fifth inning, including four runs before an out was recorded. Logan Davidson hit a solo homer and Jordan Díaz gave the Aviators the lead when he connected on a two-run single. Las Vegas added a RBI single by Yohel Pozo and three-run double by Davidson, who finished with a game-high four RBI. In the ninth inning, the Dodgers loaded the bases with one out and Kole Calhoun lined a RBI single into right field. The Dodgers reloaded the bases, but Las Vegas pitcher Chad Smith struck out the next two Oklahoma City batters to end the game.

Of Note:

-The Dodgers closed out the first half of the Pacific Coast League season Sunday...Despite losing two of the last three games, the Dodgers won their weather-shortened five-game series, against Las Vegas, 3-2, and improved to 11-2-0 through their first 13 series of 2023…The Dodgers went 5-5 during their 10-game homestand that wrapped up Sunday…Oklahoma City clinched the Pacific Coast League’s first-half championship as well as a playoff berth June 14. By winning the first half, the Dodgers will host a best-of-three PCL Championship Series Sept. 26-28 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

-Infielder Bryson Brigman went 4-for-4, recording a game-high four hits (all singles) with a RBI and run scored. The four-hit afternoon matched his season-high total first set June 9 in El Paso (4x5; 3 RBI). Over his last seven games, Brigman is 12-for-25 (.480) with two doubles, seven RBI and four multi-hit games…Brigman tied Hunter Feduccia and Devin Mann for a team-best 12 hits during the team’s 10-game homestand.

-Los Angeles Dodgers pitchers Daniel Hudson and Jimmy Nelson continued their Major League Rehab Assignments. Hudson opened Sunday’s game for Oklahoma City and pitched the first 1.1 innings. He retired all four batters he faced, recording three strikeouts. He threw 15 pitches, including 13 strikes. The outing was his third appearance with OKC during the Las Vegas series and he has been on the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Injured List all season due to a left knee injury…Nelson made his second appearance of the series with OKC. He pitched a scoreless sixth inning, allowing one hit with one strikeout. He faced four batters and threw 11 pitches, including nine strikes. Nelson rejoined OKC on rehab assignment June 20.

-Sunday was the third time in the last 13 games a Dodgers opponent scored double-digit runs…The seven runs scored by the Aviators in the fifth inning marked the fourth time this season an OKC opponent scored seven or more runs in an inning and first time since a 14-2 loss against the Salt Lake Bees during the previous series in OKC in which the Bees scored seven runs in the fourth inning.

-Drew Avans went 3-for-5 with a RBI and two runs scored. He has hit safely in three straight games (5x14) and in five of his last six games (8x27). Sunday was his fifth game of the season with three or more hits.

-Mark Washington pitched two scoreless innings, allowing one hit with a team-high four strikeouts. Washington has not given up a run over his last eight appearances (18.1 IP), allowing nine hits and four walks with 19 strikeouts.

-Kole Calhoun recorded a second straight multi-hit game and went a combined 4-for-7 with a RBI, walk and two runs scored Saturday and Sunday.

What’s Next: Following days off Monday and Tuesday, the OKC Dodgers open a six-game road series against the Sugar Land Space Cowboys at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday 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.