Dodgers Outlast Skeeters in 11 Innings

OKC Dodgers – 5

Sugar Land – 4

(11 innings)

Monday, June 28, 2021 – Constellation Field – Sugar Land, Texas

Game Summary: The Oklahoma City Dodgers scored twice in the ninth inning to tie the game and then scored the eventual game-winning run in the top of the 11th inning for a dramatic 5-4 win over the Sugar Land Skeeters Monday night at Constellation Field. The Skeeters (26-20) took a 3-0 lead through four innings, as the Dodgers (25-22) faced their largest deficit in two weeks. Sheldon Neuse trimmed the Sugar Land lead to one with a two-run single in the fifth inning. The game remained 3-2 in favor of the Skeeters until they added a run in the bottom of the eighth inning. Ahead by two, Sugar Land still had runners at the corners with none out, but Dodgers reliever James Pazos worked out of the jam to keep it a 4-2 game. Each of the first four Dodgers to bat in the ninth inning reached base, including a bases-loaded walk by Drew Avans. Yoshi Tsutsugo came up next and grounded into a double play, but it scored the tying run. Neither team advanced the automatic runner past second base in the 10th inning. Cristian Santana – who started the ninth inning rally with a leadoff walk – began the 11th inning with a RBI single to score automatic runner DJ Peters from second base. Dodgers closer Kevin Quackenbush retired all three batters in the bottom of the 11th inning and stranded the tying run at third base to end the game.

Of Note:

-The Dodgers won for the fifth time in six games and have improved to a season-best three games above .500 at 25-22. OKC is 9-2 on the current road trip and 10-2 in the last 12 games. The team also continued its winning ways on the road, improving to 14-4 in the last 18 road games and 13-3 in the last 16 road games.

-The Dodgers had lost each of their two previous extra-inning games this season and had lost four straight extra-inning games going back to 2019. It was their first win in extras since a 10-8 victory in Memphis on May 30, 2019 (10 innings).

-Monday marked the first time in 47 games this season either the Dodgers or their opponent tied the game when trailing in the ninth inning. It was OKC’s third win this season after trailing by as many as three runs and their second last at-bat win of season, with the first on the road.

-The Dodgers offense was limited to seven hits, going 7-for-38 overall. The team collected just one extra-base hit for the second time in three games after recording at least two extra-base hits in 27 consecutive nine-inning games. Elliot Soto tallied the team’s lone double in the fifth inning – his third double in two games. Soto was also the only Dodger to finish with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-5 with a run scored.

-Cristian Santana started the ninth-inning rally with a leadoff walk and then provided a go-ahead RBI single on a 0-2 pitch to start the 11th inning. He finished 1-for-4 with a RBI and run scored.

-For the second straight game, Sheldon Neuse was responsible the team’s first runs of the night, providing a two-run single in the fifth inning. Neuse has now hit safely in 12 of his last 14 games, going 20-for-56 (.357) with 14 RBI.

-Sugar Land starting pitcher J.P. France struck out nine batters over 4.2 innings, matching the highest strikeout total by an opposing pitcher this season. OKC struck out 16 times Monday, falling one shy of their season high.

-The OKC bullpen had another strong night, allowing one run and four hits over the final six innings. Ryan Moseley (2-4) kept the Skeeters scoreless in both the ninth and 10th innings to earn the win. Kevin Quackenbush retired all three batters in the bottom of the 11th inning and earned his league-leading 10th save.

-The Dodgers played a seventh straight game decided by one or two runs and are 5-2 in those games. Nine of the 11 games of the current road trip have been decided by one or two runs, and OKC is 7-2 in those games.

-Of the game’s 20 total hits, only two went for extra bases – a double by each team.

What’s Next: The Dodgers and Skeeters finish their series at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday at Constellation Field with a chance to take five of the six games. 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.