Dodgers Close Texas Trip with 6-4 Win

OKC Dodgers – 6

Sugar Land – 4

Tuesday, June 29, 2021 – Constellation Field – Sugar Land, Texas

Game Summary: Matt Davidson hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the eighth inning as the Oklahoma City Dodgers scored four runs over the final two innings in a 6-4 win against the Sugar Land Skeeters Tuesday night at Constellation Field. The Dodgers (26-22) trailed the Skeeters, 3-2, entering the eighth inning when Davidson connected on his fifth homer of the season as part of a four-RBI night. The Skeeters (26-21) scored a run in the bottom of the eighth inning on a RBI double, but the Dodgers added a run in the top of the ninth inning when Sheldon Neuse lined a RBI single into center field with the bases loaded for a 6-4 advantage. Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia then closed out the win, striking out all three batters he faced in the bottom of the ninth inning for his second save of the season. The Dodgers had taken a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning. With two outs, Yoshi Tsutsugo hit a solo home run. Andy Burns followed with a single before Davidson’s RBI double boosted the Dodgers’ lead to 2-0. Sugar Land’s solo homer in the second inning cut the score to 2-1. A two-run sixth inning put Sugar Land ahead, 3-2, before the Dodgers’ comeback in the series finale between the teams.

Of Note:

-With Tuesday’s win, the Dodgers won the six-game series against the Skeeters, 5-1, including winning the final three games at Constellation Field. During their 12-game Texas road trip, the Dodgers finished with a 10-2 record. OKC also won a fourth straight series finale Tuesday to improve to 5-3 in series finales this season, including 3-2 on the road.

-The Dodgers are four games above .500 for the first time this season after surpassing the .500 mark on Thursday for the first time since the end of the 2018 season. After starting 2021 with a 4-13 record, OKC has gone 22-9 since and is now tied with Round Rock for second place in the East Division, trailing first-place Sugar Land by half a game. During the team’s current 11-2 run, they’ve gone from 8.0 games out of first place to 0.5 games out of first place

-The Dodgers went 8-for-17 at the plate with two outs Tuesday night, scoring five runs. In the three games prior, the Dodgers had gone 4-for-33 with two outs.

-Entering Monday, Sugar Land was 22-0 when leading after seven innings this season and the Dodgers were 0-18 when trailing after seven innings. The Dodgers went on to win both Monday and Tuesday nights’ games despite trailing after seven innings.

-Matt Davidson paced the Dodgers with a season-high four RBI Tuesday, driving in all four runs with two outs. It was his highest RBI total since Aug. 21, 2020 with Cincinnati at St. Louis when he also posted four RBI. Davidson went 2-for-4 Tuesday with a double and homer for his third multi-hit game in his last four starts and his fifth multi-hit game of June.

-Pitcher Alex Vesia recorded his second save of the season Tuesday, striking out the side and has now struck out each of the last 10 batters he has faced. He has not allowed a run or hit in four straight appearances as well as in eight of his last nine appearances with OKC and the Los Angeles Dodgers combined.

-In the 11th game of his Major League Rehab Assignment with the OKC Dodgers, Yoshi Tsutsugo homered and went 2-for-4. The homer was his third during his stint with OKC and he collected his second multi-hit game.

-Tuesday was the eighth straight game for the Dodgers decided by one or two runs. OKC improved to 6-2 in those games.

-Sheldon Neuse’s RBI single in the ninth inning gave OKC a two-run lead as he has now hit safely in 13 of his last 15 games, going 21-for-60 (.350) with 15 RBI. He led the Dodgers with 24 hits in June.

-The Dodgers’ pitching staff recorded 13 more strikeouts Tuesday, marking the ninth time in the last 13 games OKC posted at least 10 strikeouts. The Dodgers entered the game with a league-leading 229 strikeouts in June.

-Elliot Soto extended his hit streak to a season-high six games, going 1-for-4 Tuesday. He is 8-for-25 during the stretch.

-The Dodgers finished June with a 17-8 record and a .680 winning percentage, posting the fewest losses in June during the team’s Bricktown era (since 1998) and surpassing the 2007 squad’s .655 winning percentage (19-10). OKC has reached at least 17 wins in June six previous times, but over a minimum of 28 games (last in 2017; 17-12).

What’s Next: After a league-wide day off Wednesday, the Dodgers open a six-game home series against the Salt Lake Bees at 7:05 p.m. Thursday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, which will be back to full capacity. Tickets are available by visiting okcdodgers.com/tickets. 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.