Ward, Dodgers Blast Way to Victory

Oklahoma City Dodgers – 8

Sugar Land Space Cowboys – 2

Sunday, July 2, 2023 – Constellation Field – Sugar Land, Texas

Game Summary: The Oklahoma City Dodgers tied their season high with four home runs, including two by Ryan Ward, and received another great effort by the pitching staff during an 8-2 win Sunday night over the Sugar Land Space Cowboys at Constellation Field. For the third straight game, the Dodgers (4-1/54-24) scored multiple runs in the first inning. Kole Calhoun drew a bases-loaded walk, and Ward followed with a RBI single to make it 2-0. Justin Yurchak hit the first of the team’s home runs in the third inning. Ward and Hunter Feduccia each homered within the span of three batters in the third inning to give OKC a 5-0 lead. Sugar Land’s J.J. Matijevic hit a solo home run in the fifth inning, but Ward responded in the top of the sixth inning with his second homer of the night. The Dodgers scored one run each in the seventh and eighth innings, including a RBI double by Devin Mann to push the lead to 8-1. Sugar Land scored the game’s final run with two outs in the ninth inning.

Of Note:

-The Dodgers have won each of the last four games and improved to 18-5 in their last 23 road games. At 54-24 overall this season, the Dodgers have reached 30 games above .500 for the first time since Sept. 3, 2015 and for just the second time ever during the team’s Bricktown era (since 1998). The Dodgers lead the Minors in total wins as well as road wins (29)…Regardless of tomorrow’s result, the Dodgers have won the current series and will improve their series record to 12-2-0.

-The Dodgers scored at least eight runs and knocked at least 12 hits for a third straight night. They finished with six extra-base hits and seven walks. The team has collected at least 10 hits in four straight games, as well as in six of the last seven games…Over the last three games, the Dodgers have scored 27 runs on 44 hits. They have outscored the Space Cowboys, 27-6, and outhit Sugar Land, 44-15.

-The Dodgers matched their season high with four home runs, previously accomplished April 7 at Las Vegas and June 7 and June 9 at El Paso. All four home runs were solo blasts, with two by Ryan Ward and one each by Hunter Feduccia and Justin Yurchak.

-Ryan Ward led all players with three hits, three RBI and three runs scored. He hit solo home runs in the third and sixth innings for his third multi-homer game of the season. One of his previous multi-homer games was also against Sugar Land April 14 at home.

-Michael Busch reached base four times, going 2-for-4 with a triple and two walks. In his first three games since his most recent option to Triple-A, Busch is 5-for-13 with three-extra base hits, five RBI and five walks…In his last 12 games with OKC, Busch is 22-for-49 (.449) with 14 extra-base hits and 20 RBI.

-Hunter Feduccia had a streak of four straight multi-hit games come to an end, but he did homer for the second time this series. Over his last five games, Feduccia is 11-for-20 with six extra-base hits…He has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games, going 22-for-44 (.500).

-Devin Mann picked up his league-leading and career-high 28th double of the season and has now hit safely five straight games (8-for-22), in seven of his last eight games (12-for-35) and 10 of his last 12 games (17-for-46).

-Drew Avans reached base at least three times for a third consecutive game, going 1-for-4 with a RBI and two walks. Over his last six games, Avans is 8-for-22 with eight walks and nine runs scored.

-Starting pitcher Matt Andriese set a season high with eight strikeouts over six strong innings. He allowed one run and four hits and did not allow a walk. Andriese never faced more than four batters in an inning and completed his fifth start of the season to last six innings. He also earned his team-leading sixth win.

-The pitching staff allowed two runs for a fourth consecutive game, and the Space Cowboys did not have an at-bat with a runner in scoring position until there were two outs in the ninth inning…Sunday marked the fifth time this season the team did not issue a walk.

What’s Next: The Dodgers will attempt to win the final five games of their series in Sugar Land starting at 6:35 p.m. Monday 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.