Dodgers Fall to Aviators, 8-3

Las Vegas Aviators – 8

Oklahoma City Dodgers – 3

Tuesday, July 5, 2022 – Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark – Oklahoma City, Okla.

Game Summary: The Las Vegas Aviators took a 2-0 lead in their series against the Oklahoma City Dodgers with an 8-3 win Tuesday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Las Vegas (45-34) held the Dodgers to one run through eight innings as they built an 8-1 lead. The Aviators took the game’s first lead in the second inning on a two-run single by Nate Mondou. Matt Davidson added a RBI single in the fifth inning before Mondou’s two-run single in the sixth inning pushed Las Vegas’ lead to 5-0. The Dodgers (47-33) loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth inning and Jake Amaya sharply lined a ball to left field and the Aviators’ Vince Fernandez made a diving catch to end the inning. Oklahoma City again loaded the bases in the seventh inning and Miguel Vargas brought in OKC’s first run on a sacrifice fly. The Aviators then scored three runs in the eighth inning on a bases-loaded walk and two-run single. Zach McKinstry closed out the scoring by belting a two-run homer into the right field upper deck in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Of Note:

-The Dodgers’ losing streak extended to a season-high five games for the team’s longest losing skid since Aug. 23-28, 2021…They have now lost the first two games of a series for the third time this season, but for the first time since May 5 against Albuquerque.

-The Dodgers have allowed at least eight runs in five straight games as well as in six of the last seven games. OKC has been outscored, 61-22, over the five-game stretch, including, 32-9, over the last three games combined and 50-14 over the last four games.

-Zach McKinstry continued his Major League Rehab Assignment Tuesday night, going 2-for-5 with a two-run home run that sailed into the right field upper deck in the bottom of the ninth inning. He was placed on the Los Angeles Dodgers Injured List June 28 with neck stiffness…Over the first two games of his rehab assignment he is 4-for-8 with a double, homer and three RBI.

-The Aviators scored two runs in the second inning and opponents have now scored in either the first or second inning in each of the last 12 games. Over the 12-game stretch, the Dodgers have allowed 32 total runs over the first two innings (24 innings).

-The Dodgers pitching staff recorded a second straight 14-strikeout game, tying their season-high mark for a nine-inning game. Jon Duplantier led the way, recording a season-high seven strikeouts over 4.0 innings in his fourth start of the season for OKC.

-Miguel Vargas went 2-for-4 with a RBI after he had been held without a hit in consecutive games for the first time since late May.

-Tuesday’s game between the Dodgers and Aviators was just one of two games scheduled across all of full-season Minor League Baseball with the other game being between Double-A Frisco and San Antonio.

What’s Next: The series between the Dodgers and Aviators continues at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. 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.