Express Top Dodgers, 4-2, Tuesday

Round Rock Express – 4

Oklahoma City Dodgers – 2

Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023 – Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark – Oklahoma City, Okla.

Game Summary: Both of the Oklahoma City Dodgers’ runs scored on a home run by Miguel Vargas in a 4-2 loss to the Round Rock Express Tuesday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The Express (15-13/59-43) snapped a seven-game losing streak as they took a quick lead on a leadoff home run by J.P. Martinez. Round Rock scored two more runs in the fifth inning on a single by Elier Hernandez for a 3-0 advantage and extended to a 4-0 lead on a RBI single by Martinez. After being held scoreless through five innings, the Dodgers (18-10/68-33) got on the scoreboard via Vargas’ two-run homer out to left field in the sixth inning. The Express outhit the Dodgers, 10-6, in the series opener between the teams.

Of Note:

-The Dodgers lost for just the second time in the last nine games, falling to 68-33 overall and 18-10 during the second half of the PCL season…Tuesday marked just the second time this season the Dodgers lost a series opener at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The Dodgers lost their season-opening game against Tacoma March 31 before winning eight straight home openers before Tuesday…The win was the Express’ first of the season against the Dodgers after OKC swept a six-game series in Round Rock May 9-14.

-Miguel Vargas homered in a second straight game and for the third time in the last four games. He has hit safely in seven straight games, going 12-for-32 (.375) with five extra-base hits, nine RBI and 10 runs scored. He has now reached base in all 16 games he has played with OKC since being optioned by the Los Angeles Dodgers in mid-July.

-Michael Busch recorded a double and scored a run as he extended his hitting streak to eight games, going 16-for-37 (.432) with eight extra-base hits, 11 RBI and 11 runs scored. He has also reached base in a season-high 26 consecutive games, which is the longest active streak in the PCL. During the stretch, he is 36-for-111 (.324) with 11 homers, 28 RBI and 23 runs scored.

-The Dodgers have now homered in four straight games (12 HR) and in seven of the last eight games (18 HR). The Dodgers have hit 72 homers in their 46 games since June 3 after hitting 47 homers through their first 55 games of the season.

-Pitcher Ryan Pepiot continued his Major League Rehab Assignment and made his fourth appearance, starting and pitching 4.0 innings for his longest outing so far in 2023. He allowed one run and three hits, including a leadoff home run, with one walk and four strikeouts. He faced 17 batters, throwing 70 pitches (46 strikes). Pepiot earned a spot in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ starting rotation out of Spring Training before being placed on the 15-day IL with a left oblique strain March 30. He was later transferred to the 60-day IL April 21.

-Ryan Ward recorded OKC’s lone multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a double. Ward has hit safely in six straight games, going 13-for-27 (.481) with four extra-base hits and six RBI.

-Oklahoma City’s six hits were the fewest for the team in eight games and their lowest hit total since also recording six hits July 22 against El Paso in OKC.

-Round Rock recorded six stolen bases for the second-most stolen bases allowed in a game by OKC this season, trailing only El Paso’s nine stolen bases July 21 in OKC.

What’s Next: The Dodgers and Express continue their series at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Single-game tickets for OKC Dodgers home games are available at 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. Video broadcasts of all OKC Dodgers home games are now available to be streamed live for free on the Bally Live app.