Isotopes Edge Dodgers in Ninth Inning

Albuquerque Isotopes – 8

Oklahoma City Dodgers – 7

Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023 – Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark – Oklahoma City, Okla.

Game Summary: The Albuquerque Isotopes edged the Oklahoma City Dodgers, 8-7, in a back-and-forth game Wednesday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The teams entered the ninth inning in a 6-6 tie before the Isotopes took the lead on a solo home run by Coco Montes and went ahead, 8-6, on a RBI triple by Aaron Schunk. In the Dodgers’ final at-bat, Pat Valaika led off with a solo home run out to left-center field to trim Albuquerque’s lead to one run. The Dodgers (25-22/75-45) went on to load the bases with one out, but Albuquerque pitcher Victor Vodnik retired the next two OKC batters to secure the Isotopes’ win. Albuquerque had built a 3-0 lead before the Dodgers scored three runs in the second inning for a 3-3 tie. After the Isotopes (25-22/52-70) took a 4-3 lead, the Dodgers responded with two runs in the seventh inning on a RBI single by Hunter Feduccia and bases-loaded walk by Yonny Hernández for a 5-4 advantage. Albuquerque went back in front with two runs in the eighth inning before the Dodgers knotted the score at 6-6 on a RBI single by Ryan Ward.

Of Note:

-The Dodgers suffered a third consecutive loss as they fell to 0-2 in their series against Albuquerque. OKC had not started any of its first 19 series this season with consecutive losses, but has now opened three straight series by losing the first two games…OKC has now lost eight of the last 10 games, 11 of the last 14 games and 12 of the last 16 games overall…Over the first 80 games of the season, the Dodgers had just one three-game losing streak. In the last 40 games, they’ve now had five losing streaks of at least three games.

-Miguel Vargas finished with two hits, a RBI and a walk as he recorded a fourth straight multi-hit game and extended his hitting streak to six games. He has hit safely in seven of his last eight games, batting .455 (15-for-33) and has reached base safely in nine straight games.

-Pat Valaika’s solo homer in the ninth inning was OKC’s first since Friday in Salt Lake. The Dodgers had not homered in back-to-back games for the first time since May 30 (67 games). The homer was Valaika’s second since joining the Dodgers in early July and his second in the last four games.

-The Dodgers have allowed 17 runs over the first two games of the series with the Isotopes and have now allowed at least six runs in six of their last eight games.

-The Dodgers have not committed an error in five straight games for their second-longest stretch of the season without an error. They went a season-high six games without an error May 25-31.

-The Dodgers took the field as Cielo Azul de Oklahoma City during ¡Celebración Cielo Azul! Cielo Azul translates to “Blue Sky” and since 2018, the Dodgers have participated in MiLB’s Copa de la Diversión, or Fun Cup, which aims to celebrate each participating community’s Hispanic and Latino fans, create a culturally relevant gameday experience and develop special alternative team identities.

What’s Next: The Dodgers and Isotopes continue their series at 7:05 p.m. Thursday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark during ¡Celebración Cielo Azul! and the Par-Tea Hour offers 2-for-1 Twisted Teas at the Par-Tea Pad from when gates open at 6 p.m. to the first pitch. Additionally, the Twisted Tea Par-Tea Inning offers 2-for-1 Twisted Teas during the sixth inning.

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.