Tacoma Takes Tuesday Series Opener, 7-3, in OKC

Tacoma Rainiers – 7

Oklahoma City Dodgers – **3**

Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022 – Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark – Oklahoma City, Okla.

*Game Summary: *The Oklahoma City Dodgers fell behind early and were held scoreless after the second inning in an eventual 7-3 loss against the Tacoma Rainiers Tuesday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Tacoma (61-69) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the second inning of the series opener between the teams. Mason McCoy hit a RBI double before another run scored on a wild pitch for a 2-0 advantage. Jonathan Villar followed with a two-run homer for a four-run lead. The Dodgers (73-57) responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning as Andy Burns connected on a RBI single and two more runs scored on a single by Drew Avans coupled with a Tacoma throwing error as OKC trimmed the lead to 4-3. Tacoma then broke open the game with three runs in the sixth inning, scoring a run on a passed ball and two more on a double by Derek Hill for a 7-3 lead.

Of Note:

-With Tuesday’s defeat, the Dodgers have now lost five of the last six games. They still lead the PCL East Division, but their lead ahead of second-place Round Rock now stands at 1.0 game after a 4-0 win by the second-place Express against Sugar Land Tuesday night.

-Jake Amaya went 2-for-3 with a walk and scored a run. He has hit safely in eight of his last nine games, going 13-for-32 (.406) with two doubles, a triple, two homers, six RBI and 12 runs scored.

-Drew Avans finished the game 2-for-4 with a walk and RBI after being held 1-for-13 through his first four games of September. He also recorded two stolen bases Tuesday, tying his season-high mark and increasing his season total to 31 stolen bases — fifth most in the league.

-James Outman picked up a hit as he extended his on-base streak to 10 games — the longest active on-base streak by an OKC player and his second on-base streak of the season with OKC of 10 games or more.

-The Dodgers were held without an extra-base hit for the fifth time this season, second time in the last five games and for the third time since Aug. 7.

-Left-handed pitcher Danny Duffy continued his Major League Rehab Assignment, making his third appearance and pitching two-thirds of an inning, allowing three runs and two hits with one walk and two strikeouts. He faced five batters throwing 23 pitches (10 strikes). He is recovering from left flexor tendon surgery performed in the offseason.

-Right-handed pitcher Tommy Kahnle pitched the eighth game of his rehab assignment and retired all three batters he faced in one scoreless inning, throwing six pitches (five strikes). He has been on the Los Angeles Dodgers Injured List since May 14 due to right forearm inflammation.

-The OKC Dodgers took the field in Cielo Azul jerseys during ¡Celebración Cielo Azul! as part of MiLB’s Copa de la Diversión, or Fun Cup, which is a season-long event series designed to embrace the culture and values that resonate most with participating teams’ local U.S. Hispanic/Latino communities, including creating unique on-field personas and gameday experiences. The name Cielo Azul translates to “Blue Sky.”

What’s Next: The series between the Dodgers and Rainiers continues at 12:05 p.m. Wednesday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark during ¡Celebración Cielo Azul! Tickets 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. All OKC Dodgers games are also available streamed live on MiLB.TV with a subscription.