Dodgers Lead Hit Parade Through Salt Lake

OKC Dodgers – 12

Salt Lake Bees – 2

Monday, Sept. 13, 2021 – Smith’s Ballpark – Salt Lake City, Utah

*Game Summary: *The Oklahoma City Dodgers racked up 19 hits and scored in six different innings, leading to a 12-2 win over the Salt Lake Bees Monday night at Smith’s Ballpark. Each team’s first batter of the night hit a home run. Luke Raley led off the game with a blast to right field, but Brendon Davis started the bottom of the inning with a homer as well. The Bees added another run in the first inning to take the lead before Raley blooped a RBI single in the second inning to even the score at 2-2. The Dodgers (58-54) went in front with a three-run, three-hit top of the fourth inning, as Drew Avans provided the go-ahead RBI single. Raley added another RBI single in the sixth inning to extend the lead to 6-2. OKC put the game out of reach with a five-run rally in the top of the eighth inning, including a two-run single by Cristian Santana. A home run by Zach McKinstry in the ninth inning capped the scoring. After Salt Lake (47-65) scored its second run of the first inning, the Dodgers pitching staff did not yield another run and retired 26 of the final 29 batters.

Of Note:

-The Dodgers have won four of the first five games of the current series as well as six of their last seven games and eight of their last 10 games. This marks the fifth time this season the Dodgers have won four of the first five games in a series.

-The team’s 19 hits were the second-highest total in a game this season, only one shy of their season high set May 30 in El Paso. Although only four of the hits went for extra bases, OKC has now totaled 36 extra-base hits over its last seven games. Seven players collected multi-hit games, with Luke Raley, Sheldon Neuse, Calos Asuaje and Elliot Soto tallying three hits apiece. Three players also finished with multi-RBI games.

-Luke Raley reached base five times, going 3-for-4 with a walk, hit by pitch and four RBI. It’s his second four-RBI output over the last four games. He’s now homered three times in the last four games, and the leadoff homer was the team’s fifth of the season and his second leadoff homer of the season.

-Following a stint on the Injured List, Carlos Asuaje returned the lineup for the first time since Aug. 27 and tied his season high with three hits, including two doubles. Asuaje also walked, scored twice and stole a base. Going back to before he went on the IL, Asuaje now has three straight multi-hit games, going 7-for-14.

-Sheldon Neuse went 3-for-6 with a RBI. Since his return off the Injured List, Neuse is 11-for-29 with six extra-base hits. He hit safely in nine of his last 10 games with OKC, going 17-for-48 (.354) with five multi-hit games.

-On the day he was named Triple-A West Player of the Week, Cristian Santana went 2-for-6 with two RBI. During his current six-game hitting streak, Santana is 12-for-24 with two homers, three doubles, eight RBI and seven runs scored. Santana has collected five multi-hit games in his last seven starts and leads OKC with 26 multi-hit games this season.

-Elliot Soto set season highs with three hits and two runs, going 3-for-5 with a RBI.

-After Salt Lake scored two runs and collected four hits within the first six batters, the Dodgers pitching staff held the Bees 3-for-29 for the remainder of the game. Making a spot start, Vidal Nuño retired the final 11 batters he faced. Five relievers combined to cover the final five innings and only had one runner reach scoring position. The pitching staff notched 10 strikeouts and did not allow a walk.

-Monday’s game marked the fifth time this season Oklahoma City won at game by at least 10 runs.

What’s Next: The Dodgers finish their series in Salt Lake City at 7:35 p.m. CT Tuesday. 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.