Avans Ties OKC Career Hits Mark; Ward Belts 30th Homer of Season in Friday Loss

Tacoma Rainiers — 10

Oklahoma City Baseball Club — 5

Friday, Sept. 13, 2024 – Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark – Oklahoma City, Okla.

Game Summary: The Tacoma Rainiers scored nine runs through five innings as they overcame an early deficit to defeat the Oklahoma City Baseball Club, 10-5, Friday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Oklahoma City (33-34/73-69) built a 4-1 lead through three innings. Ryan Ward gave OKC a quick lead, swatting a three-run homer onto the Miller Lite Landing in left field for his 30th home run of the season and a 3-0 lead. Tacoma loaded the bases in the second inning and brought in a run on a bases-loaded walk. James Outman hit a solo home run out to right field in the third inning to push OKC’s lead to 4-1. Tacoma (35-32/78-64) then scored five runs on two hits in the fourth inning, including a bases-clearing double by Jason Vosler. A three-run home run by Tacoma’s Samad Taylor in the fifth inning extended the Rainiers lead to 9-4. Drew Avans connected on a RBI double in the sixth inning to cut the lead to four runs and the hit marked the 448th of his career, tying OKC’s Bricktown-era career hits record. Tacoma added a run in the ninth inning on a single coupled with an OKC throwing error for a 10-5 lead.

Of Note:

-Oklahoma City has lost back-to-back games as Tacoma has come back to tie the six-game series, 2-2…OKC now has two home games — and eight total games — remaining in 2024.

-Drew Avans finished the game with two hits, going 2-for-5 with a double, RBI and he scored a run. His sixth-inning RBI double was the 448th hit of his career, moving him into a tie with Kelly Dransfeldt (1999-2002) as the Bricktown-era (since 1998) career hits leader with eight games remaining in the season…Avans now has four straight multi-hit games (8x21) and has hit safely in five straight games, going 9-for-24...Throughout this season, Avans has established new Bricktown-era career records for runs scored (340), walks (257) and triples (26). He ranks second all-time in the Bricktown era with 466 career games, 448 hits and 116 stolen bases, while ranking third in doubles (84).

-Ryan Ward hit his league-leading 30th home run of the season with a three-run shot in the first inning. He became just the fifth Oklahoma City player during the team’s Bricktown era (since 1998) to hit 30 or more home runs in a season and the first since Jason Martin hit 32 home runs in 2022.

-Oklahoma City allowed 10 runs for the first time since a 10-2 loss in El Paso July 30. OKC has now allowed six or more runs in five straight games (30 R) for the first time since a five-game stretch July 31-Aug. 4 in El Paso (33 R).

-Oklahoma City hit two home runs and has now hit four home runs over the last three games. Friday was OKC’s first multi-homer game since Sept. 3 against Sugar Land when OKC had two homers at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

-James Outman hit his 13th home run of the season with OKC via a solo homer in the third inning. He finished with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4.

-Oklahoma City’s pitching staff allowed 10 walks to match the team’s season-high mark for walks in a game. It was the second time this series OKC allowed 10 walks (also Sept. 11) and third time during the second half of the season as OKC also issued 10 walks Aug. 9 against Round Rock.

-Andre Lipcius is batting .385 (5-for-13) in the current series after picking up a hit Friday. He has now reached base in 31 of his last 32 games.

Next Up: Oklahoma City and Tacoma continue their series at 6:05 p.m. Saturday as ¡Celebración Cielo Azul! presented by OG&E continues at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Gates open at 5 p.m. and the first 1,000 fans will receive a Cielo Azul sugar skull bobblehead presented by Lime. Tickets for OKC’s two remaining 2024 home games are available at okcbaseball.com/tickets. Live radio coverage of each OKC Baseball Club game begins 15 minutes before first pitch and Saturday’s game will broadcast on KQKQ-FM Q94.7, q947fm.com and through the free iHeartRadio or MiLB First Pitch apps.