Round Rock Rallies in Ninth Inning for Win

Round Rock Express – 8

OKC Dodgers – 5

Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021 – Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark – Oklahoma City, Okla.

*Game Summary: *The Round Rock Express scored four runs with two outs in the ninth inning to come back and beat the Oklahoma City Dodgers, 8-5, Saturday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The Dodgers (59-57) trailed, 4-3, in the bottom of the eighth inning when Matt Davidson hit a two-run homer. The Express (60-56) loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth inning when Josh Jung lined a two-run double to right-center field to put Round Rock back in front. Domingo Leyba followed with a two-run double to extend the lead to 8-5. The Dodgers then went down in order in the bottom of the ninth inning on a total of five pitches. The Express took a 1-0 lead in the second inning, but the Dodgers went ahead in the third inning when Steven Souza Jr. lifted a two-run homer to left field. Omar Estévez homered in the fourth inning to make it a 3-1 game. The Express scored three times in the sixth inning, including a go-ahead two-run homer by Yohel Pozo.

Of Note:

-After winning seven of eight games and nine of 11 games entering the current series, the Dodgers have lost three straight games to open the series against Round Rock. For the fifth time this season, they’ve started a series in a 0-3 hole, and it’s the third time it’s happened in the team’s last five series.

-Saturday marked the first time all season the Dodgers lost a game when leading after eight innings, as they had been 53-0 in such situations. It’s also only the second time this season an opponent rallied to tie the game and/or take the lead when trailing entering their final at-bat.

-All five Dodgers runs scored as a result of three home runs. The Dodgers have hit at least one home run in 11 straight games, tying their longest streak of the season. They’ve gone deep 14 times during the streak, with multiple homers in eight of the 11 games, including seven of the last nine and five of the last six.

-Steven Souza Jr. returned to OKC from his most recent stint with Los Angeles Dodgers and collected a team-high three hits, going 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and a double. In his last four games with OKC, Souza is 7-for-16 with a home run and four doubles.

-Matt Davidson hit his team-leading 26th home run of the season with a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning and finished 2-for-4. He’s hit safely in eight of his last 11 games, going 17-for-48 (.354) with nine extra-base hits. In 17 games since returning from the Injured List Aug. 28, Davidson has hit eight homers, collected 12 extra-base hits and tallied 25 RBI.

-The Dodgers racked up 12 strikeouts for their sixth double-digit strikeout game in the last seven games and 59th double-digit strikeout game of the season.

-Friday marked the fourth straight game the Dodgers allowed six or more runs by an opponent and fifth time in the last six games.

-Dodgers closer Kevin Quackenbush was charged with his second blown save in 21 chances this season. He allowed four earned runs Saturday after allowing a total of four earned runs all season over his first 38.2 innings.

-The Express scored each of their last six runs with two outs, all coming on hits in 0-2 or 1-2 counts. They drove in seven of their eight runs when behind in the count, including three hits on 0-2 pitches accounting for five runs.

-OKC and Round Rock took the field with their MiLB “Es Divertido Ser Un Fan™” (“It’s Fun to Be a Fan™”) identities — Cielo Azul de Oklahoma City vs. Los Chupacabras de Round Rock. In addition to players and coaches wearing Cielo Azul jerseys and hats during the series, the gameday environment during ¡Celebración Cielo Azul! includes Latin music, colorful and festive concourse decorations, specialty concessions, unique entertainment, live performances and a Spanish-speaking public address announcer for select games. The name Cielo Azul – translated to “Blue Sky” – was established in 2018 and derived from three key factors: Incorporating the color blue, which is a key component of the Dodgers organization; the vibrancy of Oklahoma’s blue skies, and the breadth of the diversity of Hispanic and Latino culture that resides under those skies; and as a tribute to Dodgers legendary pitcher Fernando Valenzuela, who looked up at the sky during his windup.

What’s Next: The OKC Dodgers continue their Red Dirt Rumble rivalry series against the Express at 2:05 p.m. Sunday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark during ¡Celebración Cielo Azul!, presented by OG&E. Live radio coverage begins 15 minutes before first pitch on 1340 AM "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.