Dodgers Win Big in Las Vegas, 13-4

OKC Dodgers — 13

Las Vegas Aviators — 4

Friday, Sept. 24, 2021 – Las Vegas Ballpark — Las Vegas, Nev.

Game Summary: The Oklahoma City Dodgers posted two six-run innings, Cristian Santana collected five hits and Omar Estévez hit a grand slam in the Dodgers’ 13-4 win against the Las Vegas Aviators Friday night during the Triple-A Final Stretch at Las Vegas Ballpark. The Aviators (62-59) took the first lead of the game in the third inning, scoring two runs. The Dodgers (62-58) responded with six runs in their next at-bat, taking the lead for good on a single swing by Estévez with the bases loaded in the fourth inning. His grand slam out to left-center field gave OKC a 4-2 advantage and the Dodgers led the rest of the way as they took a 2-0 lead in the five-game series. RBI singles by Steven Souza Jr. and Santana boosted OKC’s lead to 6-2 later in the fourth inning. Both teams exchanged runs in the sixth inning with Santana connecting on a RBI single for his fourth hit of the night and Las Vegas answering with a RBI single in the bottom of the frame. Las Vegas scored a run in the eighth inning, but the Dodgers responded with six more runs in the top of the ninth inning. Anthony Bemboom tripled and scored on Drew Avans’ sacrifice bunt. Andy Burns added a RBI single, Matt Davidson hit a RBI double and Santana added a RBI single in the inning and OKC brought in the other two runs on an Aviators’ throwing error and a fielder’s choice.

Of Note:

-Cristian Santana finished with a career-high five hits, going 5-for-6 with three RBI and scored a run. His five-hit game was the first for an OKC player this season and first for an OKC player since Gavin Lux went 5-for-6 with three RBI and three runs scored July 18, 2019 at Iowa. Santana leads the Dodgers with 100 hits this season and 29 multi-hit games. He has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games with an at-bat, going 24-for-56 (.429) with two homers, five doubles, 15 RBI and nine runs scored. Friday was his 12th multi-RBI game of the season.

-Omar Estévez’s grand slam in the fourth inning gave the Dodgers the lead for good. It was his second career grand slam and first since Aug. 11, 2016 with Low-A Great Lakes during his first pro season. His four-RBI night was his highest of the season and his highest single-game RBI total since May 23, 2018 when he had four RBI for High-A Rancho Cucamonga against Stockton.

-OKC recorded its ninth grand slam of the season, tying the team’s record for grand slams in a single season during the Bricktown era (since 1998). It was also OKC’s third grand slam of the month and sixth since Aug. 2. For comparison, the Dodgers hit five total grand slams in the 2019 season, four grand slams in 2018 and two grand slams in 2017…OKC’s nine grand slams this season lead Triple-A West and are the most OKC has hit in one season since also recording nine grand slams in both 2005 and 1998.

-The 13 total runs scored by the Dodgers marked the team’s highest run total since a 15-10 win Aug. 8 in Albuquerque. The Dodgers have scored 12 or more runs in back-to-back games for the second time this season and first time since scoring 12 runs May 29 in El Paso and 20 runs May 30 in El Paso. Friday was the fifth time in September the Dodgers have scored 12 or more runs in a game…One night after collecting 16 hits in the series opener Thursday, the Dodgers racked up 15 more hits Friday night. Nine different players had at least one hit while Santana, Steven Souza Jr. (2x5, 3B, RBI, BB, 2R) and Matt Davidson (2x6, 2B, RBI, R) each finished with multi-hit nights. Five of OKC’s hits went for extra bases and they now have 13 extra-base hits over the first two games of the series, including three triples and four homers.

-The Dodgers scored six runs in both the fourth and ninth innings Friday. OKC has now scored five or more runs in a single inning eight times in the month of September, including three times during the current series after also scoring seven runs in the third inning of Thursday night’s opener.

-Friday’s game lasted 4 hours, 3 minutes for OKC’s sixth game of the season to last longer than 4 hours. It was the team’s longest game since Aug. 19 in Sugar Land (4:06).

-Friday was the Dodgers’ second game of the Triple-A Final Stretch as they improved to 2-0. All 30 Triple-A teams are playing five road and five home games during the new postseason tournament format. A single 2021 Triple-A Final Stretch winner will then be crowned based on the highest overall winning percentage among all 30 teams during the final 10 games.

-The Dodgers’ grand slam Friday night benefits Cleats For Kids in Oklahoma City as part of “Homers That Help.” For each home run hit by Triple-A teams during the Final Stretch, Minor League Baseball will donate $50 per homer to a local 501(c)3 charity selected by the team. The team with the most home runs hit during the 10-game span will generate an extra $5,000 donation for its charity of choice. The OKC Dodgers chose to benefit Cleats for Kids (C4K), which provides new and used sports equipment free of charge to youth in need, gathering equipment through community drives and drop-off donation sites. The Dodgers have hit a combined four homers over the first two games of the Final Stretch.

What’s Next: The Dodgers continue their road series and the Triple-A Final Stretch with a 9:05 p.m. CT game Saturday against the Las Vegas Aviators at Las Vegas Ballpark. Live radio coverage begins 15 minutes before first pitch on 94.7 FM "The Ref," 947theref.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.