Dodgers Nip Chihuahuas in Bricktown, 5-2

OKC Dodgers – 5

El Paso Chihuahuas – 2

Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021 – Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark – Oklahoma City, Okla.

Game Summary: Steven Souza Jr. and Andy Burns each drove in a pair of runs and homered as the Oklahoma City Dodgers defeated the El Paso Chihuahuas, 5-2, Thursday night during the Triple-A Final Stretch at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The Dodgers (66-60) took the first lead of the night off the bat of Souza, who sent a two-run homer into the Dodgers’ bullpen in left-center field for an early 2-0 advantage. El Paso (49-78) answered in its next at-bat to tie the game, 2-2, via a two-run homer by Brian O’Grady. Burns broke the tie with a RBI single in the fourth inning as OKC went on to score a run in three straight innings. OKC added a run on a passed ball in the fifth inning before Burns hit a solo homer out to left field in the sixth inning for a 5-2 advantage. El Paso went on to outhit the Dodgers, 9-8.

Of Note:

-The Dodgers took a 2-0 lead in their final series of the 2021 season and have now won three consecutive home games for just the second time this season and first time since June 8-11 vs. Sugar Land/El Paso at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. OKC has won six of the last eight games overall and have opened a series with a 2-0 lead for the third time in the last four series.

-With Thursday’s win, the Dodgers improved to 5-2 during the Triple-A Final Stretch. All 30 Triple-A teams are playing five road games and five home games during the new postseason tournament format. A single 2021 Triple-A Final Stretch Winner will be crowned based on the highest overall winning percentage among all 30 teams during the final 10 games.

-Steven Souza Jr. extended his hitting streak to a season-best six games with a homer Thursday and is 11-for-27 (.407) during the stretch. He has also hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games with an at-bat, going 18-for-43 (.419) with five doubles, a triple and three homers with 11 RBI and scoring 14 runs.

-Zach McKinstry collected two hits, including a double, going 2-for-4 and scoring a game-high two runs for OKC. He has hit safely in 11 of his last 13 games, going 15-for-52 (.288) with five doubles, four homers, eight RBI and 13 runs scored during the stretch.

-OKC hit two home runs Thursday night and now has 10 homers during the Triple-A Final Stretch, so far resulting in $500 to be donated to Cleats For Kids in Oklahoma City. 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.

-Billy McKinney continued his ML Rehab Assignment with OKC and went 2-for-4 with a double and scored a run. Over his first two games with OKC, he is 2-for-7 as he recovers from a left hip impingement that sent him to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ IL Sept. 10.

What’s Next: The OKC Dodgers continue their final series of 2021 at 7:05 p.m. Friday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark with the last scheduled postgame fireworks show of the season slated to follow the game. 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.