Dodgers Sweep Crucial Doubleheader
Oklahoma City - The Oklahoma City Dodgers swept both games of a pivotal doubleheader against the Iowa Cubs Tuesday as the teams combined to play 25 ½ innings at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.
Oklahoma City won the first game, 6-4, in 19 innings and went on to win the second game, 3-1, in front of a crowd of 3,962. The teams played for a combined 7 hours, 31 minutes in the doubleheader that started at 4:35 p.m. and concluded at 12:47 a.m. in Bricktown.
With the two wins, the Dodgers (82-55) boosted their first-place lead in the American Northern Division to five games ahead of second-place Iowa. The Dodgers can now clinch the division title and a playoff berth with a win Wednesday against the I-Cubs.
Tuesday's slate was scheduled to include two seven-inning games between the squads.
In the first game, Iowa (78-59) tied up the game, 2-2, in the top of the sixth inning. The teams exchanged two runs apiece in the 10th inning and the score remained tied, 4-4, until the bottom of the 19th inning.
With two outs in the bottom of the 19th inning, Dodgers pitcher Danny Coulombe singled on a ground ball to center field. Buck Britton stepped up to the plate next and drilled a two-run homer onto the berm past the visiting bullpen in right center field for a 6-4 walk-off victory - the Dodgers' 11th walk-off win of the season.
The game lasted 5 hours, 44 minutes and tied the Oklahoma City team record for longest game in terms of innings since the team joined the PCL in 1998. Oklahoma City also earned a win in 19 innings Aug. 26, 2002 in a 4-3 victory at Memphis. It also marked the longest game ever played at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.
The game was the longest in terms of innings in the PCL this season. The longest games ever in PCL history lasted 24 innings, first accomplished in 1909 and most recently May 5, 2006 in New Orleans' 5-4 win against Nashville.
The Dodgers took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning of game one. A RBI groundout by Jose Tabata put the Dodgers on the scoreboard. Shawn Zarraga followed with a RBI single to put the Dodgers ahead, 2-0.
Iowa's Taylor Davis and Taylor Teagarden hit back-to-back one-out RBI doubles in the top of the sixth inning to tie the game, 2-2.
With runners at first and second base with one out, Britton lined into a double play to close out the seventh inning. Iowa shortstop Chris Valaika snagged Britton's line drive and threw to Emilio Bonifacio who doubled Tabata off second base to force extra innings.
Iowa broke the tie in the top of the 10th inning with a RBI double from Christian Villanueva. With Davis at the plate, two wild pitches from Juan Gonzalez allowed Villanueva to advance to third base, then score Iowa's second run of the inning for a 4-2 lead.
Darwin Barney drew a walk to lead off the bottom of the 10th inning and Corey Seager followed with a RBI double to cut Iowa's lead to 4-3. After an Iowa pitching change, Andy Wilkins hit a liner off the wall in deep center field to tie the game, 4-4, with none out in the 10th.
The Dodgers loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning for Zarraga, who grounded into a double play to send the game to the 11th inning. He hit a grounder toward first baseman Davis, who threw home to get a force out. Catcher Teagarden then threw back to first base to complete the double play.
In the top of the 18th inning, with runners at first and second base with one out, Valaika hit into a fielder's choice that included Iowa's Davis getting thrown out at home plate and Teagarden being put out at second base.
Iowa loaded the bases in the top of the 19th inning. Villanueva popped out and Davis grounded out to third baseman Britton who made a great leaping catch and throw to first to end the inning and keep the score tied.
Iowa outhit the Dodgers, 14-9, in the game. Oklahoma City had 12 players finish the game with an at-bat and used eight different pitchers.
Coulombe (3-1) was credited with the win for OKC. He pitched a scoreless top of the 19th. Frank Batista (1-5) was charged with the loss on the mound for the I-Cubs.
In the second game, Iowa took the first lead.
Mike Baxter led off the top of the fifth inning by drawing a walk. He advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt and later scored on a RBI single by Ryan Dent for a 1-0 I-Cubs advantage.
Oklahoma City was held without a hit in the game until O'Koyea Dickson doubled in the fifth inning.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Britton hit a one-out double and Ronny Torreyes followed with a single to advance Britton to third base. Corey Seager then connected on a two-run double to give Oklahoma City a 2-1 lead. He advanced to third base on the throw to home plate.
Jensen then hit a two-out RBI double to score Seager and put the Dodgers in front 3-1 in the inning.
Iowa loaded the bases with one out in the top of the seventh inning, but Oklahoma City pitcher Deck McGuire struck out Dent and got Carlos Pimentel to ground into a fielder's choice to end the game.
McGuire (5-4), who traveled from Tulsa Tuesday night to pitch the second game, earned the win. He followed four scoreless innings by Oklahoma City starter Ramon Troncoso. McGuire entered the game in the fifth inning and held Iowa to one run and three hits over three innings.
Oklahoma City outhit Iowa, 5-4, in the second game, which lasted 1 hour, 47 minutes.
Arguably the PCL's top pitcher in 2015, Pimentel (12-6) took the complete game loss. He allowed the runs and five hits, with one walk and four strikeouts over six innings.
The Dodgers continue their series against the Iowa Cubs at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday with a division title and playoff berth on the line at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.
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