Dodgers Falter in Albuquerque Slugfest

Albuquerque Isotopes – 13

Oklahoma City Dodgers – 10

Tuesday, April 18, 2023 – Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park – Albuquerque, N.M.

Game Summary: The Oklahoma City Dodgers jumped out to an early lead but couldn’t contain the Albuquerque Isotopes’ offense during a 13-10 defeat Tuesday night at Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park. The Dodgers (11-5) scored four runs in the first inning, including a two-run double by Ryan Ward. However, Albuquerque answered with four runs in the bottom of the first inning and then took an 8-4 lead on a grand slam by Nolan Jones in the second inning. The Dodgers again scored four runs in the third inning to tie the game, with a rally highlighted by a Michael Busch home run and Hunter Feduccia two-run double. The Isotopes (10-6) scored the game’s next four runs to go ahead, 12-8. Feduccia hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning to cut the deficit to two before the Isotopes scored one final run in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Of Note:

-After avoiding back-to-back losses over their first 14 games of the season, the Dodgers have suffered consecutive defeats for the first time in 2023 to fall to 11-5. Tuesday marked the first time all season the Dodgers lost a game in which they held a lead at any point. With Tuesday’s loss, the Dodgers fell short of matching the team’s best start through 16 games at 12-4, accomplished four times previously.

-The Dodgers’ offense set a season high with 15 hits and scored in double digits for the fourth time this season. However, they allowed a season-high 16 hits, including four home runs for the second time this season. The 23 combined runs and 31 combined hits were the highest totals in both categories this season.

-Hunter Feduccia went 5-for-5 with a double and a home run for his first career five-hit game and the first five-hit effort by an OKC player this season. In fact, prior to Tuesday, Feduccia had not even collected four hits in a game since he began his career in 2018. The five RBI also tied his career high, done twice previously in 2022 with OKC.

-Steven Duggar, Devin Mann and Ryan Ward each had multi-hit games and each drove in at least one run. Ward and Mann both had doubles, with Mann collecting a double for a third straight game.

-Michael Busch hit his second home run of the season and went 1-for-3 with two walks. He has now reached base in each of OKC’s first 16 games of the season and has the longest on-base streak in the PCL to start 2023. Busch has hit safely in 14 of his first 16 games and has at least one hit in 11 of his last 12 games, batting .356 (16x45) with seven extra-base hits and nine RBI.

What’s Next: The Dodgers look to avoid a third straight defeat when the meet the Isotopes at 7:05 p.m. CT Wednesday. 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.