Dodgers Extend Winning Streak to 10 Games With 7-6 Win Friday

Oklahoma City Dodgers – 7

Sugar Land Space Cowboys – 6

Friday, May 19, 2023 – Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark – Oklahoma City, Okla.

Game Summary: A six-run fourth inning gave the Oklahoma City Dodgers the lead and the Dodgers pitching staff held the Sugar Land Space Cowboys scoreless over the final six innings in the Dodgers’ 7-6 win Friday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The Dodgers won a 10th consecutive game for the team’s second-longest winning streak since 1998. Sugar Land (17-25) built a 6-1 lead through three innings, fueled by a four-run first inning. The Space Cowboys scored the game’s first run on an OKC fielding error then added two runs on a RBI double by Rylan Bannon. Another run scored on a sacrifice fly by Justin Dirden for a 4-0 lead. The Dodgers (32-11) scored a run in the bottom of the first inning when Michael Busch grounded a RBI double into right field. Sugar Land added two more runs in the third inning, scoring a run on an OKC fielding error and another on a wild pitch for a 6-1 advantage. Then in the fourth inning, the Dodgers responded with six runs, including scoring four runs with two outs. Patrick Mazeika grounded out to bring in a run and Drew Avans hit into a fielder’s choice to score another run. The Dodgers went on to load the bases with two outs before Ryan Ward lined a two-run single into right field. Jonny DeLuca followed and tied the game, 6-6, with a RBI single. An infield RBI single by Justin Yurchak then gave the Dodgers a one-run lead. Dodgers pitchers held the Space Cowboys to one hit over the final six innings and no hits over the final five innings as they retired 16 of the final 18 Sugar Land batters of the game.

Of Note:

-The Dodgers extended their winning streak to 10 games for the team’s second-longest winning streak during the team’s Bricktown era (since 1998). The Dodgers now have their longest winning streak since a team-record 12-game inning streak July 26-Aug. 6, 2013.

-The Dodgers improved their Pacific Coast League-leading record to 32-11 and OKC’s 32 wins are the most by an OKC team through 43 games since 1998. OKC has now won 11 of the last 12 games and are a season-best 21 games above .500.

-The six runs scored in the bottom of the fourth inning by the Dodgers tied the most runs they have scored in an inning this season — April 23 in Albuquerque when they scored six runs in the sixth inning.

-The Dodgers have now trailed at some point in 22 of their 32 total victories this season, as well as in each of their last five wins and in 12 of their last 14 wins…OKC is now 19-2 in games decided by one or two runs this season, including a 13-1 record in one-run games.

-Michael Busch, Yonny Hernández and Justin Yurchak all finished with multi-hit games. Busch recorded OKC’s lone extra-base hit with a double. Ryan Ward led OKC with two RBI and Drew Avans scored two runs.

-The Dodgers bullpen has now allowed just three runs and 20 hits in 54.0 innings over the last 13 games, holding opponents 20-for-172 (.116) with 61 strikeouts. The unit has allowed just one run over 34.1 innings going back to the start of the previous series in Round Rock (10 games).

-The Dodgers took a 4-0 lead in their series against the Space Cowboys and have won the first four games of a series for the fourth time this season.

-Dodgers players and coaches wore special retro OKC 89ers jerseys and hats in recognition of the franchise’s pre-Bricktown history and the game atmosphere and entertainment had a throwback feel. The 89ers played at All Sports Stadium from 1962-97 and won four league titles before the franchise relocated to Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in 1998.

What’s Next: The series between the Dodgers and Space Cowboys continues at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Single-game tickets for OKC Dodgers games through June 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. Video broadcasts of all OKC Dodgers home games are now available to be streamed live for free on the Bally Live app.