Dodgers Win Reno Slugfest, 12-8

Oklahoma City Dodgers – 12

Reno Aces – 8

Thursday, June 16, 2022 – Greater Nevada Field – Reno, Nev.

*Game Summary: *The Oklahoma City Dodgers overcame a three-run deficit with a six-run fifth inning, highlighted with a grand slam by Jake Amaya, as the Dodgers out-slugged the Reno Aces, 12-8, Thursday night at Greater Nevada Field. Reno (34-29) took a 3-0 lead in the first inning before Jason Martin connected on a two-run homer in the second inning to get OKC back within one run. The Aces held a 5-2 lead entering the fifth inning when the Dodgers (39-24) put up six runs to take the lead for good. After Jake Lamb and Martin each picked up a RBI to make it a one-run game, Amaya swatted a go-ahead grand slam to left field for his first Triple-A hit and home run. The Aces scored twice in the bottom of the sixth inning and had the bases loaded with one out before Robbie Erlin notched a strikeout and a groundout to keep the Dodgers ahead, 8-7. OKC tallied three more runs in the seventh inning with RBI by Amaya, Tony Wolters and Drew Avans to push the lead to 11-7. The Aces scored one run in the seventh inning and again left bases loaded in the eighth inning. Wolters drove in another run in the top of the ninth to make it 12-8. Reno rallied to get the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning before Justin Bruihl struck out Cooper Hummel to end the game.

Of Note:

-The Dodgers improved to 8-2 over their last 10 games and 10-3 in their last 12 games. At 39-24, the Dodgers are a season-high 15 games above .500 this season, reaching that level for the first time since June 2018. OKC has also won back-to-back games in Reno for the first time since 2014.

-Thursday’s win marked the fourth time in the last nine games the Dodgers won after trailing by at least three runs, along with June 7-8 versus Sugar Land and June 11 against Salt Lake.

-Jake Amaya tallied five RBI including his go-ahead grand slam in the fifth inning. It was his first Triple-A hit and home run, and his 10th overall home run of the season. Thursday marked Amaya’s second game this season and of his career with five or more RBI, as he notched six RBI for Double-A Tulsa April 23 at Springfield. The grand slam was the second of his career and first since July 26, 2018 with Rookie-level Ogden. It was also Oklahoma City’s third grand slam of the season.

-Jason Martin went 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and three runs scored. He is on a season-best eight game hitting streak, going 11-for-30 with three home runs, a triple, two doubles and 10 RBI.

-Jake Lamb reached base three times with a single, walk and hit by pitch and finished 1-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored. He extended his hitting streak to nine games (15x36) and he has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games (19x50) and in 14 of his last 16 games (22x63). Lamb has also reached base in 23 of his last 24 games as well as in 38 of his last 40 games.

-Drew Avans tied his season high three hits, going 3-for-5 with a RBI and a run scored. He now has eight RBI in his last four games and has tallied 13 of his 21 total RBI this season during his first 13 games of June. Since May 26 (18 games), Avans is batting .356 (21x59) with 17 runs and 14 RBI.

-Thursday’s run output was the team’s highest since a 14-7 win against Reno at home May 24, and the 10th time this season OKC has scored at least a dozen runs in a game. The Dodgers scored at least eight runs for the fourth time in five games and at least six runs for the seventh time in the last nine games.

-Michael Busch reached base three times with a single, double and walk and scored twice. Busch is currently on a nine-game hitting streak, going 11-for-38 with five extra-base hits and eight RBI.

-In eight plate appearances with the bases loaded, the Dodgers went 2-for-5 with two hit batters and a sacrifice fly, accounting for eight of their 12 runs. On the other hand, the OKC pitching staff held Reno 0-for-4 with the bases loaded, stranding the bags full in the sixth, eighth and ninth innings.

What’s Next: The Dodgers aim for a third straight win in Reno at 8:35 p.m. CT Friday. 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.