Dodgers Use Homers To Get Past Memphis

Kyle Jensen and Darnell Sweeney each hit home runs and the Oklahoma City Dodgers pitching staff kept the Memphis Redbirds scoreless over the final eight innings.

Tuesday, June 30th 2015, 11:41 pm

By: News 9


Kyle Jensen and Darnell Sweeney each hit home runs and the Oklahoma City Dodgers pitching staff kept the Memphis Redbirds scoreless over the final eight innings, leading to a 2-1 win at AutoZone Park Monday night. The win was the Dodgers' 50th of the season and it came in the team's 77th game, becoming the fastest OKC team to 50 wins during the PCL era by a wide margin. The 2012 squad had previously been the fastest, reaching 50 wins through 86 games.

The Redbirds (41-38) took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, when Dan Johnson sent a home run into the right field porch.

The Dodgers (50-27) responded with a home run of their own in the second inning. With two outs, Jensen connected on his eighth homer of the season over the tall fence in left field, knotting the score at 1-1.

Another solo shot put the Dodgers in front in the third inning. Again with two outs, Sweeney went the opposite way out to right field into the porch, giving OKC a 2-1 lead.

Both teams' starting pitchers kept the opposition off the board thereafter, and the game still stood 2-1 entering the seventh. Andy Wilkins led off the top of the inning with a double and advanced to third on a groundout. The Dodgers could not bring Wilkins home though, as both pinch-hitter O'Koyea Dickson and Sweeney struck out to end the inning.

With the Dodgers still leading 2-1 in the bottom of the eighth, Tommy Pham drew a leadoff walk. With Stephen Piscotty at the plate, OKC reliever Juan Gonzalez picked off Pham to get the inning's first out. Johnson later drew a walk with two outs, but Jacob Wilson flied out to end the inning.

Ryan Buchter entered the game to pitch the ninth inning. After striking out Rafael Ortega, pinch-hitter Ed Easley singled to shallow center field. Buchter then struck out Dean Anna.

Pinch-hitter Ty Kelly replaced Travis Tartamella, and Kelly sent a sharp ground ball to third base. Darwin Barney made a diving stop on the hot shot and threw over to second base to complete a force out to end the game.

Dodgers starting pitcher Eric Surkamp tied his season high with six innings, holding the Redbirds to one run and five hits. He finished with three walks and five strikeouts. Only two runners reached scoring position against Surkamp (4-2), and the lefty induced two ground ball double plays.

The trio of Brandon League, Gonzalez, and Buchter held the Redbirds scoreless over the final three innings, never allowing the tying run to move into scoring position. Buchter earned his second save of the season.

Memphis starting pitcher Tyler Lyons delivered a solid outing, but ended up with the loss. Lyons (5-4) allowed two runs and seven hits over 6.2 innings. He struck out seven and did not allow a walk.

The two teams combined to go 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position, with the Dodgers going 0-for-7. Outside of the home runs, only three runners between the teams reached third base.

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