Dodgers Trounce Isotopes For Sixth-Straight Road Win

Zach Lee dealt 7.1 strong innings and Corey Seager blasted a grand slam to highlight a nine-run effort from the Oklahoma City Dodgers in a 9-2 win over the Albuquerque Isotopes Sunday evening at Isotopes Park.

The Dodgers (78-50) have won three straight games overall and six straight on the road. Sunday’s win was OKC’s 41st road win of 2015, establishing a new team record for most road wins in a season. The victory also moved the Dodgers 28 games above .500 for the first time during any point of a season in the team’s PCL history.

Lee (10-5) was in complete command through seven innings. He held the Isotopes scoreless and scattered four hits, while allowing just one runner to reach scoring position. Although Albuquerque would clip Lee for a couple of runs in the eighth, he turned in a season-high 7.1 innings, allowing eight hits. Lee tied a season high with seven strikeouts and did not allow a walk.

Just two days after Joe Wieland notched his 10th win of the season, Lee joined him in the double-digit win club. It’s the first time in OKC’s PCL era (since 1998) the team has featured two 10-game winners.

The Dodgers took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, although it seemed like it was shaping up to be a quick one for Albuquerque starting pitcher Eddie Butler. He retired the first two batters on three pitches and was ahead of Jose Tabata in the count at 0-2, but Tabata lined the next pitch down the right field line for a double.

Andy Wilkins came up next and delivered a RBI single to give OKC the lead. Kyle Jensen followed with a double to the left-center field gap, scoring Wilkins and making it 2-0.

Buck Britton led off the second inning and hit an opposite field home run out to left field to push the Dodgers’ lead to 3-0.

The Dodgers remained ahead by three runs until the sixth inning. Scott Schebler led off with a single, and Shawn Zarraga drove Schebler in with a RBI double. Schebler reached base four times Sunday night, collecting three singles and one walk.

In the top of the seventh, the Dodgers converted a leadoff double by Seager into another run. After Seager doubled on the first pitch of the inning, he advanced to third on a groundout by Tabata. Wilkins then sent a sacrifice fly to left field to make it 5-0.

The Dodgers put together another two-out rally in the eighth inning to take a commanding lead. With a runner at first, Lee and Jose Peraza notched back-to-back singles to load the bases. Seager came up next and unloaded a grand slam into the back of the left field picnic area to make it 9-0.

The blast was Seager’s 11th with OKC this season, and it marked the team’s second grand slam of the season.

The Isotopes offense came alive in the eighth, registering two runs and four hits. Albuquerque got on the board when Tim Wheeler hit a fly ball to left-center field that Schebler lost in the lights, resulting in a RBI double. Later in the inning, another run scored on a throwing error by Peraza following a base hit by Rafael Ynoa.

With momentum on the Isotopes side, the Dodgers made a pitching change and summoned Juan Jaime from the bullpen to make his team debut. With runners at second and third with one out, Jaime retired the next two batters. He stayed in the game and pitched a scoreless ninth to close out the win.

Butler (2-4) tied his season high with seven innings and ended up with the loss. He allowed five runs and nine hits, with two walks and four strikeouts.

The Dodgers and Isotopes continue their series at 7:35 p.m. Central time Monday night. Live coverage begins at 7:05 p.m. on AM 1340 “The Game”, 1340thegame.com, or through the iHeartRadio mobile app.