Zephyrs Hand Dodgers Fourth Straight Loss

The New Orleans Zephyrs overcame a four-deficit and scored the game's final 10 runs, sending the Oklahoma City Dodgers to a 10-4 defeat Wednesday afternoon at Zephyr Field.

The loss was OKC's fourth straight. During the skid, opponents have outscored the Dodgers, 35-8, and have scored 10 runs in a game three times. Wednesday marked just the third time all season the Dodgers (22-11) had let any lead slip away, and the four-run advantage was the team's widest in an eventual loss. It was also their first loss of the season when scoring first (12-1).

The Zephyrs (17-14) were down 4-0 in the fourth inning and trailed 4-3 in the seventh when they scored four runs—all with two outs—to take the lead. The Zephyrs loaded the bases with one out when Dodgers reliever Josh Ravin entered the game. Ravin struck out Austin Wates to get the second out, but then uncorked a wild pitch to allow the tying run to score.

Reid Brignac's two-run bloop single to left field gave the Zephyrs their first lead at 6-4. Ravin's second wild pitch of the inning allowed another run to score to make it 7-4.

New Orleans put up three more runs in the eighth inning, aided by four walks. Over two innings, four Dodgers relievers allowed seven runs on four hits and issued seven walks. Four the batters who walked eventually scored.

Early on it looked like the Dodgers were going to break out of their recent funk and awoke with a four-run second inning. O'Koyea Dickson opened up the scoring with a solo homer to left field. The towering fly ball cleared the fence by a few feet and gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.

Later in the inning with runners at the corners and one out, Brian Ward sent a ground ball to third base that was mishandled by Scott Sizemore, allowing another run to score. Darnell Sweeney capped the rally with a two-run, two-out single to make it 4-0.

The Zephyrs scored three runs in the fourth inning to cut OKC's lead to one. Brady Shoemaker got the Zephyrs on the board with a RBI double. After Derek Dietrich was hit by a pitch, Isaac Galloway hit a weak ground ball to the left of the pitcher's mound. Dodgers pitcher Zach Lee fielded the ball, but his throw to first base was wide, and the errant throw allowed another run to score.

Brandon Bantz followed with a RBI single to make it 4-3. With runners at the corners and two outs, Bantz took off for second base. Elliot Johnson cut off the throw and fired back home, where Ward put the tag on Galloway to end the inning.

New Orleans then returned the favor by throwing out a runner at the plate in the top of the fifth. Corey Seager tried to score from first base on a double to deep left-center field by Dickson, but the Zephyrs executed a perfect relay to home plate to end to nab Seager.

The Dodgers did not have a hit after Dickson's double and only had one runner reach base over the final four innings.

Zephyrs starting pitcher Jose Urena (3-0) lasted seven innings and earned the win for New Orleans. Only two of the four runs Urena surrendered were earned. He allowed seven hits, with two walks and two strikeouts.

Lee exited in line for the win, but would not figure in the decision. He pitched at least six innings for the fifth time in seven starts, allowing three runs and six hits. After tying a career high with five walks in his previous outing, Lee did not allow a walk Wednesday, and he finished with five strikeouts.

Ramon Troncoso (1-1) was tabbed with the loss. He was charged with three runs while only recording one out in the seventh inning.

The Dodgers and Zephyrs continue their series 7 p.m Thursday night.