Dodgers Cruise Past Round Rock

After being held to no runs and one hit over the first five innings, the Oklahoma City Dodgers scored six runs over the final four innings to beat the Round Rock Express, 6-3, Thursday night at Dell Diamond.

In a series featuring the teams with two best records in the Pacific Coast League, the Dodgers (37-21) won three out of four, sending Rock Round (35-23) to their first home series loss of the season.

Round Rock jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. After Rougned Odor singled, he stole second base and advanced to third on a throwing error by OKC catcher Austin Barnes. Ryan Rua followed with a RBI single to put the Express in front.

Round Rock starting pitcher Jerad Eickhoff held the Dodgers to just one hit through five scoreless innings. However, the Dodgers got their offense going in the sixth. OKC started the inning with three straight singles, the final being a RBI knock by Barnes to tie the game.

With runners at the corners and one out, Andy Wilkins hit into what initially appeared to be an inning-ending double play. However, Round Rock shortstop Yeyson Yrizarri was ruled to have been off second base, thus nullifying the force out. Darnell Sweeney scored the go-ahead run on the play, giving the Dodgers a 2-1 lead.

Round Rock regained the lead in the bottom of the inning. With a runner on and two outs, Tommy Field hit a homer that stayed fair by a few feet down the left field line, giving the Express a 3-2 advantage.

The Dodgers answered with a home run to even the score in the seventh. Scott Schebler pulverized a homer off the equipment shed in center field to make it 3-3.

OKC took the lead in the eighth. Sweeney led off with a single and stole second base. He the advanced to third on a flyout by Barnes. Two batters later, Wilkins picked up another key RBI, scoring Sweeney on a sacrifice fly.

Kyle Jensen followed with a RBI double, giving OKC a 5-3 lead. Jensen finished the four-game series with eight runs batted in.

The Dodgers tacked on another run in the ninth inning. Schebler doubled, stole third base, and eventually scored on a RBI groundout by Sweeney.

After Field's home run in the sixth, the Dodgers bullpen held the Express scoreless with two singles the rest of the way. Ramon Troncoso (2-1) pitched 1.1 scoreless innings and earned the win. Ryan Buchter worked a scoreless eighth, and Chin-Hui Tsao closed out the game for the second straight night to earn his second save.

The game ended when Yrizarri hit into a double play, the final of a season-high four double plays turned by the Dodgers.

Down on rehab assignment from the Texas Rangers, reliever Neftali Feliz picked up the loss for the Express. Feliz (0-1) allowed two runs and two hits with one walk in the eighth inning.