Dodgers Homer Way to 10-8 Win Over Omaha

The Oklahoma City Dodgers totaled a season-high four home runs on their way to a 10-8 win over the Omaha Storm Chasers on Monday Afternoon to close out the Pacific Coast League regular season. 

Brandon Hicks homered twice to collect his first multi-homer game of the season and Cody Bellinger and Corey Brown also homered in the game as the Dodgers swept their four-game series against the Storm Chasers.

The Dodgers (81-60) matched their season high with 16 hits in the game as they captured a sixth straight victory.

Oklahoma City’s pitching staff finished the game with nine strikeouts to bring their league-leading total to 1,245 and set the PCL modern era record for strikeouts in a single season in just 141 games. Dodgers pitchers also issued just one walk to finish the season with a league-low 372 walks and become the first PCL team since Sacramento in 2004 to lead the league in strikeouts while also allowing the fewest walks.

Hicks collected a season-high four RBI and Micah Johnson connected on a season-high four hits to lead the Dodgers offense. Johnson finished the regular season with a team-leading 121 hits in 120 games.

Johnson led off the game with a single, then scored on a one-out RBI single by Chris Taylor in the first inning for a 1-0 Oklahoma City lead.

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the first inning, Irving Falu connected on a sacrifice fly to center field that allowed Omaha’s first run of the day to score and tie the game, 1-1.

The Storm Chasers took the lead in the second inning when Ramon Torres hit a two-run homer out to left field to push his team in front, 3-1.

Bellinger answered with a homer in the top of the third inning for the Dodgers – his third homer in two games – to bring the Dodgers within a run.

A two-out RBI single by Omaha’s Parker Morin pushed the Storm Chasers’ lead to 4-2 in the fourth inning.

The Dodgers tied the game in the fifth inning.

Bellinger lined a RBI single to right field and Taylor followed with a RBI double to center field to tie the game, 4-4. Bellinger now has six hit and six RBI through his first three games with Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma City took the lead for good in the sixth inning, scoring four runs.

Alex Hassan led off with a double and Jack Murphy followed with a single. Both then scored on a three-run homer by Hicks to put Oklahoma City in front, 7-4.

A two-out RBI single by Taylor later in the inning gave the Dodgers an 8-4 advantage. Taylor went 3-for-5 with three RBI for the Dodgers Monday to record his second straight multi-hit game.

Omaha answered with another two-out RBI single by Morin in the bottom of the inning to cut Oklahoma City’s lead to 8-5.

Hicks hit his second homer of the game in the top of the seventh inning with two outs to push Oklahoma City in front, 9-5. Hicks finished the regular season with eight home runs.

A RBI groundout by Omaha’s Angel Franco in the eighth inning cut the Dodgers’ lead to three runs.

Corey Brown led off the ninth inning with his team-leading 23rd homer of the season out to center field, giving the Dodgers a 10-6 advantage.

The four home runs by Oklahoma City marked the team’s most since racking up a club record five homers June 21, 2015 against Nashville.

The Storm Chasers scored twice more in the ninth inning. Dusty Coleman hit a solo homer and Balbino Fuenmayor added a RBI double to cut Oklahoma City’s lead to 10-8.

Dodgers starting pitcher Roy Merritt pitched three innings, allowing three runs and five hits with one walk and two strikeouts – including the team’s record-breaking strikeout in the second inning.

Pitcher Gus Schlosser (1-1) followed Merritt on the mound and earned his first win of the season, allowing two runs and five hits over three frames with no walks and two strikeouts.

Oklahoma City wrapped up the regular season with a 3.72 team ERA, establishing a new club record and surpassing the team’s previous record ERA mark of 3.89 set in 2006 during the team’s current PCL era.

Omaha starting pitcher Jake Junis (1-3) was charged with the loss, allowing seven runs and 11 hits over five innings.

The Dodgers’ victory improved their record to a season-best 21 games above .500 and they secured their 11th win of the season against the Storm Chasers. Their 11 wins match their highest season win total against Omaha as they won the season series between the teams, 11-3.

The American Northern Division champion Dodgers next enter the postseason and play the American Southern Division champion Nashville Sounds in a best-of-five playoff series beginning Wednesday, Sept. 7 in Oklahoma City. The Dodgers will host the first two games of the series Sept. 7-8 before the series shifts to Nashville for the final three games of the series.

Tickets for the PCL playoffs are available through the box office on S. Mickey Mantle Drive, by calling (405) 218-1000, or by ordering through okcdodgers.com.

Live coverage begins 15 minutes before the scheduled first pitch on AM 1340 "The Game," 1340thegame.com, or through the free iHeartRadio mobile app.