Dodgers Down El Paso Friday to Stay Alive in PCL Championship Series

Will Venable’s two-run single in the seventh inning gave the Oklahoma City Dodgers the lead and the Dodgers pitching staff held the El Paso Chihuahuas to two runs in a 4-2 win in Game 3 of the PCL Championships Series Friday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

Friday’s game was a must-win for Oklahoma City, which lost the first two games of the best-of-five series in El Paso.

The Dodgers’ win Friday in front of a crowd of 6,630 forced a Game 4 to be played at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. El Paso now leads the best-of-five series, 2-1.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Brett Anderson started for Oklahoma City Friday as he continued his ML rehab assignment. Anderson held the Chihuahuas to one run and three hits over five solid innings. He did not issue a walk and recorded five strikeouts, throwing 54 pitches, including 41 strikes.

Casey Fien retired all three batters he faced in the sixth inning. Sam Le Cure (1-0) allowed one run and two hits in the seventh inning and earned his first win of the postseason. Jacob Rhame earned his second save of the playoffs by retiring six of the seven batters he faced over the eighth and ninth innings, allowing one walk and recording two strikeouts.

The Chihuahuas took the game’s first lead in the second inning, when Patrick Kivlehan hit a home run that landed on the grass berm in front of the video board in left-center field for a 1-0 El Paso lead.

Oklahoma City tied the game in the third inning. Kyle Farmer hit a two-out double on a fly ball to center field and scored on a RBI single by Alex Verdugo in the third inning to tie the game, 1-1.

The Dodgers loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, but Farmer lined out to left field to end the inning.

El Paso’s Hunter Renfroe doubled to lead off the top of the seventh inning and scored on a RBI single by Diego Goris on a line drive to left field to give the Chihuahuas a 2-1 advantage.

Oklahoma City then scored three runs in the seventh inning to take their first lead of the night.

Cody Bellinger singled and Farmer walked to lead off the inning for the Dodgers. A sacrifice bunt by Verdugo moved the runners to second and third base.

El Paso pitcher Kyle McGrath then intentionally walked Chris Taylor to load the bases for Venable, who hit a two-run single toward second base to give the Dodgers a 3-2 lead. Later with two outs, a RBI single into left field by Jack Murphy boosted the Dodgers to a 4-2 advantage.

El Paso reliever Daniel Moskos (0-1) was charged with the loss, allowing two runs and one hit, along with two walks in the seventh inning.

Oklahoma City is making its third appearance in the PCL Championships Series since joining the league in 1998, and first since 2008, as the team seeks its first PCL title.

The Dodgers will host Game 4 at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Oklahoma City will also host 5, if necessary, at 2:05 p.m. Sunday in Bricktown.

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

Live coverage of Saturday’s playoff game will begin 15 minutes before the first pitch on AM 1340 "The Game," 1340thegame.com, or through the free iHeartRadio mobile app.