Wilmer Font Strikes Out 15 As Dodgers Beat River Cats

<p>Dodgers starter Wilmer Font recorded a team-record 15 strikeouts in the Dodgers&rsquo; 6-4 win against the Sacramento River Cats.</p>

Tuesday, May 16th 2017, 11:19 am

By: News 9


Oklahoma City Dodgers starting pitcher Wilmer Font recorded a team-record 15 strikeouts in the Dodgers’ 6-4 win against the Sacramento River Cats Monday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

Font pitched six perfect innings, striking out 12 of the first 18 batters he faced in the series opener between the teams and striking out the side in two separate innings.

He surpassed the previous Oklahoma City team record of 14 strikeouts thrown by Chuck Smith June 23, 1999 in Game 2 of a doubleheader at Memphis.

Font did not allow a baserunner until issuing a leadoff walk to Orlando Calixte in the seventh inning. After notching his 13th strikeout, Font allowed a single by Austin Slater and RBI single by Chris Marrero for Sacramento’s first two hits of the night.

Font recorded two more strikeouts in the seventh inning before exiting the game in front of a crowd of 3,687.

Font (3-3) allowed one run and two hits and issued one walk against a career-high 15 strikeouts over a season-high 7.0 innings. He threw 98 pitches, including 72 for strikes.

After scoring 14 runs Sunday, the Dodgers’ offense stayed hot and built a quick 3-0 lead Monday.

In the first inning, Max Muncy reached on a fielding error before Drew Maggi stepped up to the plate and blasted a two-run home run over the Budweiser Deck in left field. Later in the inning with two outs, Trayce Thompson hit a towering fly ball that ricocheted off the parking garage past left field for his second home run in as many games to give the Dodgers a 3-0 lead.

The Dodgers (19-17) loaded the bases with one out in the third inning for Charlie Culberson, who hit a RBI single into left field for a 4-0 lead. Later in the inning with the bases loaded and two outs, Jack Murphy drew a walk to bring in another run for a 5-0 Dodgers lead.

A sacrifice fly by Alex Verdugo extended the Dodgers to a 6-0 lead in the fourth inning.

The River Cats (15-22) broke through the shutout in the seventh inning against Font with a leadoff walk and back-to-back one out singles by Austin Slater and Chris Marrero.

Sacramento’s Kyle Blanks hit a three-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to cut Oklahoma City’s lead to 6-4.

Dodgers pitchers recorded 17 strikeouts Monday as they posted back-to-back wins at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark for the first time since April 24-25 against Memphis.

Oklahoma City’s team strikeout total Monday was its highest for a nine-inning game this season and second-most in a game since tallying 18 strikeouts in Game 2 of a doubleheader at Omaha May 1.

Pitcher Layne Somsen replaced Font on the mound for Oklahoma City to start the eighth inning and allowed three runs and two hits over 1.2 innings.

Brandon Morrow recorded the final out of the game for his fifth save of the season.

Sacramento starting pitcher Chris Stratton (0-1) was charged with the loss, allowing six runs and six hits, four walks and striking out four over 3.1 innings.

The Dodgers continue their series against the Sacramento River Cats at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. 

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