Dickson Propels Dodgers To First Win

O’Koyea Dickson continued his hot start at the plate Sunday afternoon, collecting four hits, driving in three runs and scoring three runs in the Oklahoma City Dodgers’ 12-1 win against the Iowa Cubs at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

Dickson went 4-for-5 with a double, home run, three RBI and three runs scored Sunday as the Dodgers picked up their first win of the young 2017 season in front of a crowd of 4,440.

Through his first three games of the season, the outfielder is now batting .714 (10-for-14) with three home runs, a double, five RBI and six runs scored. He has recorded three hits in each of his first three games of 2017.

Oklahoma City’s offense recorded its highest run total (12) Sunday since defeating El Paso, 13-2, Aug. 14, 2016 in OKC. The Dodgers posted 19 hits in the game, marking their highest hit total since a 15-inning game Aug. 19, 2015 against Reno (19 hits).

The Dodgers (1-3) took their first lead of the season in the first inning, tallying four quick runs.

With a runner on first base, first baseman Cody Bellinger hit a RBI double on a fly ball to center field for the Dodgers’ first run of the day. Dickson followed and lined a RBI single to center field to bring home Bellinger for a 2-0 Oklahoma City lead.

Second baseman Willie Calhoun came up to the plate next and doubled before a Rob Segedin RBI single. Charlie Culberson grounded into a double play later in the inning, which allowed Calhoun to score for a 4-0 Oklahoma City advantage.

The Dodgers added two runs in the third inning on back-to-back home runs.

Third baseman Segedin ripped a two-out, solo homer over the visiting bullpen in right-center field to extend Oklahoma City to a 5-0 lead on his first home run of the season.

Right fielder Brett Eibner followed Segedin and belted a solo homer out to center field, giving the Dodgers back-to-back homers for the second straight game, and pushing Oklahoma City to a 6-0 lead.

Oklahoma City extended to a 7-0 lead in the fifth inning when Dickson led off the bottom of the frame with his third home run in five at-bats.

On the mound, Dodgers starting pitcher Jair Jurrjens held Iowa off the scoreboard for five innings.

Iowa (3-1) broke the shutout in the sixth inning when Ian Happ hit a towering fly ball to center field for his third homer in as many games to cut Oklahoma City’s lead to 7-1.

A RBI single by Dickson in the bottom of the inning extended Oklahoma City to a seven-run lead and a RBI single by Chris Taylor in the seventh inning put the Dodgers on top, 9-1.

Dickson recorded his fourth hit of the day in the eighth inning when he lined a double to left field. Eibner’s RBI single later brought him home for a 10-1 Dodgers lead. Eibner went 4-for-4 Sunday afternoon with two RBI and three runs scored.

A two-run double by catcher Jack Murphy in the eighth inning put Oklahoma City in front, 12-1.

Jurrjens (1-0) earned Oklahoma City’s first win of the season, pitching six innings and holding Iowa to one run and three hits, with three strikeouts and no walks.

Oklahoma City relievers Jacob Rhame and Adam Liberatore followed and combined for three scoreless and hitless innings.

Iowa starting pitcher Jake Buchanan (0-1), a former Oklahoma City RedHawk, was charged with the loss, allowing eight runs and 11 hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

Oklahoma City’s season-opening series against Iowa concludes with an 11:05 a.m. game Monday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.