Rain Delay Can't Stop Dodgers, Stewart

Brock Stewart struck out a career-high 10 batters over seven innings of one-run ball, and the Oklahoma City Dodgers hits two home runs in a 5-2 win over the New Orleans Zephrys Sunday afternoon at Zephyr Field.

Making his second Triple-A start, Stewart (2-0) delivered seven strong innings, allowing one run and five hits, with none for extra bases. He did not allow walk while recording the first double-digit strikeout game of his career.

At one point between the first and sixth innings, Stewart retired 16 of 17 batters, including a run of 12 straight. He held the Zephrys 1-for-10 with runners on base, including 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

After the game was delayed by 1 hour and 1 minute due to rain, the Dodgers (37-31) took the game’s first lead and got on the board in the first inning. Austin Barnes led off the game with a double, and Charlie Culberson followed with a single to put runners at the corners. Rob Segedin hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Barnes and putting OKC in front, 1-0.

The Zephyrs answered in their first at-bat. With one out, Tomas Telis and Xavier Scruggs hits back-to-back singles, putting runners at first and third. Matt Juengel followed with a RBI groundout to even the score.

Charlie Culberson put the Dodgers back in front in the third inning, sending a two-run homer out to left field for his second dinger with OKC.

James Ramsey followed suit in the fourth inning. With two outs, Ramsey hit his sixth home run of the season, and his solo shot down the right field line pushed the lead to 4-1.

The Dodgers have hit six home runs through the first three games of the series against the Zephyrs. New Orleans had allowed just six homers through the first 15 games in June entering the series. The Dodgers have now homered in nine straight games, as well as in 13 of the team’s last 14 games.

After having none on with two outs in the sixth, the Dodgers rallied for another run. After a walk by Corey Brown and a single by Brandon Hicks, Ramsey sent a RBI single up the middle to make it 5-1. Stewart followed with a walk to load the bases, but Barnes flied out to end the inning.

Following a one-out error in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Zephyrs had two runners on, but Stewart finished his day by striking out the final two batters.

The Zephyrs scored in the eighth. With two out, Scruggs walked and Jeungel stepped up next to hit a RBI double. Dodgers reliever Jacob Rhame then got Destin Hood to pop out before New Orleans could get closer.

Luis Avilan worked a scoreless ninth inning and picked up his fourth save of the season.

New Orleans starting pitcher Chris Reed entered Sunday having allowed three runs over his previous five starts totaling 32 innings, but the Dodgers touched him up for four runs and five hits over five innings. Reed (1-3) struck out four and walked one.

The Dodgers have now won four straight games, as well as six of their last seven games. Going back to 2015, OKC has now won nine straight games at Zephyr Field.

The Dodgers and Zephyrs finish their series bright and early at 11 a.m. Monday morning. Live coverage begins 15 minutes before the scheduled first pitch on AM 1340 "The Game," 1340thegame.com, or through the free iHeartRadio mobile app.