Dodgers Split Doubleheader With Sounds

The OKC Dodgers and Nashville Sounds split a doubleheader on Thursday to open a five-game series between the teams at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

Oklahoma City won the first game, 5-3, fueled by two home runs by Corey Brown in front of a crowd of 5,166. The Dodgers then took the lead in the second game on a home run by O’Koyea Dickson, but Nashville came back and scored four unanswered runs to win, 4-1.

In the first seven-inning game Thursday afternoon, Dodgers starting pitcher Jharel Cotton retired the first five batters he faced before the Sounds rallied with two outs in the second inning.

Ryon Healy hit a high fly ball to center field for his third homer of the season to give the Sounds a 1-0 lead. Joey Wendle followed with a double and Colin Walsh hit a RBI single to put Nashville in front, 2-0, in the second inning.

Brown’s opposite field solo homer onto the roof of the Budweiser Deck in left field cut Nashville’s lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the second inning.

The Dodgers took the lead for good in the third inning, collecting three runs on four hits in the frame.

Antoan Richardson singled and advanced to second base on a groundout by Charlie Culberson. He then scored on a double by Micah Johnson to tie the game, 2-2, with none out. Zach Walters followed with a single. Rob Segedin then doubled down the left field line to bring home Johnson for a 3-2 Dodgers lead. Brown stepped up next and lined out to Nashville first baseman Healy, whose errant throw toward second base allowed Walters to score for a 4-2 advantage.

Nashville’s Colin Walsh lined a RBI single to center field to cut Oklahoma City’s lead to 4-3 in the top of the sixth inning.

Brown hit his second home run in the bottom of the sixth inning, belting a solo shot on a fly ball onto the grass berm in right-center field for a 5-3 Dodgers lead.

Cotton (5-3) earned his fifth victory on the season, allowing two runs and five hits over 5.0 innings. He walked two and recorded seven strikeouts. Jacob Rhame pitched a scoreless and hitless seventh inning for his second save of the season.

Sounds starting pitcher Angel Castro (0-3) was charged with the loss, allowing five runs (four earned) and nine hits. He did not issue a walk and struck out four.

In the second game of the doubleheader Thursday night, the Dodgers took the lead in the second inning.

Dickson homered on a fly ball to left-center field to lead off the bottom of the inning for the Dodgers and give Oklahoma City a 1-0 lead.

The Sounds quickly tied the game in the top of the third inning. Rangel Ravelo led off the inning with a single and advanced to third base on a double by Matt McBride. He then scored on a sacrifice fly by Jaycob Brugman to tie the score, 1-1.

A RBI single from Brugman in the fifth inning pushed the Sounds ahead, 2-1.

The Sounds added two more runs in the top of the seventh, and final, inning. Colin Walsh drew a walk from Dodgers reliever Lisalverto Bonilla and scored on a double by McBride to put Nashville in front, 3-1. Chad Pinder’s RBI single later pushed the Sounds ahead, 4-1.

Pitcher R.J. Alvarez got the win after joining the Sounds Thursday on a major league rehab assignment from Oakland. He pitched 1.2 scoreless and hitless innings with three strikeouts.

Pitcher Frankie Montas, who is with Oklahoma City on a major league rehab assignment from Los Angeles, allowed one run and two hits over 4.0 innings. He did not issue a walk and struck out six Sounds batters. Bonilla (1-2) was charged with the loss, allowing three runs on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts over 2.2 innings.

Thursday marked the first doubleheader of the season for the Dodgers, as they made up a game against the Sounds that was rained out April 17 in Oklahoma City.

The series between the teams continues at 7:05 p.m. Friday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The BMX Trickstars are scheduled to perform bike and freestyle stunts throughout the evening, and fireworks, presented by the Oklahoma Blood Institute, will follow the game.