ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Oklahoma City Dodgers (3-1) mounted an impressive late-inning comeback, scoring five runs in the final two frames, including four in the bottom of the ninth, to record an 8-7 walkoff win over the Round Rock Express (1-5) on Tuesday night. E-Train RHP José Leclerc (0-1, 21.60)
ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Oklahoma City Dodgers (3-1) mounted an impressive late-inning comeback, scoring five runs in the final two frames, including four in the bottom of the ninth, to record an 8-7 walkoff win over the Round Rock Express (1-5) on Tuesday night.
E-Train RHP José Leclerc (0-1, 21.60) suffered the loss after walking the only four batters he faced to begin the ill-fated ninth inning. All four runners eventually scored to help complete the comeback. Dodgers LHP Edward Paredes (1-1, 0.00) picked up the win after recording the final two outs in Round Rock's half of the ninth inning.
The home side struck first as CF Henry Ramos drove home SS Breyvic Valera with a groundout in the third inning. Round Rock jumped ahead in the fourth thanks to a solo Willie Calhoun home run followed by base hits from C Cameron Rupp and RF Destin Hood . After a Christian Lopes walk that loaded the bases, SS Hanser Alberto grounded out, leaving just enough time for Rupp to race home with the go-ahead run.
The E-Train blew the game open in the fifth. 1B Ronald Guzmán led off the frame with a single, then Rupp worked a walk. With two outs in the frame, Hood struck out but advanced to first on a wild pitch by RHP Guillermo Moscoso . In the very next at-bat, Lopes launched the first Express grand slam of the year over the wall in right field to extend the lead to 6-1.
After the Dodgers dropped a pair of runs in the fifth, Rupp blasted a solo home run of his own in the seventh to reset the score at 7-3. However, the Oklahoma City comeback began in the very next frame as 1B Max Muncy lined a solo home run to right.
Leclerc then emerged for the ninth inning, walking the first four batters of the frame on 22 pitches before being replaced by RHP R.J. Alvarez . The righty surrendered a two-run single to LF Alex Verdugo on the very first pitch of his outing, leveling the game at 7-7. After Muncy was intentionally walked, RF Travis Taijeron roped a walkoff single into left field, scoring Ramos to give Oklahoma City the dramatic 8-7 comeback win.
Round Rock looks for redemption against Oklahoma City on Wednesday night. OKC RHP Walker Buehler (0-0, 2.25) is scheduled to take the mound against an E-Train pitcher yet to be announced. First pitch at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Downtown Oklahoma City is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
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