Dodgers Edged Again in Albuquerque

Albuquerque Isotopes – 3

OKC Dodgers – 2

Friday, Aug. 5, 2021 – Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park – Albuquerque, N.M.

Game Summary: The Albuquerque Isotopes took a 3-0 lead through three innings and kept the Oklahoma City Dodgers to two runs and five hits, taking home a 3-2 win Friday night at Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park. For the second straight night, the Isotopes (37-42) scored a run in the first inning to take the early lead. A pair of seeing-eye RBI singles in the third inning put Isotopes ahead, 3-0. The Dodgers (41-39) were held scoreless and to one hit through four innings, but cracked the run column with a RBI triple by Drew Avans in the fifth inning. The Dodgers had the first two batters of the eighth inning reach base, putting the tying runs aboard with none out. Luke Raley came up next and nearly hit a go-ahead, three-run homer, but it was caught at the wall in right-center field, turning into a sacrifice fly instead. OKC put the tying run in scoring position with two outs in the inning, but could not rally and fell by one run for the second straight night.

Of Note:

-For the first time since losing three straight games May 22-24 in Albuquerque, the Dodgers have lost consecutive road games. They entered Friday’s game with a 23-9 record in their last 32 road games and had followed up each of the previous eight losses with a win in the next game. This is the first time they’ve started any series in an 0-2 hole since dropping the first two games of their first home series of the season May 13-14 against Sacramento. It’s also the first road series they’ve started 0-2 since opening the season in Round Rock with consecutive defeats May 6-7.

-After scoring at least seven runs in four consecutive games, the Dodgers were held to two runs and five hits Friday night. In the previous four games they had scored 30 runs, tallied 22 extra-base hits and went 14-for-45 (.311) with runners in scoring position. On Friday they had one extra-base hit and went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position.

-Matt Davidson went 2-for-4 and had the only multi-hit game for OKC. He’s 5-for-9 in the first two games of the series. Davidson also turned an unassisted double play at first base in the eighth inning.

-Corey Knebel continued his Major League Rehab Assignment and struck out all three batters he faced in the seventh inning. Knebel threw 11 pitches, including nine strikes, and all three strikeouts were on swinging third strikes. Over five outings during the rehab assignment, Knebel has allowed one run and three hits over 5.1 innings, with one walk and 10 strikeouts.

-Starting pitcher Markus Solbach turned in a season-high 6.0 innings. He allowed a total of three runs and eight hits, with one walk and five strikeouts. The Isotopes started 6-for-12 with three runs against Solbach, but he then held the Isotopes 2-for-12 with no runs over the remainder of his outing. He finished by retiring seven of the final eight batters he faced, with the only exception being a pop up that was lost in the lights and dropped for a base hit.

-The Dodgers lost by one run for the second straight game. They are now 6-15 in one-run games this season and have lost eight of the last 10 one-run games they’ve been involved in. The 15 one-run losses are most in Triple-A West, while the six wins are the fewest. Four of the last five wins for Albuquerque against the Dodgers have been by one run.

-Neither the Dodgers nor the Isotopes hit a home run Friday and they combined for three extra-base hits – all triples – after combining for 16 extra-base hits Thursday. The teams entered Friday with the top two home run totals among all Triple-A teams since July 8. (OKC – 44; ABQ – 45)

-The Dodgers have now lost eight straight games when their opponent scored first.

-At 2 hours, 33 minutes, Friday’s game was the second-shortest nine-inning game the Dodgers have played this season.

What’s Next: The Dodgers look be bounce back at Isotopes Park starting 7:35 p.m. CT Saturday. Live radio coverage of each OKC Dodgers game begins 15 minutes before first pitch on AM 1340 "The Game," 1340thegame.com and through the free iHeartRadio or MiLB First Pitch apps. All OKC Dodgers games are also available streamed live on MiLB.TV with a subscription.