Dodgers Take Series Finale, 5-4

OKC Dodgers — 5

Round Rock Express — 4

Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021 – Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark – Oklahoma City, Okla.

Game Summary: Cristian Santana hit a go-ahead RBI double in the seventh inning to break a tie and help send the Oklahoma City Dodgers to a 5-4 win against the Round Rock Express Tuesday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. With the score tied, 4-4, Zach McKinstry led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a triple. Later with one out, Santana hit a RBI double into center field to put the Dodgers in front, 5-4. The Dodgers’ bullpen held the Express scoreless over the final four innings, including 3.0 scoreless innings from winning pitcher Vidal Nuño (5-0). James Pazos retired all three batters he faced in the ninth inning for his fifth save. The Dodgers (48-41) took the game’s first lead when Luke Raley belted a leadoff homer out to center field. The Express (42-47) tied the game with a run in the third inning, but OKC answered in the bottom of the inning when Drew Avans reached base on a walk, stole second and third bases, then advanced home on an Express throwing error to put OKC ahead, 2-1. Round Rock tied the game again with a run in the fourth inning before Omar Estévez's two-run homer out to left field and onto the Budweiser Deck gave the Dodgers a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the inning. A two-run homer by Round Rock’s Leody Taveras in the fifth inning tied the game, 4-4.

Of Note:

-Luke Raley hit the Dodgers’ fourth leadoff homer of the season Tuesday and the team’s second in as many games after Sheldon Neuse hit a leadoff homer Sunday night against Round Rock. The Dodgers have hit 58 homers overall in their last 35 games and entered the game with the second-most homers in Triple-A West since July 8. OKC has now homered in eight of their last nine games, totaling 14 homers during the stretch.

-With Tuesday’s win, the Dodgers improved to a season-best seven games above .500 to 48-41 overall. OKC has won back-to-back games as well as seven of the last nine games and 10 of the last 14 games. The Dodgers also won their Red Dirt Rumble rivalry series against the Express, 4-1.

-Cristian Santana went 1-for-4 Tuesday with a double and RBI and has now hit safely in his last 17 starts. During the stretch, he is 28-for-69 (.406) with 13 RBI and 10 multi-hit games. He’s also hit safely in 18 of his last 20 games overall. Entering Tuesday, Santana ranked second in Triple-A West with a .412 batting average and tied for fourth with 28 hits since July 23.

-Zach McKinstry tied his season-high mark with a team-high three hits, going 3-for-4 with a triple and scoring a run, playing in his first game since his most recent option from the Los Angeles Dodgers Aug. 15. He has now hit safely in his last three games with OKC, going 5-for-11 with a homer, triple, two RBI and three runs scored.

-Drew Avans recorded two stolen bases Tuesday night to boost his team-leading total to 14 stolen bases this season. Carlos Asuaje also stole a base and the Dodgers’ three stolen bases in the game were a season high.

-Omar Estévez connected on a two-run homer in the fourth inning and over his last two games is 3-for-8 with five RBI, a homer, double and a run scored. Entering Sunday, Estévez had been in a 3-for-38 slump before picking up the game-winning hit and a season-high three RBI Sunday and hitting a go-ahead homer Monday.

-Carlos Asuaje went 2-for-4 with a double and stolen base for his seventh multi-hit game of the season Tuesday. He had been held without a hit and 0-for-7 in his previous four games.

What’s Next: Following a league-wide off day Wednesday, the OKC Dodgers open a six-game road series against the Sugar Land Skeeters at 7:05 p.m. Thursday at Constellation Field. 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.