Dodgers Get Loud, Win 7-3 Over Sounds

Nashville, Tenn.  - Jack Murphy set a career high with four hits and starting pitching Jose De Leon earned his first win of the season with five strong innings, as the Oklahoma City Dodgers controlled from start to finish during a 7-3 victory over the Nashville Sounds Thursday night at First Tennessee Park.  

Murphy finished 4-for-4 with a double, two RBI, and a run scored. He paced a 12-hit attack, as the Dodgers (43-36) won for the fourth time in five games at First Tennessee Park this season. Corey Brown added two extra-base hits, and Micah Johnson and Zach Walters also collected multi-hit games.  

The Dodgers took a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Johnson led off the game with a double and was still at second base with one out. With Brown at the plate, Johnson took off for third on the pitch. Brown sent a grounder to second base, and as the throw went to first base, Johnson raced to home plate. Johnson beat the throw home from Nashville first baseman Ryon Healy, giving the Dodgers the lead.

The Dodgers plated a pair in the second inning, both with two outs. Murphy ripped a RBI single to center field to make it 2-0. After Johnson drew a walk to load the bases, Austin Barnes followed with another walk to extend the lead.

Nashville (47-34) got on the board in the third inning. With runners at the corners and one out, Healy sent grounder off De Leon's body. De Leon was able to quickly find the ball and throw over to first base for the out, but Jaycob Brugman scored to cut OKC's lead to 3-1.

That would be the only run De Leon (1-0) surrendered over five innings, marking his longest start since coming off the disabled list in early June. He allowed one run and four hits, with six strikeouts and two walks. De Leon held the Sounds 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and finished his outing by retiring nine of the final 10 batters he faced.

The Dodgers went ahead 4-1 in the fourth inning. Walters led off with a single and advanced to second base on the play due to an error by third baseman Renato Nunez. Two batters later, Murphy collected his second RBI single, giving the Dodgers a three-run lead once again.

The seventh inning started with a bang. On the first pitch of the inning, Brown blasted a home run onto the right field concourse. O'Koyea Dickson followed with another home run out to left field, as the Dodgers hit back-to-back home runs for the second time this season.

Nashville rallied for a run in the bottom of the inning after having none out with two outs. Bruce Maxwell lined a single to right field, and Brown committed a two-base fielding error, allowing Maxwell to go to third base. Brugman followed with a RBI single to make it 6-2.

The Dodgers responded again in the top of the eighth. Murphy sent a double down the first base line for his fourth hit of the night. Johnson stepped up next and hit a RBI single to score OKC's seventh run.

Matt Olson finished the scoring by hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Nashville starting pitcher Angel Castro (0-6) took the loss. He allowed four runs (three earned) and eight hits over six innings, with three walks and three strikeouts.

OKC has now won six of their last seven road games, as well as seven of their last nine away from OKC. They finished June with a 17-12 record.

The Dodgers square off against the Sounds again Friday night at 7:05 p.m. Live coverage begins 15 minutes before the scheduled first pitch on AM 1340 "The Game," 1340thegame.com, or through the free iHeartRadio mobile app.