Mike Salas
The 2024 Major League Baseball season opened this past week, and last night, the minor leagues got started. Known as the Oklahoma City Dodgers since 2015, the team starts the 2024 season with a name and brand change to the OKC Baseball Club. Even with the name change, OKC will continue as the Dodgers’ top-level farm team in the Major Leagues.
OKC traveled to the Pacific Northwest to kick off the season, playing a three-game series against the Tacoma Rainiers (Seattle Mariners AAA team). Landon Knack took the mound and threw a solid 5.0 IP, giving up three hits, striking out six, and ending with a .200 AVG. The first game of the series went to extra innings, with OKC and Tacoma’s pitching shutting down both teams’ offense.
Ricky Vanasco, Gus Varland, Kevin Gowdy, and J.P. Feyereisen all pitched one scoreless inning. John Rooney came in the tenth and threw a scoreless inning, but at the bottom of the eleventh, Rooney gave up two hits that scored the winning run for the Rainiers, ending the game 1-0.
Centerfielder Drew Avans was the standout for OKC’s offense. Avans had 4AB, 2 hits, 1 double, 2 strikeouts, and ended the night with .500AVG /.500OBP / .750SLG / 1.250OPS. Catcher Hunter Feduccia and first baseman Kevin Padlo each got one hit. Andy Pages, first at-bat, hit a high flyball that traveled 420ft and came up just short of putting it over the fence at 425ft. Pages had 3AB, struck out once, and ended the game with .400OBP / .400OPS.
The 2023 Pacific Coast League Champion OKC Baseball Club takes the field tonight at 7:05 PST for game two of the three-game series against the Tacoma Rainiers to try and even the series at one apiece. You can watch the game on MiLB
For Dodgers Beat, I’m Mike Salas
Have you subscribed to the Bleed Los Podcast YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows & promotions, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
