Culberson's Big Night Propels Dodgers To Victory

Charlie Culberson collected five RBI over two at-bats to help lead the Oklahoma City Dodgers to a 13-2 win Sunday night against the El Paso Chihuahuas at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

Culberson hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning and added a two-run double in the fifth inning to drive in the Dodgers’ first five runs of the night.

The five-RBI night was the fourth by an Oklahoma City player this season and Culberson’s highest RBI total since collecting six RBI June 12, 2010 while playing for High-A San Jose against Bakersfield.

The Dodgers (68-52) extended their winning streak to five games in front of a crowd of 5,600.

El Paso (65-57) grabbed the game's first lead in the third inning on a RBI single by Manuel Margot, 1-0.

Yasiel Puig led off the bottom of the fourth inning with his second single of the night. O’Koyea Dickson drew a one-out walk. Charlie Culberson stepped up to the plate next and hit a three-run homer to left field to put the Dodgers ahead, 3-1. The home run was Culberson’s fourth of the season.

Culberson doubled on a high fly ball that hit off the wall in front of the Dodgers’ bullpen in left-center field to bring home two more runs for Oklahoma City in the bottom of the fifth inning. Micah Johnson reached on a throwing error by El Paso first baseman Diego Goris and Culberson scored on the play to push Oklahoma City in front, 6-1.

Jack Murphy added a two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning to extend Oklahoma City’s lead to 8-1.

The Dodgers scored five runs on five hits in the eighth inning to extend their lead further.

Brandon Hicks led off the bottom of the eighth inning and belted a towering fly ball to left field and out of the ballpark for his sixth home run of the year. The home run gave the Dodgers a 9-1 lead.

Austin Barnes connected on a RBI single later in the eighth inning to extend Oklahoma City to a 10-1 lead. Micah Johnson’s two-run triple later in the inning extended Oklahoma City’s lead to 12-1.  Jack Murphy collected a RBI single to push the Dodgers ahead, 13-1.

Murphy finished the night 3-for-5 with three RBI.

Diego Goris hit a RBI single in the top of the ninth inning to cut into Oklahoma City’s lead, 13-2.

Dodgers starting pitcher Logan Bawcom (5-3) earned his fifth win of the season in a spot start. He allowed one run and four hits, one walk and struck out four over 6.0 innings.

El Paso starting pitcher Frank Garces (5-7) was charged with the loss, allowing six runs (five earned) and seven hits over 5.0 innings. He walked two and recorded four strikeouts.

The Dodgers matched their season-high run total and secured their largest winning margin of the season as they grabbed a 3-0 lead in the current series.

The series between the Chihuahuas and Dodgers wraps up at 7:05 p.m. Monday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.