Bellinger, Dodgers Egg Redbirds’ Easter

Cody Bellinger hit a game-tying homer in the fifth inning and a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh inning, and the Oklahoma City Dodgers pitching staff allowed one hit over the final six innings to claim a 3-2 victory over the Memphis Redbirds Sunday afternoon at AutoZone Park.

The Dodgers (7-4) have now won five straight games, as well as taken wins in seven of the last eight games. They are now 5-1 through the first six games of their first road trip of the season.

Trailing, 2-1, in the fifth inning, Bellinger stepped to the plate with two outs and connected on a solo shot to right field for his third home run of the season.

The game was still tied in the seventh. With a runner on and one out, Memphis second baseman Breyvic Valera committed a fielding error to put runners at first and second base. Two batters later and now with two outs, Bellinger struck for a RBI single into right field to put the Dodgers ahead for good.

Bellinger is 4-for-7 with two walks, four RBI and three runs scored through the first two games of the current series. He leads OKC this season with 15 hits, 11 RBI and eight runs scored through 11 games.

After giving up two runs and four hits through the first three innings, the Dodgers pitching staff held Memphis (6-5) to one hit and one walk over the final six frames. During that stretch they faced the minimum, thanks to three double plays, and they did not have a runner reach scoring position.

OKC reliever Madison Younginer (1-0) retired all six batters he faced between the sixth and seventh innings, with five via strikeout, as he picked up his first win of the season. Jacob Rhame pitched the eighth and ninth innings, and although the leadoff man reached base both times, he ended each inning with a ground ball double play.

The ninth inning started with pinch hitter Luke Voit reaching on a fielding error by Charlie Culberson. Rhame then got Valera to fly out and Todd Cunningham to hit into a game-ending double play, as Rhame picked up his first save of the season.

The Dodgers turned a season-high four double plays and catcher Bobby Wilson threw out two attempted base stealers, resulting in the OKC pitching staff facing two batters over the minimum for the game and no runners left on base for Memphis.

The Dodgers have come from behind to win in each of the last three games, this time erasing a two-run deficit. For the second straight game, the Redbirds took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Patrick Wisdom led off with a double, and Harrison Bader followed with a single to put runners at the corners. Chad Huffman then sent a sacrifice fly to center field, putting Memphis in front.

The Redbirds started off the third inning with another leadoff double, this time by Carson Kelly. Two batters later Kelly scored on a RBI single by Valera to make it 2-0.

The Dodgers answered the fourth inning, loading the bases with one out for Willie Calhoun. Calhoun lined a single to right field to plate Bellinger, but Alex Verdugo was thrown out trying to score as well. After a walk to Culberson loaded the bases again, Wilson flied out to end the threat.

OKC pulled even next time up in the fifth inning and then took the lead for good in the seventh inning thanks to Bellinger’s key hits.

Memphis reliever Zach Phillips took the loss after allowing the deciding run to score in the seventh, albeit an unearned run. Phillips surrendered two hits, with one walk and no strikeouts.

The Dodgers look to sweep their three-game set with the Redbirds at 11:05 a.m. Monday. Live coverage begins at 10:50 a.m. on AM 1340 "The Game," 1340thegame.com, or through the free iHeartRadio mobile app.

-OKC Dodgers-