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The Dodgers narrowly missed a no-hitter for the second night in a row. But on Saturday it was the Oklahoma City Dodgers, that is. Three pitchers combined for to hold the Nashville Sounds (A's) hitless through eight innings, but Chin-hui Tsao allowed a pair of hits in the ninth inning to end the no-hit bid.
Nashville, down two runs to open the inning, got the tying run in scoring position with one out, but Tsao held on to preserve the win, a 2-1 two-hitter.
Oklahoma City pitchers have combined to allow three runs in the first three games of the series.
Sam LeCure, signed on Thursday to a minor league deal, made a spot start for Oklahoma City, his first start since 2011. LeCure retired all 12 batters he faced, including seven ground outs and no strikeouts.
Ian Thomas followed with three scoreless innings of his own, only issuing a walk to Nashville catcher Bruce Maxwell with two outs in the sixth inning. Thomas struck out three batters. Adam Liberatore pitched a perfect eighth inning, including two strikeouts, giving OKC pitchers 24 of 25 batters retired at that point.
Renato Nunez doubled to right field to open the ninth against Tsao then scored on a single by Maxwell to but Oklahoma City's lead in half.
Oklahoma City placed starter Carlos Frias on the disabled list earlier Saturday with an oblique strain.
The last no-hitter by a Dodgers domestic minor league affiliate was thrown by Andres Santiago for Double-A Chattanooga on Aug. 28, 2014. The last no-hitter for Oklahoma City was by Luis Mendoza on Aug. 14, 2009, when OKC was a Rangers affiliate, then known as the RedHawks.
Yasmani Grandal, in his third rehab game with OKC, was 2-for-2 with a pair of singles as the designated hitter. He is 3-for-7 (.429) with a home run and two walks in his three games with Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma City wraps up its four-game series against the Sounds on Sunday afternoon with a 12:05 p.m. PT game. Jeremy Kehrt starts for the Dodgers, with Zach Neal throwing for Nashville.