Los Angeles Dodgers top pitching prospect Julio Urias tossed six shutout frames for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday, extending his scoreless streak to 22 innings. Oklahoma City defeated the Las Vegas 51s (New York Mets affiliate), 1-0, in the opener of a four-game set at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.
The outing was a third consecutive in which Urias fired six innings. However, he set a season high with 82 pitches. Urias collected six strikeouts and issued two walks, facing only one batter over the minimum.
After allowing an infield single to open the third inning, Urias got a double play. After a second infield single that same inning, Urias picked the runner off first base. A leadoff single in the fourth was erased on another pickoff, which was Urias’ fourth in his last three starts.
Urias is now 3-1 with 39 strikeouts over 36 innings pitched across seven appearances (six starts) this season. His 1.25 ERA and 0.81 WHIP are both tops in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. Opponents are batting .176 off the prized left-hander this season.
Of the five runs Urias has allowed in 2016, four came in a single start on April 16. Urias last allowed a run in the fourth inning of his April 22 start.
Jack Murphy’s leadoff solo home run in the eighth inning proved to be the difference for Oklahoma City. Joe Thatcher, Matt West and Chin-Hui Tsao backed Urias to secure Oklahoma City’s fifth shutout win of the season.
