A late comeback effort was foiled, with Triple-A Oklahoma City falling 7-6 to the Tacoma Rainiers (Mariners) on Sunday, dropping two of three games in the opening series of the season.

Walker Buehler pitched into the fourth inning in the first start of his rehab assignment, throwing 54 pitches. He allowed three runs (two earned) in his final two innings.

Player of the day

Trey Sweeney reached base four times on Sunday, including two walks and a single, and scored twice. In the third inning, the nearly 24-year-old shortstop, acquired by the Dodgers from the Yankees on December 11, hit his first Triple-A home run.

Mark it down. Trey Sweeney's got his first career Triple-A homer! pic.twitter.com/8TnzsXvNBK

— Oklahoma City Baseball Club (@okc_baseball) March 31, 2024

Triple-A Oklahoma City

Ryan Ward also homered for OKC, in the second inning, one of two hits for the designated hitter. He and Sweeney helped Oklahoma City to a 3-0 lead, but by the end of six innings that turned into a 7-3 deficit.

Andy Pages got one back with an RBI triple in the seventh inning. Miguel Vargas singled home two in the ninth inning to pull OKC within one, but Ward grounded back to the pitcher to end the game.

Andre Lipcius, who homered twice as the second baseman on Saturday, had two hits including a double as a first baseman on Sunday.

Kevin Gowdy helped keep the game close with scoreless frames in the seventh and eighth, giving the right-hander three scoreless innings in the series.

Transactions

Buehler joined Oklahoma City on a rehab assignment. Nabil Crismatt was called up to the Dodgers, and Kyle Hurt was optioned to OKC.