OKC RedHawks Game Notes 6-15-09

Game 63 | June 15, 2009, 4:05 pm CDT | AT&T Bricktown Ballpark | Oklahoma City, OK

Fox Sports Radio AM 1340, RedHawks Radio Network | Play-by-Play: Jim Byers & Adam Marco

Today's scheduled starting pitchers:

RH Bryan Corey (2-2, 5.90) vs. RH Jeff Samardzija (3-2, 4.05)

TODAY: The Oklahoma City RedHawks open their longest homestand of the year with the first of 3 against the Iowa Cubs. The homestand runs 12 days and features 11 games, 3 against Iowa, 4 with Nashville and 4 more with Round Rock. OKC is 17-15 at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark. Today is the first meeting of the year between these teams, who met in the American Conference Championship series in 2008 after winning their respective divisions. The RedHawks took the 2008 playoff series with wins in the final 2 games at The Brick after Iowa jumped ahead 2-1 in the series. The RedHawks are tied for third in the American South Division, 1.5 games back of Albuquerque. Iowa is second, 5 games back of Nashville. Righthander Bryan Corey will make his third start of the year for the RedHawks and his second straight in the spot briefly occupied by the called-up Guillermo Moscoso. Righthander Jeff Samardzija gets the call for Iowa.

TRIP ENDS IN SPLIT: The RedHawks dropped a 4-2 decision in New Orleans last night and lost 3 out of 4 at Zephyr Field after winning 3 of 4 in the first series of the trip at Albuquerque. Elizardo Ramirez (3-5) turned in a quality start (6 IP, 8 H, 3 ER), but took the loss. New Orleans scored 2 runs in the third and added another in the sixth before the RedHawks sent 8 men to the plate in the seventh and scored on back-to-back, one-out doubles by Jose Vallejo and Greg Golson. New Orleans finished the scoring with a run in its half of the seventh. Gary Glover (1-0) made his Zephyrs debut a winner by tossing 5 shutout innings. Nate Field earned his seventh save. Field has pitched 4 hitless and scoreless innings against the RedHawks this season.

A HOMER A DAY: RedHawks pitching allowed 12 home runs on the road trip and gave up at least one homer in each game. David Matranga's homer last night was the Zephyrs' 12th against OKC pitching this season. The RedHawks have allowed 25 home runs against New Orleans and Albuquerque combined in 20 games, while surrendering just 15 in their other 42 games.

ERRORS REDUCED: OKC has been error-free in 8 of its last 11 and has only 8 errors in the last 21 games. OKC has gone 25 full games since its last multiple-error game. The RedHawks made 2 errors in a 9-1 win in the nightcap of a May 18 doubleheader against Tacoma. The RedHawks are 12-23 in games with an error and 16-11 when error-free.

HUFFMAN STREAKING: Royce Huffman has hit safely in 5 straight and 14 of his last 15 after going 1-for-3 last night. He leads the team in doubles with 13 and extra-base hits with 16. Huffman has as many doubles as any other RedHawk has extra-base hits. Julio Borbon (9 doubles, 4 triples) is second on the team with 13 extra-base hits.

STREAKINESS: Joaquin Arias had his season-best, 7-game hitting streak end last night by going 0-for-5. During the streak, Arias was 12-for-31 (.387) with 4 RBIs. Greg Golson is on a 7-game hitting streak, during which he's 9-for-27 (.333) with 2 RBIs. Max Ramirez has hit safely in 6 straight and 11 of his last 13, raising his average from .221 to .250 by going 17-for-56 (.304) in the 13-game stretch, which extends before his stint on the DL with right wrist soreness. Ramirez leads the team in multiple-RBI games with 10 and all have been 2-RBI contests.

TWILIGHT TIME: This is the RedHawks' ninth home game and 10th overall with a 4:05 p.m. local start time. At home, OKC is 3-5 in 4:05 starts. The RedHawks won their only road game with a 4:05 start, a 10-7 decision a week ago today in Albuquerque. OKC is 2-3 on travel days and 5-11 in series openers.

DOT...DOT...DOT: Esteban German is eighth in the PCL in on-base percentage at .420 and tied for third in walks with 40...German has gone 5 games without a walk.

UPCOMING PROBABLES:

Date Opponent Oklahoma City Pitcher Opposing Pitcher Radio

Tuesday June 16 Iowa RH Neftali Feliz 3-4, 3.83 RH Kevin Hart 2-3, 3.30 KTOK AM 1000

Wed. June 17 Iowa RH Tommy Hunter 2-2, 4.34 RH Esmailin Caridad 3-8, 4.54 FOX AM 1340

Thursday June 18 Nashville RH Josh Rupe 0-4, 6.61 RHP Tim Dillard 7-3, 3.98 KTOK AM 1000

Friday June 19 Nashville KTOK AM 1000

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