OKC RedHawks Game Notes May 9, 2010

May 9, 2010 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Baseball Club News Release

TODAY: The RedHawks continue their series at Iowa with a 1:05 pm game at Principal Park against the Cubs. The series is even at 1-1 after OKC's 4-2 win last night. The RedHawks are 3-3 on an 8-game trip that concludes tomorrow afternoon. With scheduled starter Derek Holland on his way to join the Texas Rangers, the RedHawks will start reliever Geoff Geary in his first start since May 24, 2003. Iowa will pitch multiple relievers as well, beginning with Mitch Atkins. OKC maintains a 2-game lead in the American South Division over Albuquerque.

ON THE OFFENSIVE: OKC leads the PCL with 174 runs, 15 more than Sacramento and Albuquerque. The RedHawks lead the PCL in home runs (30), triples (14) and walks (118), while second in on-base percentage (.356) and slugging (.445). The RedHawks have out-scored the opposition 174-120, owning the best run differential (+54) in the league.

MOUND MARKS: With Nashville allowing 13 earned runs in a 14-2 loss at Albuquerque last night, the RedHawks have assumed the league's ERA lead at 3.28. OKC pitchers have the second-most strikeouts (222) behind Sacramento's 228. The RedHawks are tied with Reno for the third-fewest home runs allowed with 18. Round Rock (17) and Tacoma (15) have allowed fewer. Derek Holland leads the PCL in ERA at 0.93 (see table below), while Michael Kirkman is fifth at 1.82. Brandon McCarthy, on the DL since April 26, is 12th at 2.51.

BULLPEN BASHERS: The RedHawks have scored more runs against opposing teams' bullpens than starting staffs this season. Of OKC's league-leading 174 runs, 92 have been against relievers, with 82 charged to starters. OKC has collected 137 hits in 99.1 innings against the league's collective relief corps, while amassing 150 hits in 166 innings vs. starters. The RedHawks have failed to score against an opponents' bullpen just 6 times in 30 games, going 1-5 in those contests.

LONG NAME, LONG STREAK: Jarrod Saltalamacchia extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a 1-for-4 last night. Saltalamacchia's streak is the best by a RedHawk this year and the third-longest in the league this season. Only Colorado Springs' Matt Miller, at 17 games, has a longer active streak. Miller's streak is the best in the PCL this season. Memphis' Jon Jay is second with a 16-game streak from April 8-24. During the current streak, Saltalamacchia is 21-for-56 (.375) with 3 homers and 9 RBIs.

ODDS AND ENDS: Hernan Iribarren leads the PCL with 5 sacrifice flies...he added his fifth last night in the second inning...Clay Rapada has stranded 7 straight inherited runners...last night's 4-2 win was OKC's lowest run total in a victory since a 3-2 decision April 15...each of the last 12 wins featured OKC scoring 6 runs or more...the RedHawks were charged win an error last night, snapping a stretch of 4 straight games without a miscue, a season high. For the year, the RedHawks are 8-8 in games with an error and 10-4 when errorless...OKC is 4-4 in day games this season and 13-8 at night.

FINAL HOLLAND UPDATE: Derek Holland goes to Texas with a 0.93 ERA, ninth in all of professional baseball (majors, affiliated minors and Mexico) among those with enough innings to qualify for the ERA race in their particular league. Here are the top ERA qualifiers to date:

PITCHER ERA TEAM, LEAGUE IP

T.J. McFarland 0.73 Kinston (Class A Carolina) 24.2

Anthony Vasquez 0.74 Clinton (Class A Midwest) 36.2

Craig Westcott 0.78 San Jose (Class A California) 23.0

Justin Fitzgerald 0.78 San Jose (Class A California) 23.0

Bryan Morris 0.78 Bradenton (Class A Florida State) 34.2

Julio Teheran 0.81 Rome (Class A South Atlantic) 33.1

Charles Shirek 0.84 Birmingham (Class AA Southern) 32.0

Ubaldo Jimenez 0.87 Colorado (MLB) 41.1

Derek Holland 0.93 OKC (Class AAA PCL) 38.2

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Pacific Coast League Stories from May 9, 2010

• 'Topes Survive Sounds, 15-12 - Albuquerque Isotopes
• Pink Day at the Park - Tacoma Rainiers
• Torra, Aces Shut Down Beavers, 8-1 - Portland Beavers
• Torra Masterful in 8-1 Aces Victory over Beavers - Reno Aces
• Rainiers Shut Out by Las Vegas, 4-0 - Tacoma Rainiers
• Sounds Lose Wild Game to 'Topes, 15-12 - Nashville Sounds
• Bogusevic Powers Express Past Memphis 6-3 - Round Rock Express
• Zephyrs Down Royals 4-1 - Omaha Storm Chasers
• Iowa Defeats Oklahoma City 6 to 1 - Iowa Cubs
• 51s Host the Iowa Cubs & Omaha Royals in 8-Game Homestand from May 11-18 - Las Vegas Aviators
• OKC RedHawks Game Notes May 9, 2010 - Oklahoma City Baseball Club
• Armed Forces Honored at Cheney Stadium - Tacoma Rainiers
• Rainiers Rip Las Vegas 8-0 - Tacoma Rainiers
• Isotopes Sock Sounds 14-2 - Albuquerque Isotopes
• Portland Slides Past Reno, 5-2 - Reno Aces
• Carrillo pitches into seventh inning to earn second win - Portland Beavers
• Albuquerque Wins 14-2 Over Nashville - Nashville Sounds
• Murphy Feels at Home at Rosenblatt - Omaha Storm Chasers

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