PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

RedHawks Game Notes: June 11, 2014

Published on June 11, 2014 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City RedHawks (35-31) vs. Salt Lake Bees (25-41)

Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Angels

Game #67 of 144/Home #31 of 72 (14-16)

Pitching Probables: OKC-LHP Brett Oberholtzer (1-2, 5.00) vs. SLC-LHP Justin Thomas (3-6, 5.90)

Wednesday, June 11, 2014 | Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark | Oklahoma City, Okla. | 11:05 a.m. CT

Radio: KGHM AM-1340 The Game, 1340thegame.com, iHeartRadio - Alex Freedman

Today's Game: The RedHawks continue their series against Salt Lake at 11:05 a.m. at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The series is tied, 1-1. Today marks the final scheduled home day game of the season for the RedHawks.

Last Game: The surging RedHawks offense came to a halt in a 4-0 loss to Salt Lake Tuesday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. They were held to four hits as they were shutout for the fourth time this season. Salt Lake took a 1-0 lead when John Hester homered on the first pitch of the third inning. The Bees added to their lead in the fourth. Brennan Boesch tripled on a fly ball to center field, then scored on a RBI groundout by Luis Jimenez. It stayed 2-0 until the Bees took advantage of an error by RedHawks third baseman Kiké Hernandez in the ninth inning. The extra out led to a Roberto Lopez two-run double to make it a 4-0 lead. The Bees had to use their bullpen to cover all nine innings, and a quintet of relievers combined on Salt Lake's second shutout of 2014. Jeremy Berg (2-2) entered the game in the fifth and earned the win, retiring all eight batters he faced with five strikeouts. RedHawks pitcher Bobby Doran (1-4) did well in a spot start, throwing six strong innings. He allowed two runs on five hits, walked two and struck out five in the loss.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Brett Oberholtzer (1-2) makes his fourth start of the season for the RedHawks and his first career start against Salt Lake...In his last start June 5 at Omaha, Oberholtzer allowed five runs on eight hits over six innings. He walked one and struck out six in the loss. Oberholtzer surrendered three home runs, marking the most he's allowed in a game in the Minors or Majors since July 20, 2012 at Memphis...Prior to rejoining the RedHawks on June 4, Oberholtzer picked up wins in both of his most recent outings with the Astros, allowing four runs (three earned) and seven hits over 13 combined innings in meetings with the Seattle Mariners and Baltimore Orioles...Oberholtzer began the season in Houston's starting rotation. He made seven starts, going 0-6 with a 5.68 ERA before being optioned to OKC. He's now 2-6 with a 4.76 ERA in the Majors this season after his last two starts...After a stellar first start with the RedHawks on May 12 in which he threw seven scoreless innings against Colorado Springs, Oberholtzer has picked up losses in each of last two outings in the PCL, allowing 11 runs and 17 hits--including five home runs--over 11 innings.

Against the Bees: 2014: 1-1 2013: 1-3 All-time: 38-44 In OKC: 23-19

The RedHawks and Bees last met May 11-14, 2013 in OKC. The Bees won the first three games before the RedHawks won the series finale on a walk-off RBI single by Austin Wates. Salt Lake outscored the RedHawks, 20-12, in the series...Before OKC won the 2013 series finale, the Bees had won nine straight games against the RedHawks going back to 2011...Salt Lake won the last three season series between the teams, going a combined 10-2. They split the 2010 series and Oklahoma City swept the 2009 series in Bricktown. The RedHawks have not won consecutive games against the Bees since that sweep. In fact, the RedHawks have finished with a winning record against the Bees just three times in 16 seasons...Six of the last 10 games between the teams have been decided by two runs or less, including four by a one-run margin...This marks the first time the Bees have played back-to-back seasons in OKC since 2004 and 2005.

Home Sweet Home?: Last night the RedHawks lost for the sixth time in their last 10 home games, dropping their home record to 14-16 this season. Offense has been a bit of an issue, as over the last 11 games in OKC, the RedHawks are batting .217 (73x337), and in their last 14 home games, they've been held to two or fewer runs eight times. Three of the four times they've been shutout this season have happened at home...The RedHawks entered last night with three straight games with at least 11 hits before being held to just four by the Salt Lake pitching staff.

Dinger Details: John Hester's home run for Salt Lake Tuesday marked the first time the RedHawks have allowed home runs in back-to-back home games since they gave up seven homers during a three-game span against Nashville April 25-27 in Bricktown. Entering Monday, the RedHawks had not allowed a dinger in 14 consecutive home games...Nashville is now tied with the RedHawks for the fewest home runs allowed in the league this season (42). The RedHawks are also tied for the second-best home run differential in the PCL with New Orleans, as they've hit 20 more than they've allowed. (Las Vegas leads at +34.)

The Other Guys: The RedHawks are in the midst of a stretch of 16 straight games against Pacific Conference opponents, going 1-1 so far. Last season they went 19-13 against Pacific Conference teams, including 13-3 at home. All three losses were to Salt Lake.

Petit's Recent Push: Gregorio Petit accounted for half the team's hits last night and went 2-for-3 to record his 16th multi-hit game of the season. Following a tough May in which he batted .202, Petit is off to a .357 (10x28) start in June.

Double the Fun: The RedHawks turned three more double plays Tuesday and now have seven in the last two games. They have turned at least two double plays in each of their last four games. Their 75 double plays this season are second-most in the PCL, trailing only their current opponent Salt Lake, who has 76.

To Err is...: A ninth-inning error by Kiké Hernandez yesterday brought an end to an 11-game streak by the team without committing an error. It was the longest error-free period for the RedHawks since they went 13 straight games without an error May 14-27, 2011. Although the defense has been stellar of late, when the RedHawks have committed errors, they've proved to be very costly. Including last night, their last 11 errors have resulted in 14 unearned runs.

Rise and Shine: Dating to the 2012 season, the RedHawks have a 12-1 record in their last 13 games that started before noon. This season they are 6-1 in early starts, and today is the final time the club is slated to play a game that begins in the morning.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)

DATE TIME OPPONENT OKC PITCHER(S) OPP. PITCHER

Thursday, June 12 7:05 p.m. Salt Lake RHP David Martinez (5-3, 3.76) RHP Joel Pineiro (0-1, 10.80)

Friday, June 13 7:05 p.m. Las Vegas RHP Mike Foltynewicz (5-3, 3.32) RHP Logan Verrett (5-2, 4.88)

Saturday, June 14 7:05 p.m. Las Vegas RHP Jake Buchanan (5-4, 3.38) RHP Rafael Montero (4-2, 3.78)

Sunday, June 15 6:05 p.m. Las Vegas RHP Nick Tropeano (4-4, 2.31) RHP Giancarlo Alvarado (2-2, 5.67)

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 11, 2014


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