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RedHawks Game Notes

April 26, 2009 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1) - Oklahoma City Baseball Club News Release


Omaha Royals (9-7) at Oklahoma City RedHawks (7-8)

Game 16 | April 26, 2009, 1:35 pm | Rosenblatt Stadium | Omaha, NE

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

Today's scheduled starting pitchers:

RH Doug Mathis (0-1, 2.50) vs. RH Luke Hochevar (3-0, 1.89)

TODAY: Fresh off splitting a four-game series in Oklahoma City and last night's postponement, the RedHawks and Royals will try again to open a four-game set at Rosenblatt Stadium today. Two-time first round pick Luke Hochevar, the first overall selection by Kansas City in 2006, is due to start for Omaha. It will be his first career outing against the RedHawks. The righthander is part of a 5-way tie for the PCL lead in wins (3) and is eighth in ERA (1.89). Righthander Doug Mathis will pitch for OKC, his first career appearance against Omaha. Mathis has turned in 3 quality starts, but the RedHawks have been outscored 15-5 and lost all 3. Mathis' only decision came April 15 at Nashville when he allowed 5 runs, only 1 earned, in a 7-1 defeat. OKC remains atop the American South Division, 1 game ahead of New Orleans and Albuquerque. Omaha is fourth in the American North, 1.5 games back of Iowa.

DINARDO, ROSA COMBINE FOR 2-HIT SHUTOUT: What was techincally a spot start by Omaha lefty Lenny DiNardo turned into a 6-inning, 77-pitch whitewash as he combined with Carlos Rosa for a 3-0 win on Friday and a split of the series at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark. DiNardo (1-0) allowed a first-inning single to Esteban German and sixth-inning hit bastman to Scott Thorman as his only baserunners. Rosa tossed the final 3 innings, allowing a Max Ramirez double and a German Duran walk as his only runners as OKC equaled his season-low hit output in being blanked for the second time. It was Omaha's third shutout of the season. Former RedHawk Travis Metcalf drove in 2 of Omaha's 3 runs as the Royals spoiled Jared Hyatt's 2009 RedHawks debut. Hyatt (0-1) allowed one run on 5 hits in 5.2 innings for the loss. DiNardo was replacing Brian Bannister in the Royals' rotation after the latter was called up earlier in the week.

FAMILIAR FACES: OKC and Omaha are in the midst of 8 consecutive scheduled games against each other. Last year, the teams were scheduled for an 8-game super-series starting in late May. After splitting a delay-marred series in Omaha that featured postponements on consecutive nights because of a chemical spill near Rosenblatt Stadium and a threat of sereve weather, the teams moved to OKC where the Royals took 3 out of 4.

BACK ON THE ROAD: The RedHawks bring a 3-4 road record into today's opener of their second trip, after starting the season at Memphis and Nashville. On their first trip, the RedHawks batted .259 (65-for-251) with 40 runs scored, but 20 came in 2 different innings in Nashville. At the just-concluded homestand, which the RedHawks split 4-4, they batted .240 (63-for-263) with 38 runs scored. Their largest innings at home were a 4-run sixth on April 18 and a 4-run eight on April 19 against Memphis. The team ERA on the road is 2.83 (60.1 IP, 19 ER). At home it's 4.01 (74 IP, 33 ER).

STREAKS END: RedHawks infielder Royce Huffman and outfielder Greg Golson saw their team-best 6-game hitting streaks end on Friday. Huffman went 9-for-23 with 1 home run, 4 doubles, 7 RBIs and 4 walks during his stretch, while Golson was 8-for-21 with 1 home run, 5 RBIs and 2 walks. Golson leads the club with 9 RBIs.

SPOTLESS: Friday was the RedHawks' second error-free game of the year and their first since April 10. OKC had gone 12 straight games with at least one error.

DOT...DOT...DOT: The RedHawks allowed just 2 home runs during the homestand, both by Omaha on Thursday (Travis Metcalf and Cory Aldridge)...OKC's staff is second in ERA (3.48) behind Portland (3.09). They've played the PCL's fewest games (15), but the RedHawks are tied for the second-fewest runs allowed (64) and tied for fewest home runs (6) and earned runs (52) in the PCL...Friday's loss dropped the RedHawks to 1-3 in the final game of a series and prevented them from getting over .500 for the first time...OKC has split its last 3 series.

ON THE AIR: KTOK AM 1000 is the RedHawks' new flagship radio station, airing nearly 100 games. Day games will primarily air on sister station Fox Sports Radio 1340 AM. Between the two outlets all 144 games will be broadcast live. Affiliates around Oklahoma will again offer fans outside the OKC metro area the chance to listen to the RedHawks.

PITCHING PROBABLES:

Date Opponent Oklahoma City Pitcher Opposing Pitcher Radio

Sunday April 26 @ Omaha RH Doug Mathis 0-1, 2.50 RH Luke Hochevar 3-0, 1.89 FOX AM 1340

Monday (Game 1) @ Omaha RH Neftali Feliz 1-0, 5.25 LH Heath Phillips 1-1, 7.43 FOX AM 1340

Monday (Game 2) @ Omaha RH Elizardo Ramirez 0-2, 4.11 RH Brandon Duckworth 0-1, 9.53 FOX AM 1340

Tuesday April 28 @ Omaha LH Michael Ballard 1-1, 3.09 LH Bruce Chen 0-1, 5.06 FOX AM 1340


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