OKC Comets Game Notes - April 16, 2026
Published on April 16, 2026 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release
Oklahoma City Comets (9-8) vs. Albuquerque Isotopes (9-8)
Game #18 of 150/First Half #18 of 75/Road #9 of 75
Pitching Probables: OKC-RHP Christian Romero (0-1, 6.35) vs. ABQ-RHP Gabriel Hughes (0-1, 4.91)
Thursday, April 16, 2026 | Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park | Albuquerque, N.M. | 1:05 p.m. CT
Radio: KGHM-AM 1340 The Game, 1340thegame.com, iHeartRadio; Video: MiLB.tv, Bally Sports Live
Today's Game: The Oklahoma City Comets will look to take the lead in their road series following a quick turnaround from last night's game when they play the Albuquerque Isotopes at 1:05 p.m. CT at Isotopes Park...The Comets' four-game winning streak came to an end with a loss last night.
Last Game: The Albuquerque Isotopes rallied for two runs with two outs in the eighth inning to break a tie and notch a 4-3 win over the Oklahoma City Comets Wednesday night at Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park. Oklahoma City started the scoring in the third inning with an RBI triple from Seby Zavala. Albuquerque evened the game with a Nicky Lopez home run in the bottom of the inning. The Comets jumped back ahead in the fourth inning thanks to a RBI single by Noah Miller. Albuquerque tied the game at two in the fifth inning on a two-out error by the Comets. The Isotopes had the bases empty with two outs in the eighth inning when a single and two walks loaded the bases. Adael Amador collected a RBI single, and a Comets error on the play allowed an additional run to score. The Comets fought back in the ninth inning and had four straight reach base with one out, including another RBI single by Miller. But with the bases loaded and one out, the next two batters were retired as the Isotopes held on for the victory.
Today's Probable Pitcher: Christian Romero (0-1) makes his fourth appearance and third start with OKC during his third season with the team...Romero tossed a season-high five scoreless innings in his last start April 10 vs. Round Rock, sprinkling in four hits and two strikeouts in a no decision as part of an eventual 1-0 OKC win. Romero did not issue a walk and retired 10 of his last 11 batters faced...He makes his second start of the season against Albuquerque after making his season debut against the Isotopes March 29 in OKC. He allowed three runs on three hits with two walks, a hit by pitch and two strikeouts across 4.0 innings...Romero split the 2025 season between Oklahoma City and High-A Great Lakes and went 1-1 with a 4.91 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and .228 BAA in nine starts with OKC...The Dodgers signed Romero as a minor league free agent Jan. 15, 2021 out of Mexico.
Against the Isotopes: 2026: 3-2 2025: 10-8 All-time: 167-137 At ABQ: 75-74
This is the second series between the two clubs in 2026 and first six-game series...After falling on Opening Day, Oklahoma City won two straight games to take a 2-1 series win March 27-29 in OKC. The Comets were led by Ryan Fitzgerald (.385 AVG, 1 HR, 9 RBI) and James Tibbs III (.615 AVG, 2 HR, 8 RBI)...This marks one of two trips the Comets will make to Isotopes Park during the first half of the season (May 12-17)...The Comets won the 2025 series between the teams, 10-8, with eight of OKC's 10 wins decided by three runs or less and with eight of those contests via one-run victories...The Comets have won back-to-back season series against Albuquerque, as well as five of the last seven, with the Isotopes last winning the 2023 series...Since 2022, OKC is 25-13 over the last 38 games at Isotopes Park, going 5-0-1 in series. That includes a 14-6 record across the last three seasons.
A Miller's Tale: Noah Miller picked up his second consecutive multi-hit, multi-RBI game Wednesday night, going 2-for-4 with two RBI. He has started the current series 4-for-9 with five RBI...Miller extended his on-base streak to 17 games - the longest streak in the PCL this season...This is Miller's longest on-base streak since 2022 when he reached base in a career-best 24 consecutive games with Single-A Fort Myers (MIN) in the Florida State League...He paces the Comets and ranks tied for second in the PCL with 13 walks this season...Over his last 11 games, Miller is 14-for-37 (.378).
Close Calls: After not playing a one-run game through the first nine games of the season, six of OKC's last eight games have been decided by one run, including five of the last six. The Comets are now 4-2 in one-run games this season...Last season, the Comets played 41 one-run contests (27.3 percent of all games)...Additionally, three of the last four games have been decided in a final at-bat.
Re-Ward-ed: Ryan Ward went 1-for-3 with a walk last night and has reached base in seven of his first nine plate appearances this series...During 13 April contests, Ward is 20-for-49 (.408) with six doubles, three homers and 13 RBI. His 20 hits, .714 SLG, 1.205 OPS and 35 total bases lead the PCL this month, while he ranks tied for first with nine extra-base hits and six doubles and is second with 13 RBI...The reigning PCL MVP led the Minors with 122 RBI, 36 homers, 73 extra-base hits and 315 total bases last season (143 G)...Ward is OKC's Bricktown-era record-holder for career homers (93) and RBI (331) and leads the Minors this decade with 149 homers, 496 RBI, 448 runs and 1,300 total bases...With his 86th career double Tuesday night, he is now tied with former OKC player and current Isotope Drew Avans (2021-24) for third place all-time during the team's Bricktown era.
Austin City Limits: Austin Gauthier recorded a hit and walk last night as he has now hit safely in a season-best four consecutive games. During the stretch, Gauthier is batting .429 (6-for-14) with two doubles, five RBI, four walks and four runs scored, surpassing his hit total through the first eight games of the season, starting 4-for-22.
Wrong Turn: For the second time in the last five games, the Comets committed four errors in last night's game. Two of the four runs against the Comets Wednesday ended up being unearned runs in a game they lost by one run...The Comets have committed 11 errors over the last five games, with at least one error each game...Oklahoma City's 18 errors this season are tied with El Paso for most in the PCL, and the Comets have allowed the most unearned runs in the PCL this season (17).
Offensive Remarks: The Comets were limited to three runs on seven hits last night after totaling 31 runs on 36 hits over the previous three games...On Wednesday, Oklahoma City was also held to one extra-base hit - a triple by Seby Zavala in the third inning. The Comets had racked up 14 extra-base hits over the previous three games...Last night was the sixth time this season Oklahoma City scored three runs or less in a game...Oklahoma City paces the PCL with 108 runs and 167 hits through 17 games and the team's .286 AVG is second-best in the league behind Sacramento (.301)....The Comets are batting .333 (16-for-48) with runners in scoring position over the last four games.
Mound Maladies: Oklahoma City limited the Isotopes to four runs (two earned) last night after allowing six or more runs in three straight games, in five of the previous six games and in seven of the previous nine games...The Comets' 101 runs allowed and 166 hits allowed are both second-most among PCL teams...Oklahoma City issued two walks last night for the team's second game of the season allowing two walks or less. However, OKC's 99 total walks in 2026 are most in the league.
Dinger Details: After hitting eight homers over the previous four games, including six homers over the last two games, the Comets were held without a home run last night...Oklahoma City paces the PCL with 23 home runs through 17 games to start the season and has four more home runs than second-place teams El Paso, Las Vegas and Sugar Land...Nine different Comets players have homered so far this season, paced by James Tibbs III's eight homers - second-most in the league...On the other hand, the Comets allowed an Albuquerque home run Wednesday and have limited opponents to five home runs over the last seven games. OKC's 20 home runs allowed to start the season are third-most in the league. Although last night's homer by the Isotopes was a solo shot, 11 of the 20 home runs allowed by OKC have been with at least one runner on base.
Doing the Splits: The Comets have gone 1-1 through the first two games in each of their first four series of the season. The team is 1-2 in Game 3, with losses each of the last two weeks...Going back to last season, each of the last six times the Comets have won a series opener, they have lost the next game.
Around the Horn: Despite being held 0-for-3 with a walk last night, Ryan Fitzgerald leads the PCL with both 27 hits and 21 RBI...James Tibbs III has been held without a hit in back-to-back games and to three hits over his last nine games, however his 13 extra-base hits, 51 total bases and 17 runs scored all lead the league, while he ranks second in homers (8) and SLG (.750), third with a 1.163 OPS and tied for fourth with 21 hits...The Comets are 0-3 in games with a start time of noon or earlier this season.
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