OKC RedHawks Game Notes
Published on May 26, 2009 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release
TONIGHT:
The Oklahoma City RedHawks will try to snap a 4-game losing streak in the second of a 4-game series at Reno against the Arizona Diamondbacks' Triple-A affiliate. OKC has lost its last 3 in walkoff fashion and the 4-game skid matches the team's longest of the season. Despite dropping 6 games below .500, the RedHawks remain second in the wide-open American South Division, 2.5 games back of Albuquerque and a half-game ahead of Round Rock. Righthander Neftali Feliz, fresh off his first quality start of the season on Thursday in Las Vegas, will go to the mound for the RedHawks. Righthander Tony Barnette starts for Reno. It will be Barnette's first career appearance against the RedHawks. Reno is third in the Pacific South, 8 games behind Sacramento.
GROUNDHOG DAY PART 3: Last night, the RedHawks lost in the bottom of the ninth for the third straight game as Reno rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the sixth inning to win 5-4 on Josh Whitesell's bases-loaded single. The RedHawks' bullpen pieced together 6 solid innings in the series opener after Doug Mathis was lifted with a 4-1 lead in the third inning after 50 pitches. Reno scored twice off Mike Hinckley in the sixth after Hinckley retired the first 10 batters he faced. The Aces added an unearned run in the seventh off John Bannister to the tie the score before Bryan Byrne opened the ninth with his third hit of the year, a double into the left field corner. A walk, sacrifice bunt and intentional walk later, Whitesell ended the game with a single to center, handing a loss to Bryan Corey (1-2). Travis Blackley (1-3) worked 2 scoreless innings for the win.
LATE LOSS BREAKDOWN: Saturday, the RedHawks failed to hold a 5-2 lead in the ninth inning in a 6-5 loss at Las Vegas. Sunday, OKC took a 5-0 lead into the ninth before the 51s rallied for a 6-5 win. Last night, the game was tied 4-4 heading into the ninth, but OKC led 4-1 as late as the sixth inning. In the last 3 games, OKC has allowed 11 runs in the ninth inning while collecting a total of 4 outs. The first 2 opposing batters have reached in each of the last 3 ninth innings and OKC has faced a bases-loaded situation in each final inning, encompassing 7 bases-loaded at-bats. The RedHawks are now 2-5 in games involving a walkoff winner and 7-7 in one-run games.
GOLD RUSHES: Nate Gold hit his first homer of the year and added 2 doubles last night. Gold's 3 RBIs were one shy of the team's high this season. OKC has homered in 6 of the last 7 games. The RedHawks' 19 home runs are still the fewest in the league, with Reno owning the second-fewest at 21. OKC pitching has gone 7 games without allowing a homer and has allowed the second fewest (23) in the league. The last homer against OKC came on May 17.
RARE NIGHT OFF: Julio Borbon was out of the lineup last night for just the second time this season. Borbon has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games and leads the club with 50 hits.
MORE LEADERS: Royce Huffman has a team-best 12 extra-base hits (10 doubles, 2 HR)...Huffman has more doubles as any other RedHawk has extra-base hits.... Esteban German leads the team with 23 RBIs and 15 stolen bases...German is tied for seventh in the league in on-base percentage at .423 and tied for fifth in the PCL with Brandon Boggs in walks with 27.
BRING A SEAT CUSHION: Last night's game time of 3 hours, 23 minutes continues an OKC trend of long games in series openers. OKC's 5 longest 9-inning games have been in series openers. Last night was third-longest of those, brisker than a 3:41 vs. Omaha April 21 and a 3:37 May 8 at Round Rock, but longer than May 16 vs. Tacoma (3:21) and May 21 at Las Vegas (3:20). Among their 5 long series openers, OKC has only one win, May 21 at Las Vegas.
UPCOMING PROBABLES:
Date Opponent Oklahoma City Pitcher Opposing Pitcher Radio
Wed. May 27 @ Reno RH Luis Mendoza 2-2, 2.81 RH Seth Etherton 4-3, 5.13 FOX AM 1340
Thursday May 28 @ Reno RH Josh Rupe 0-1, 5.56 RH Hector Ambriz 0-2, 4.84 FOX AM 1340
Friday May 29 Albuquerque RH Tommy Hunter 1-2, 4.82 TBA KTOK AM 1000
Saturday May 30 Albuquerque (DH) TBA & TBA TBA & TBA FOX AM 1340
Pacific Coast League Stories from May 26, 2009
- Sounds Drop Second Straight In Tacoma - Nashville Sounds
- Aces Extend Winning Streak to Five - Reno Aces
- Z's Win in Vegas - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Alfonzo Hits Grand Slam, Drives In Five As Portland Keeps Rolling - Portland Beavers
- Lights Out At The Dell Diamond Wrap - Salt Lake Bees
- Lights Out At The Dell Diamond Wrap - Salt Lake Bees
- Brown, Pollok To Visit Carrie Tingley Hospital - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Royals, Grizzlies Rained Out Tuesday - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Iowa Cubs vs. Sacramento River Cats Postponed - Iowa Cubs
- OKC RedHawks Game Notes - Oklahoma City Comets
- Angels Option Willits to Salt Lake - Salt Lake Bees
- Vince Mazzaro Wins 2nd Consecutive PCL Pitcher of the Week Honors - Sacramento River Cats
- PCL Names Players of the Week - PCL1
- Fireworks, Faith Nights, & Giveaways Highlight Next Homestand - Nashville Sounds
- Aces Walk-Off With Fourth-Straight Win, 5-4 - Reno Aces
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