PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

Oklahoma City Red Hawks vs. Sacramento River Cats

May 12, 2010 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


TODAY: The RedHawks play the second of a 4-game series with the Sacramento River Cats (Oakland Athletics) in an 11:05 am game at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark. The RedHawks took the series opener last night 9-6. This is the only series of the year between the teams and the first inter-conference series of the season. Sacramento trails the Pacific Conference South Division, 7.5 games behind Fresno. The RedHawks lead the American Conference North by 1.5 games over Albuquerque.

RETURN OF THE BATS: OKC entered last night's game having lost 3 of its previous 4, totaling 8 runs on 20 hits in that span against Omaha and Iowa. They responded to the return home with a 9-run, 15-hit showing, including a season-high 7 doubles, 3 from Esteban German. Gregorio Petit and German each had 4-hit games, the team's third and fourth of the year. The RedHawks lead the PCL lead in home runs (33) and triples (14), while second in on-base percentage (.355) and slugging (.451). The RedHawks have out-scored the opposition 184-132, owning the best run differential (+52) in the league.

SHUTDOWN INNINGS: OKC pitching retired the final 17 River Cats last night, including 5 perfect innings from a trio of relievers, Elizardo Ramirez, Willie Eyre and Alexi Ogando. Ramirez tossed 3 innings for the win, Eyre and Ogando 1 each. Ogando earned a save in his Triple-A debut. He was promoted from Class AA Frisco yesterday.

SALTY'S STREAK: Jarrod Saltalamacchia extended his hitting streak to 16 games with a 1-for-4 game last night. Saltalamacchia's streak matches Jon Jay of Memphis for the second-longest in the league this season. Only Colorado Springs' Matt Miller (19 games) has a longer streak and Miller's, the best in the league this season, is active. During the current streak, Saltalamacchia is 23-for-63 (.365) with 3 homers and 9 RBIs. Saltalamacchia has reached by hit or walk in all 17 RedHawks games played.

CRUZIN' BY: Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz, the 2008 PCL MVP, has joined the RedHawks for a medical rehab assignment. He played all 9 innings last night in his first OKC appearance of 2010 and went 1-for-5 with a 2-run double. Cruz is on the Rangers' DL with a strained right hamstring. This is the fourth straight season Cruz has played for the RedHawks, although the past two seasons have only been rehab stints. He's eligible to be activated tomorrow.

BULLPEN BASHERS: The RedHawks have scored more runs against opposing teams' bullpens than starting staffs this season. Of OKC's 184 runs, 95 have been against relievers, with 89 charged to starters. OKC has collected 145 hits in 106.1 innings against the league's collective relief corps, while amassing 162 hits in 176 innings vs. starters. The RedHawks have failed to score against an opponents' bullpen just 7 times in 31 games, going 1-6 in those contests.

TRACY, HOLLAND HONORED: RedHawks infielder/outfielder Chad Tracy and former RedHawk Derek Holland are the Rangers' organization Minor League Player and Pitch of the Month for April. Tracy batted .342 in April, ninth in the PCL, with 6 homers, 20 RBIs, 12 extra-base hits and a .658 slugging percentage. Holland was 3-1 with a league-best 0.53 ERA in 5 April starts and was named the league's first Pitcher of the Week April 18. Holland is due to make his 2010 Rangers debut tonight with a start against Oakland.

ODDS AND ENDS: ...Hernan Iribarren leads the PCL with 5 sacrifice flies...Esteban German is tops in the league with 29 runs scored, including a season-high 4 last night...Chris Davis snapped a stretch of 58 official at-bats without a homer with a solo shot to center field in last night's sixth inning...this is the fifth straight week the RedHawks have played an 11:05 am game and the third at home...OKC is 2-2 so far in pre-noon starts...The RedHawks are 4-5 in day games and 15-8 under the lights.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from May 12, 2010


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