Oklahoma City RedHawks Game Notes May 22, 2010
May 22, 2010 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release
TONIGHT: The RedHawks and Portland Beavers (San Diego Padres) meet in the third of a 4-game series at PGE Park in their only regular season matchup of the year. The series is even at 1-1 after the RedHawks' 9-3 win last night. OKC remains atop the American South Division by 1 game over Albuquerque. The RedHawks have been in sole possession of first place since April 16. Righthander Omar Beltre, who started the year in the bullpen, will make his second start of the season. The Beavers counter with righthander Josh Geer. Portland is fourth, 2.5 games back of Colorado Springs and Salt Lake in the Pacific North.
LEADS AND DEFICITS: Last night's 9-3 OKC win ended the team's season-high 5-game losing streak. During the streak the RedHawks never led at any point in a game. The comeback from a 3-0 deficit matched the RedHawks' biggest winning comeback this season. On April 22 at Nashville and April 24 vs. Memphis the RedHawks also overcame 3-run deficits to win. On May 13 against Sacramento, they erased a 4-run gap to tie the score 5-5 late, only to lose in 14 innings 8-5. The RedHawks have 12 come-from-behind wins. They are 12-4 when scoring first and 10-15 when allowing the first run.
SHUTDOWN INNINGS: With a combined 6 scoreless innings from relievers Willie Eyre, Zach Phillips and Jailen Peguero last night, OKC's bullpen has gone 6 games and 22.2 innings without allowing a run. The last run against a RedHawks reliever came in the ninth inning of a May 14 game against Sacramento. All 8 relievers on the active roster have contributed to the scoreless streak.
ERA STILL BEST: OKC leads the PCL in team ERA at 3.31. Fresno and Iowa share the second best ERA at 3.46. The RedHawks have allowed the fifth-fewest hits and runs. OKC shares the league lead with 4 other teams in shutouts with 4.
KEEPING IT IN THE PARK: OKC pitching has allowed the fewest home runs in the league (21). The RedHawks have gone 7 full games, plus part of an eighth, without surrendering a homer. Sacramento's Chris Carter had the last opposition home run (off Michael Ballard) in the sixth inning of a game May 13. OKC has pitched 66 consecutive homerless innings.
DEAD BALL ERA OVER: The RedHawks snapped a stretch of 8-plus games and 76 innings without a homer on Ryan Garko's grand slam in last night's fourth inning. Kevin Richardson followed with a 3-run shot in the next inning. The RedHawks are third in the league with 35 homers. OKC is 15-7 when homering in a game and 7-12 when held homerless.
WELCOME TO THE CLUB: Ryan Garko's grand slam last night was his first hit as a RedHawk in his second game with the team. It was the first slam for OKC this year. Kevin Richardson nearly followed with a slam in the next inning, but a wild pitch during his at bat scored a runner from third to unload the bases, so when Richardson homered during that plate appearance it was a 3-run blast rather than a slam. The last time the RedHawks had two grand slams in a game was May 15, 1998 at Fresno, when Scott Sheldon and Tom Quinlan each cleared the bases at Beiden Field.
SEE THE USA: OKC's current 12-game trip to Portland, Tacoma and New Orleans is the first 3-city trip for the team since 2006, when it had two. The RedHawks' went 8-3 in a rain-shortened, 11-game jaunt to Omaha, Memphis and Nashville from June 8-16, 2006 in their last marathon road swing. They also split a 12-game trek to Salt Lake, Colorado Springs and New Orleans in May of 2006.
ODDS AND ENDS: Esteban German is tops in the league with 36 runs scored, 4 more than Colorado Springs' Matt Miller...German is third in the league with 14 stolen bases...Hernan Iribarren leads the PCL with 5 sacrifice flies.
Pacific Coast League Stories from May 22, 2010
- Rainiers Blow by Zephyrs - Tacoma Rainiers
- RedHawks pitchers quiet Beavers bats, strikeout 13 - Portland Beavers
- Memphis hands Sacramento fourth consecutive loss - Sacramento River Cats
- Z's fall in Tacoma - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Sounds Score Winning Run In 9th To Defeat Fresno, 2-1 - Nashville Sounds
- Gillespie Plays The Hero In 5-4 Aces Win In 12 Innings - Reno Aces
- Round Rock Express Fall To Reno Aces 5-4 In 12 Innings - Round Rock Express
- Cashner Cruises, Cubs Win 1-0 - Iowa Cubs
- Round Rock Express Game Notes May 22, 2010 - Round Rock Express
- Oklahoma City RedHawks Game Notes May 22, 2010 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Nine Unearned Runs Cost Sacramento - Sacramento River Cats
- Sounds Even Series, Defeat Grizzlies 3-1 - Nashville Sounds
- Garko Slam Propels RedHawks To 9-3 Win - Portland Beavers
- Z's drop another late game - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Rainiers Rally to 7-5 Win Over Zephyrs - Tacoma Rainiers
- Rainiers Rally to 7-5 Win Over Zephyrs - Tacoma Rainiers
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