RedHawks begin their final homestand of the regular season
August 29, 2005 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release
Aug. 29 - 7:05 p.m. - Oklahoma RedHawks (74-61) vs. New Orleans Zephyrs (60-72) SBC Bricktown Ballpark - Radio: SuperTalk 930 WKY, OklahomaRedHawks.com, SportsJuice.com Headlines: Kinsler, rain give RedHawks win; Last homestand begins; Rupe pitches tonight
TODAY'S OPPONENT: The New Orleans Zephyrs are the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They have been a member of the Pacific Coast League since 1998. They were affiliated with the Houston Astros from 1997-2004.
TODAY'S GAME: The RedHawks begin their final homestand of the regular season with four games against New Orleans and four against Omaha. The RedHawks are 13-21 in the first game of a series, 8-8 at home. They are 12-7 on Mondays.
STANDINGS: The RedHawks are in first place, one and a half games ahead of Round Rock and Albuquerque. Albuquerque hosts Round Rock at 7:05 p.m central time.
LAST GAME: The RedHawks won a rain-shortened game 3-2 at Omaha . Rain postponed the game in the bottom of the eighth inning with one out and a runner on second. Ian Kinsler gave the RedHawks a 3-2 lead in the sixth on a three-run home run. Michael Tejera made his first start of the year and gave up two runs on four hits over 4.1 innings.
VS. NEW ORLEANS: The RedHawks are 67-55 against New Orleans and 32-27 at home against the Zephyrs all time.
PITCHING MATCHUP: Oklahoma's Josh Rupe makes his 16th start for the RedHawks. In his last seven starts, he is 5-1 with a 2.79 ERA [13ER, 42IP], 14 walks and 36 strikeouts. He has won his last three starts.
STREAKERS: Relief pitcher Jose Veras has gone eight outings [8.1 innings] without giving up an earned run. In his last 18 outings, he has a 0.51 ERA [1ER, 17.2IP] ... Esteban German has 16 steals without being caught and was last caught stealing July 27 at Tucson ... Catcher Gerald Laird is on a seven-game hitting streak dating back to July 20. He is 11-for-26 [.423] with five RBIs during the streak, raising his average from .291 to .304.
IAN KINSLER: In his last seven games, Ian Kinsler is 15-for-31 [.484] with two home runs and 10 RBIs. He has hits in six and multi-hit games in five of the seven games. He went five-for-six with four RBIs Aug. 25 at Omaha .
PENNANT RACE: The three teams vying for the American Conference Southern Division title all have nine games left coming into today. Oklahoma has eight games at home, one on the road and five against teams with a .500 record or better. Its last eight games are at home and the RedHawks have five games left against Omaha . Albuquerque has five games at home, four on the road and four against teams with a .500 record or better. Its last four games are on the road and the Isotopes play Round Rock four more times. Round Rock has one game at home, eight on the road and nine against teams at .500 or better. Its last eight games are on the road and all nine games are against either Nashville or Albuquerque .
RUNS: The RedHawks have scored 843 runs this year, the second most in club history. The record for most runs in a season by a RedHawks team is 844 by last year's team.
HOME RUNS: The RedHawks have hit 163 home runs this year, the most home runs hit by a RedHawks team in one season. The RedHawks hit 151 in 1999. That team went 83-59 and lost in the PCL Championship Series. Oklahoma's nine grand slams this year is the most in team history.
ATTENDANCE: Through 62 home openings, the RedHawks have drawn 483,099 fans, an average of 7,791. Last year, they averaged 6,678 fans. In 1998, they averaged a franchise-record 7,221.
DOT-DOT-DOTS: Shortstop Drew Meyer has been selected to play in the Arizona Fall League. Meyer will represent the Rangers on the Grand Canyon Rafters, managed by Norfolk's Ken Oberkfel ... The RedHawks are out-scoring their opponent 843-708 this year ... The RedHawks have used 34 pitchers so far this season. They used 30 all of last season ... Jason Botts' seven triples this year ties the single-season RedHawks record set by Kelly Dransfeldt in 2002 ... Botts has 97 RBIs this year, tying the single-season RedHawk record. Tom Quinlan [1998] and Scott Sheldon [1999] also had 97.
PROBABLES
Mon, Aug. 29 New Orleans RH Josh Rupe (6-6, 6.21) vs. TBA
Pacific Coast League Stories from August 29, 2005
- River Cats defeat Fresno, 8-6 - Sacramento River Cats
- Portland takes series opener 4-3 over Tucson - Tucson Sidewinders
- Express lose big to Albuquerque - Round Rock Express
- Five Tucson walks in seventh inning hand Portland a 4-3 victory - Portland Beavers
- Isotopes pound Round Rock 11-1, close game on Oklahoma - Albuquerque Isotopes
- RedHawks lead down to one half game - Oklahoma City Comets
- Z's return to action with a win - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- That's "Koronka" with nine K's, "Tankersley" with 11 - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Series opener rained out in Memphis - Nashville Sounds
- 'Birds, Sounds postponed - Memphis Redbirds
- Zephyrs back in action - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Round Rock's Klein named PCL Groundskeeper of the Year - PCL1
- Stingers return for final homestand - Salt Lake Bees
- Omaha Royals game notes - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Smith, Colangelo claim PCL Player of the Week honors - Albuquerque Isotopes
- River Cats To Host Sixth Annual Fan Appreciation Day - Sacramento River Cats
- Pre-game blood drive highlights final homestand - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Linden named to 2005 all-PCL team - Fresno Grizzlies
- Guiel name to 2005 All- PCL team - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Coolbaugh and Klassen named PCL all-stars - Round Rock Express
- All- PCL team named - PCL1
- Albuquerque players claim both PCL weekly honors - PCL1
- Birds set to make final push for playoffs - Memphis Redbirds
- RedHawks begin their final homestand of the regular season - Oklahoma City Comets
- Cota's blast powers Sidewinders past Rainiers - Tucson Sidewinders
- Kinsler, pitching and rain help RedHawks win - Oklahoma City Comets
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