RedHawks best Redbirds, 6-5
Published on July 20, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release
The Oklahoma RedHawks held off the Memphis Redbirds Sunday evening at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark for a 6-5 win. Nelson Cruz hit a home run in his third straight games, backing Michael Ballard for a win in his Triple-A debut.
Memphis held a 3-0 lead after the top of the first inning. Ballard walked the first batter he faced, and one out later, Joe Mather hit a two-run home run to get the Redbirds on the board. Josh Phelps came in to score as well to stake Memphis starter Anthony Reyes to the early lead. Oklahoma didn't crack the scoreboard until the third inning when Jason Ellison walked and Cruz launched his 31st home run of the season and fifth over the last three games. Chris Shelton walked and came in to score on a single by Ryan Roberts. Roberts laced the ball to centerfield, and with Shelton on the move to third, the Redbirds' Colby Rasmus throw towards third hit Shelton and caromed into the stands allowing the RedHawks to score the tying run.
Oklahoma took the lead with a pair of runs in the fourth. Kevin Richardson singled and scored on a triple by Drew Meyer, his second hit of the game. The relay throw to third kicked away from D'Angelo Jimenez, scoring Meyer on the error. The RedHawks added their final run in the fifth when John Mayberry singled home Shelton. Memphis rallied against Oklahoma reliever Yukinaga Maeda in the eighth inning when Josh Phelps hit a two-run home run, and the Redbirds managed to get the tying run to second base in the ninth. Wes Littleton got Brian Barden to pop out on the infield and struck out Rasmus to end the game.
Ballard (1-0) pitched six innings in his Triple-A debut, allowing three runs, two of which were earned, and striking out five along the way in the win. Reyes (2-3) took the loss after surrendering six runs over five innings. Littleton tosses an inning and a third for the save, his fourth with Oklahoma this season. The RedHawks received multi-hit games from Shelton, Roberts, and Meyer, and have outhit the Redbirds 33-28 over the first three games of this series.
The four-game set will conclude Monday afternoon at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark. Tommy Hunter will get the ball for Oklahoma, squaring off against Mitchell Boggs for Memphis. First pitch is slated for 12:05 pm.
Pacific Coast League Stories from July 20, 2008
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