PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

RedHawks Celebrate 10-9 Win

July 4, 2013 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City - An early commanding lead helped propel the Oklahoma City RedHawks to a 10-9 win against the Albuquerque Isotopes Wednesday in front of a season-high crowd of 11,103 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

The RedHawks (46-40) had to hold off a late charge by the Isotopes (48-39), who scored six runs late in the game, including three in the top of the ninth inning, as the RedHawks hosted their Independence Day celebration.

Albuquerque scored first, but the RedHawks left the first inning with a 6-1 lead after scoring six runs on seven hits in front of a sellout crowd. Oklahoma City went on to built a 9-1 lead through three innings, as the RedHawks won a second-straight game and clinched a 2-1 series win against the Isotopes.

Infielder Ruben Sosa went 3-for-4 to lead Oklahoma City and also notched two RBI. Dee Gordon and Brian Barden each had three hits for the Isotopes.

Albuquerque took the first lead of the game when Alex Castellanos grounded into a force out and Gordon scored with two outs in the first inning.

A RBI single by Jonathan Villar scored Robbie Grossman to tie the game in the bottom of the first. A RBI double to center field by Brandon Laird put Oklahoma City in front, 2-1, and he later scored on a RBI groundout by Marwin Gonzalez. A single by Carlos Perez scored George Springer and a two-RBI single by Sosa put the RedHawks ahead, 6-1. Villar and Laird each extended their hitting streaks to nine games in the opening frame.

The six runs scored by the RedHawks in the first inning were the most scored in an inning by Oklahoma City since the RedHawks scored six runs in the ninth inning of a June 1 game at Albuquerque.

Oklahoma City added to its lead in the second and third innings. Perez walked to load the bases for Che-Hsuan Lin, who hit a sacrifice fly to center field for a 7-1 RedHawks edge. In the third inning, Springer's single and a sac fly by Jon Singleton put the RedHawks ahead, 9-1.

The Isotopes closed the gap in the fifth on a two-RBI single by Barden, which cut the RedHawks lead to 9-3.

A sacrifice fly by Villar in the sixth gave Oklahoma City a seven-run lead, but Albuquerque quickly cut the lead back to six runs in the seventh inning.

A two-RBI triple by Chili Buss chipped away at the RedHawks' lead and pulled the Isotopes within four runs in the eighth.

A single by Gordon loaded the bases for Isotope Elian Herrera with one out in the top of the ninth. A RBI single by Herrera cut the RedHawks' lead to 10-7 and re-loaded the bases for the Isotopes. Matt Angle then grounded into a force out and two more Albuquerque runs scored to cut Oklahoma City's lead to one with two outs. Buss lined out to center field to end the game.

Wade LeBlanc made his first start with Oklahoma City and first since he was with the Miami Marlins May 6. LeBlanc threw 3.1 innings, allowing one run on three hits, walked five and struck out two. Reliever Kevin Chapman (1-2) recorded the win for Oklahoma City.

The RedHawks pitching staff tied a season-high by issuing a combined 11 walks Wednesday.

Isotopes starting pitcher Blake Johnson was charged with the loss. Johnson (6-5) allowed six runs on seven hits in two-thirds of an inning.

Oklahoma City returns to the road for seven-straight games, starting at 6 p.m. Thursday in New Orleans. After a four-game series against the Zephyrs, the RedHawks travel to Round Rock for three games.

Live coverage of Thursday's game begins 5:30 p.m. on AM 1340 "The Game," 1340thegame.com, or through the free IHeartRadio mobile app.

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