RedHawks Game Notes: April 17, 2013
April 17, 2013 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release
Oklahoma City RedHawks (6-6) vs. Round Rock Express (8-5)
Houston Astros vs. Texas Rangers
Game #13 of 144/Home #6 of 72 (1-4)
Pitching Probables: OKC-LHP Rudy Owens (0-1, 0.00)/RHP Jose Cisnero (0-1, 12.71) vs. RR-Randy Wells (0-2, 6.30)
Wednesday, April 17, 2013 | Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark | Oklahoma City, Okla.| 7:05 p.m. CT
Radio: KGHM AM-1340 The Game, 1340thegame.com, IHeartRadio - Alex Freedman
Today's Game: The RedHawks will try and find their way back in the win column as they turn to Rudy Owens and his 0.00 ERA against the Round Rock Express at 7:05 p.m.
Last Game: The RedHawks jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, but two big innings by Round Rock would lead to an 8-6 Express victory. The RedHawks broke a scoreless tie in the second inning, scoring four times. The Express responded it its next at-bat with five runs, all coming with two outs. Jurickson Profar hit a three-run homer to cut the OKC lead to one, and two batters later, Joey Butler hit a two-run shot to put Round Rock in front. The Express added three more in the seventh, including a two-run, two out double by Robinson Chirinos to make it 8-4. In the eighth, Marc Krauss ripped a two-run double, and the RedHawks put the tying runners in scoring position with two outs, but the Express got out of the jam and held on to the lead the rest of the way.
Today's Probable Pitchers: Rudy Owens heads to the mound, looking to keep his strong start to the season intact...Over his first two outings, Owens has allowed just one unearned run and six hits through nine innings...Last time out against Memphis, Owens entered with the RedHawks down 8-3 and held the Redbirds scoreless over four innings as OKC got within 8-7...He struck out seven, marking his highest total since last May 29 against Durham (19 appearances)...PCL opponents are hitting just .182...Last season Owens made two starts against the Express, and both were quality starts...He went 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA, allowing three runs and six hits over 12 innings...Round Rock batted just .182 against the lefty.
Jose Cisnero is scheduled to follow Owens...Cisnero looks to rebound after a rough outing Saturday against Memphis...He gave up a career-high eight runs over just 2.2 innings and took the loss...It was the third time in nine career Triple-A starts Cisnero lasted 2.2 innings or less...He left in the third inning after giving up a grand slam to Justin Christian--just the second home run he's given up in 45.1 Triple-A innings...Cisnero went 1-0 in two starts against the Express last season...However, Round Rock hit well against him, compiling a .432 average over 11 innings...In his one prior relief appearance following Owens this season, Cisnero threw three scoreless frames against Nashville on April 8.
Against the Express: 2013: 0-1 2012: 10-6 All-time: 68-60 In OKC: 34-31
The RedHawks won 10 of 16 meetings with the Express in 2012, including six of eight at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark...The RedHawks hit .294 as a team...Scott Moore led the way with a .400 average and 12 RBI in just eight games...11 of the last 12 games between the two squads have been decided by three runs or less, including six by one or two runs...The RedHawks have not lost the season series in five of the last six years...Round Rock is once again led by Bobby Jones, the legendary RedHawks skipper who compiled 595 wins and five division titles over eight seasons. (He also managed the team when they were the 89ers in 1993-1994.)
Pitching Problems: The RedHawks have allowed 36 runs through the first five games of the homestand and their 68 runs allowed total are second-most among American Conference teams. Opponents have scored at least seven times in seven of the first 12 games. Last season, only one opponent scored at least seven runs in a game through the first 12 contests. Also, they didn't give up at least seven for the seventh time until May 6--the 31st game of the year.
Jake Takes the Cake: Jake Elmore has recorded 19 hits over the last nine games, including a pair of games with at least four hits. Elmore has hit safely in each of the last 11 games (.467, 21x45), and his .447 average currently ranks fourth in the league. Last season Elmore recorded a PCL-best 31-game hitting streak and 46-game on-base streak while playing with Reno.
New Crowe Medicine Show: After going hitless in the first two games of the season, Trevor Crowe has hit safely in each of the last 10 games (.366, 15x41). Going back to last season while playing for Salt Lake, Crowe has reached base safely in 34 consecutive games in the PCL. The current streak started against the RedHawks on Aug. 7.
Double Trouble: Elmore and Crowe are the only teammates in the PCL this season to each have hit streaks of 10 games or longer.
Laird's Lair: Brandon Laird leads the team and is sixth in the PCL with 14 RBI, which is also second-most among Astros minor leaguers. He is hitting .353 and is also tied for the team lead with seven extra-base hits. Laird has enjoyed his first taste of Oklahoma City, hitting safely in each of the first five home games (.417, 10x24) with four multi-hit efforts and five RBI.
Heckuva Homestand: After collecting three RBI in five games during the season-opening road trip, Marc Krauss has collected 10 RBI over the first five games of the current homestand. He has driven in at least two runs in four of the last five games.
Better on the Bases: The RedHawks stole a season-high four bases last night. They have been successful in seven of their last eight attempts after getting off to a 6-for-14 start to the season.
The Extra Bat: Through the first 12 games of the season, RedHawks designated hitters are only hitting .163 (7x43), although they have recorded 12 RBI. Last season the RedHawks played in just 47 games (18-29) with a DH, but the position produced .272/8/34.
Power Outage: The RedHawks have not homered in three straight games and are tied with Round Rock and Tucson for the second-least homers in the PCL with eight. They have not been held four straight games without a home run since Apr. 9-12, 2012.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)
DATE TIME OPPONENT OKC PITCHER(S) OPP. PITCHER
Thursday, April 18 7:05 p.m. Round Rock RHP Jordan Lyles (1-1, 4.85)/LHP Travis Blackley (ML Rehab) RHP Collin Balester (1-1, 4.38)
Friday, April 19 7:05 p.m. Round Rock RHP Jarred Cosart (1-0, 0.71)/LHP Wes Musick (1-0, 4.66) RHP Josh Lindblom (0-1, 0.75)
Saturday, April 20 8:05 p.m. @ Albuquerque RHP Ross Seaton (0-1, 9.00)/LHP Brett Oberholtzer (0-2, 9.49) RHP Stephen Fife (1-1, 4.61)
Sunday, April 21 2:35 p.m. @ Albuquerque RHP Jose Cisnero (0-1, 12.71)/LHP Rudy Owens (0-1, 0.00) RHP Matt Magill (0-0, 3.00)
Pacific Coast League Stories from April 17, 2013
- Redbirds' Big Bats Roll Past Zephyrs - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Wednesday's RedHawks Game Postponed Due to Weather - Oklahoma City Comets
- Game Two Between Express, RedHawks Postponed - Round Rock Express
- Aces Walk-Off over Sky Sox, 8-7 - Reno Aces
- C Federowicz Recalled to Dodgers, C Wallach Returns to Isotopes - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Van Slyke Named PCL Player of the Week - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Albuquerque/Omaha Game Postponed - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Former MLB All-Star Brad Hawpe Assigned to Salt Lake - Salt Lake Bees
- Redbirds Welcome Cubs for Four-Game Series on Saturday - Memphis Redbirds
- RedHawks Game Notes: April 17, 2013 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Sounds Open Eight-Game Homestand Saturday - Nashville Sounds
- Iowa Cubs Announce Make-Up Date for Today's Rainout - Iowa Cubs
- Sounds Announce Rainout Reschedule Date - Nashville Sounds
- Wednesday's Game Postponed by Rain - Iowa Cubs
- Sounds Rained out in Iowa Wednesday - Nashville Sounds
- Aces Bounce Back with 5-2 Win - Reno Aces
- Rainiers Fall To Fresno In Series Opener, 3-2 - Tacoma Rainiers
- Padres Blanked - Tucson Padres
- Straily Dominant in Cats' Sixth-Straight Win - Sacramento River Cats
- Express Wins Series Opener in Oklahoma - Round Rock Express
- Isotopes Rally to Top Omaha in Extras - Albuquerque Isotopes
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