RedHawks Game Notes: August 4, 2013
Published on August 4, 2013 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release
Oklahoma City RedHawks (65-50) vs. Colorado Springs Sky Sox (56-56)
Houston Astros vs. Colorado Rockies
Game #116 of 144/Home #58 of 73 (35-22)
Pitching Probables: OKC-RHP Jake Buchanan (3-2, 3.08) vs. COL-RHP Chris Volstad (5-3, 4.78)
Sunday, August 4, 2013 | Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark | Oklahoma City, Okla. | 6:05 p.m. CT
Radio: KGHM AM-1340 The Game, 1340thegame.com, IHeartRadio - Alex Freedman
Today's Game: The RedHawks follow Saturday's historic win at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark with a 6:05 p.m. game against Colorado Springs. Oklahoma City is now tied for the best record in the PCL and seeks a 10th consecutive win.
Last Game: A grand slam by Jon Singleton and three-run homer by Brandon Laird fueled the RedHawks early in a 24-5 win Saturday against Colorado Springs. The 24 runs scored by the RedHawks set a stadium record and tied the club's all-time run mark. Oklahoma City scored five runs in the first inning and built an 8-0 lead through two innings. After the Sky Sox cut the lead to 8-4, the RedHawks scored 16 unanswered runs over the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. The RedHawks compiled a season-high 20 hits, including eight for extra bases. Laird finished with seven RBI to tie a career high and Singleton had his best game since joining OKC, going 3-for-5 with five RBI. George Springer had four RBI and scored five times. The Sky Sox committed five errors, leading to 14 unearned runs against their pitching staff. RedHawks relief pitcher Eric Berger (4-3) got the win, pitching 1.1 scoreless innings.
Today's Probable Pitcher: Jake Buchanan looks to stay hot since the All-Star Break...In his most recent start Tuesday against Reno, Buchanan allowed two runs and six hits through seven innings. All six hits were singles and four did not leave the infield. He walked one and struck out three while earning his 10th overall win of the season....In three starts since the All-Star Break, Buchanan is 2-0 and has allowed just three earned runs in 20.0 IP for a 1.35 ERA...Including his time with Double-A Corpus Christi, Buchanan has issued just 16 walks all season in 120.0 IP. He is averaging 1.2 walks per nine innings with a 4.7 strikeout-to-walk ratio...Before his promotion, Buchanan went 7-2 with one save and had a Texas League-leading 2.09 ERA in 18 games (13 starts) for Corpus Christi. He ranked first in the league in WHIP (0.93), fourth in average (.226) and fifth in innings (82.0)...His combined 2.40 ERA is second-best among Astros minor leaguers and his 120.0 IP ranks third...Tonight is his first career start against Colorado Springs.
Against the Sky Sox: 2013: 1-0 2012: 3-1 All-time: 65-48 In OKC: 39-18
Oklahoma City won the May 2012 series, 3-1, taking the first three games before losing the series finale in Colorado Springs. Both teams hit well, as the RedHawks batted .328 and the Sky Sox hit .326. No current RedHawks position player participated in that series...The teams last played at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark August 12-15, 2011. They split the series and two games went into extra innings...The Sky Sox have won six of the last nine meetings between the teams in Oklahoma City, but the RedHawks hold a 39-18 edge in Bricktown all-time.
Streaking Toward History?: The RedHawks have a chance tonight to record the team's first-ever 10-game winning streak. This is the fourth time in club history they have won nine straight, but they have never been able to reach double digits. Similar to the current streak, the RedHawks won the first nine games of a 12-game homestand, May 29-June 7, 2012. The New Orleans Zephyrs downed the RedHawks the next night, 6-1, to snap the streak.
High-Water Mark: The RedHawks now sit a season-best 15 games above .500 and are tied with the Salt Lake Bees for the league's best record at 65-50. By going 14-4 since the All-Star Break, the RedHawks have turned a 4.5-game deficit in the standings into a two-game lead atop the American Southern Division.
One for the Books: The following notable marks occurred during last night's game...
* Tied the all-time team record with 24 runs. On June 22, 2004 they rolled over the Albuquerque Isotopes, 24-4.
* Set the team record for most runs in a game at home. The previous record was 21, set against Memphis on Aug. 18, 2005 (21-4).
* Notched the second-largest margin of victory ever in a game.
* Brandon Laird's seven RBI were the most by a RedHawk since Gregorio Petit had eight RBI (two grand slams) June 22, 2010 in New Orleans. Laird also tied a career high, matched twice in 2010 with the Double-A Trenton Thunder.
* Jon Singleton hit his second career grand slam and first since June 12, 2010 while playing for Low-A Lakewood at West Virginia.
* George Springer set a career high with five runs and became the first RedHawk to do so since Mike Hessman May 17, 2012 in Reno.
Leaders, Not Followers: During their current eight-game winning streak, the RedHawks have yet to trail for a full inning. The opposing team has taken the lead in the top of an inning three times, but the RedHawks have tied it up in the bottom of the inning each time.
Mound Magic: Since the All-Star Break, the RedHawks have a 2.73 ERA (48 ER/158.1 IP). The starters have combined for a 2.45 ERA (29 ER/106.2 IP) and allowed more than two earned runs in a game just three times. The RedHawks have held opponents to three runs or less in 12 of their 18 games since the break as well.
As the Crowe Flies: Trevor Crowe is 8-for-16 with three RBI over the past four nights and now is 9-for-26 over the first seven games of his rehab assignment. Crowe has been sidelined since spraining the AC joint in his right shoulder on June 20. He spent the first month of the season with the RedHawks, hitting .307/2/14. The RedHawks are 15-2 when Crowe leads off this season.
Bullish Backstops: After getting off to a 4-for-28 start following the All-Star Break, Carlos Perez is 7 for his last 12. RedHawks catchers have combined to go 10-for-19 with five RBI over the last five games.
RedHawks Are O-K: The RedHawks struck out just once last night to set a new season low. Oddly enough, the only K was by Jose Martinez, who strikes out once per 11.4 plate appearances. The team has struck out only three times the past two nights.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)
DATE TIME OPPONENT OKC PITCHER OPP. PITCHER
Monday, August 5 7:05 p.m. Colo. Springs LHP Wade LeBlanc (2-1, 5.51) RHP Sean Gallagher (0-0, 3.00)
Tuesday, August 6 7:05 p.m. Colo. Springs RHP Paul Clemens (1-0, 3.38) RHP Collin McHugh (4-2, 3.01)
Wednesday, August 7 OFF
Thursday, August 8 9:05 p.m @ Las Vegas RHP Asher Wojciechowski (7-4, 2.81) RHP Jacob deGrom (3-2, 4.53)
Pacific Coast League Stories from August 4, 2013
- Cats Win Fifth Straight, 3-1 - Sacramento River Cats
- Decker's Triple Lifts Padres in Ninth - Tucson Padres
- Sounds Streak Snapped in 8-5 Loss - Nashville Sounds
- RedHawks Extend Streak to Record 10 Games - Oklahoma City Comets
- Hand Swats Away Aces with Ease - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Memphis Snaps Three-Game Win Streak with 4-2 Defeat - Memphis Redbirds
- Zephyrs Top Aces, 5-1 - Reno Aces
- Rainiers Clipped By I-Cubs, 8-4 - Tacoma Rainiers
- Omaha Keeps Rolling Right Along - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Aces Game Notes August 4 - Reno Aces
- Chicago Cubs Recall Watkins; Lockhart Joins Iowa from Boise - Iowa Cubs
- RedHawks Game Notes: August 4, 2013 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Isotopes Downed in Fresno - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Marks Sharp in Shutting Down Salt Lake - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Round Rock Drops Series Opener To Sacramento 5-3 - Round Rock Express
- Hembree Sets Franchise Record with 25th Save - Fresno Grizzlies
- River Cats Beat Express 5-3, Gray Wins 10th - Sacramento River Cats
- Cubs Blanked for Ninth Straight Loss - Iowa Cubs
- Rainiers Blank Iowa, 5-0 Hector Noesi's 6.0 shutout innings help Tacoma end skid - Tacoma Rainiers
- Brandon Laird drives in seven runs as Oklahoma City beats Colorado Springs, 24-5 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Marks Sharp in Shutting Down Salt Lake - Omaha Storm Chasers
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