RedHawks Game Notes for August 22
Published on August 22, 2009 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release
Oklahoma City RedHawks (63-62) at Omaha Royals (53-72)
Game 126 | Aug. 22, 2009, 7:05 pm CDT | Rosenblatt Stadium | Omaha, NE
Tonight's scheduled starting pitchers:
RH Brandon McCarthy (0-1, 6.23) vs. LH Ray Liotta (no record)
TONIGHT: The RedHawks take on the Omaha Royals in the first of a 5-game, 4-day series at Rosenblatt Stadium. Tonight is also the opener of a 10-game, 9-day trip that will see OKC visit the Iowa Cubs starting Wednesday. OKC has lost 4 straight and sits in second place, a season-high equaling 7 games back of Albuquerque in the American South Division. Omaha is fourth, 12.5 back of Memphis in the American North. The RedHawks will start rehabber Brandon McCarthy in his fourth rehab start this month. He's returning from stress fracture in his right shoulder blade. Omaha is due to start lefty Ray Liotta, just promoted from advanced Class A Wilmington of the Carolina League for his Triple-A debut.
IT WAS THE BEST OF TIMES, IT WAS THE WORST OF TIMES...The RedHawks enter tonight's game after a 4-4 homestand that saw them sweep Salt Lake and get swept by Colorado Springs. During the homestand, the RedHawks pitched a no-hitter (Luis Mendoza, April 14) and were no-hit by a quartet of Sky Sox pitchers (Tuesday). The RedHawks never led a game at any point of the Colorado Springs series, enduring their first sweep of the season. OKC was out-scored 28-7 by the Sky Sox, who had been swept their previous two trips to Oklahoma in 2005 and 2007.
BETTER SCORE EARLY: The RedHawks did not get a runner as far as third base in 4 games against the Sky Sox bullpen, collecting 3 hits, 2 walks and a hit batsman in 15.2 innings. RedHawks hitters went 3-for-50 against the Sox relief corps. The last time OKC advanced a runner as far as third base after the fifth inning was when Royce Huffman scored the winning run in the 11th inning of Monday's 2-1 win over Salt Lake.
TOUGH SKED: Last night's game concluded a stretch where 3 of 6 series were against division-leading teams (Albuquerque, Sacramento and Colorado Springs). In that stretch, OKC went 2-10 against the division leaders and 8-4 in the other series against Round Rock, Fresno and Salt Lake.
DIVISION RACE UPDATE: OKC's current 7-game deficit in the American South behind Albuquerque matches its farthest margin back of the lead this season. Counting tonight, the RedHawks have 19 games remaining (4 at home) and the Isotopes have 17 left, 13 at home. Albuquerque's magic number to clinch the division is 12 and the Isotopes hold the first tie-breaker, having won the season series 9-7. The RedHawks are 19-17 since the All-Star break, but have dropped from 1 to 7 games back of Albuquerque, which is 26-11 since the break.
STREAKERS: Chris Davis enters tonight's game on a 22-game on-base streak. Casey Benjamin has reached base by hit or walk in 17 straight. Brian Gordon has not allowed a run in August, a scoreless stretch of 6 games and 9 innings. Mike Hinckley has also not surrendered a run this month, putting up zeros in 6 games and 7.2 innings.
GOODBYE PACIFIC: The RedHawks concluded the season series against Pacific Conference foes by going 16-16. OKC was 10-6 against the Pacific North and 6-10 vs. the Pacific South.
SWEEPING UP: Prior to the Colorado Springs series, the last time OKC had been swept was Aug. 8-11, 2008, at Albuquerque. OKC was swept once in 2008 and once in 2007. The 2007 sweep, Aug. 27-30 by New Orleans, was previously the club's last at home. OKC has been involved in 5 sweeps this year and 3 were against Pacific North clubs, the loss to the Sky Sox and sweeps over Portland and Salt Lake. OKC also swept Round Rock at home and New Orleans at Zephyr Field.
Pacific Coast League Stories from August 22, 2009
- Portland ends Sacramento's seven-game win streak with 5-2 win - Portland Beavers
- Barnette gets 12th win in Reno victory - Reno Aces
- Z's blank Cubs - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Zephyrs shut out Cubs - Iowa Cubs
- Memphis takes game one from Round Rock - Round Rock Express
- Houston signs right-hander Benitez - Round Rock Express
- Angels option O'Sullivan to Salt Lake - Salt Lake Bees
- RedHawks Game Notes for August 22 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Angels recall Rafael Rodriguez - Salt Lake Bees
- Aces explode for 7-3 victory - Reno Aces
- Beavers end homestand on high note - Portland Beavers
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