PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

RedHawks Game Notes for September 6

September 6, 2009 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City RedHawks (68-74) at Memphis Redbirds (76-66)

Game 143 | Sept. 6, 2009, 6:35 pm CDT | AutoZone Park | Memphis, TN

Tonight's scheduled starting pitchers:

RH Elizardo Ramirez (9-10, 4.47) vs. LH Evan MacLane (7-11, 4.11)

TONIGHT: The Oklahoma City RedHawks player their next-to-last game of the game of the season in the fourth of a 5-game series in Memphis. The Redbirds clinched the American North Division last night by sweeping OKC in a doubleheader coupled with Nashville's second straight loss at New Orleans. The RedHawks have dropped the first 3 games of this series and a season-high 9 straight on the road. Righthander Elizardo Ramirez will try to match his 2008 win total when he gets the start tonight carrying a 9-10 record and 16-inning scoreless streak into the game. Lefty Evan MacLane is due to start for the Redbirds.

DOUBLE DUTY: Playing their third doubleheader in a 14-day span, the RedHawks were swept in a twin bill for the second straight time last night, 7-2 and 5-3 at AutoZone Park. OKC has split 4 conventional, 7-inning game doubleheaders and lost 2, while sweeping a split twin bill and splitting one. Hit totals were 9-6 Memphis in each game last night. The RedHawks, who have allowed the fewest home runs in the league by a wide margin, allowed a 3-run homer in the first inning to David Freese in Game 1 to provide enough of a margin for the Redbirds. Freese added a 2-run double and RBI single, going 3-for-3 with a Memphis season-high 6 RBIs. In Game 2, a 2-run, go-ahead homer by Tyler Greene in the fifth inning put Memphis in front for good at 4-3.

ROAD WOES CONTINUE: The RedHawks have lost 9 straight road games, adding to an already season-high losing streak away from home. The last OKC road win was a 10-4 decision Aug. 24 at Omaha. Since then, the RedHawks dropped the Omaha finale, a 5-game series in Iowa and the first 3 in Memphis. The RedHawks and Portland Beavers share the league's lowest road win total, 27.

BETTER THAN 2008: The RedHawks ended their home schedule 41-31, which tops the 40-32 mark for last year's division and American Conference champions. The 2008 RedHawks, however, went 36-36 on the road, while this year's club is 27-43 away from home.

FINALLY, HOMERS AT AUTOZONE: The RedHawks had homers in each game of yesterday's doubleheader, their first home runs at AutoZone Park this season. Memphis was the last place OKC had played where it had not homered. OKC has a league-low 76 home runs and has allowed the fewest, 90, 14 fewer than the nearest teams.

STREAKS END: Reliever Mike Hinckley built his scoreless inning streak to 12 in Game 1 last night before allowing 2 runs in his second inning of work to snap the string. Hinckley also had a 10-1-inning scoreless stretch earlier this season. Royce Huffman saw an 8-game hitting streak end in last night's nightcap.

NEWCOMERS CONTRIBUTE: Outfielder Jared Bolden hit his first Triple-A homer in the seventh inning of last night's first game. Bolden, who spent the season at low Class A Hickory and had 1 home run, has hit reached base in all 4 games played since being promoted to bolster the RedHawks' roster. Catcher Zach Zaneski has reached in all 3 games played. Justin Leone belted his first OKC homer in Game 2 last night, a 3-run shot. Leone's home run was the ninth by an OKC designated hitter this season.

CLOSE CALLS: OKC's 4-3 win in 10 innings on Thursday boosted its league-leading win total in one-run games to 26. The RedHawks are 26-16 in that department. Sacramento has a 25-13 mark in one-run decisions. The RedHawks are 13-4 in extra-inning games, behind only Sacramento's 15-4 record. OKC is a league-best 14-4 in games tied after 8 innings.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from September 6, 2009


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