PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

RedHawks Game Notes: July 6, 2013

Published on July 6, 2013 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City RedHawks (47-41) vs. New Orleans Zephyrs (43-46)

Houston Astros vs. Miami Marlins

Game #89 of 144/Road #46 of 72 (22-23)

Pitching Probables: OKC-RHP Jarred Cosart (7-4, 2.98) vs. NEW-RHP Rett Varner (0-2, 1.69)

Saturday, July 6, 2013 | Zephyr Field | Metairie, La. | 6 p.m. CT

Radio: KGHM AM-1340 The Game, 1340thegame.com, IHeartRadio - Alex Freedman

Today's Game: Oklahoma City and New Orleans meet for the third time in their four-game series at 6 p.m., with the RedHawks looking to bounce back from a 4-0 shutout loss last night. Recently named PCL All-Star Jarred Cosart is scheduled to make the start for OKC.

Last Game: The Zephyrs pitching staff combined for an eight-hit shutout and Kyle Skipworth drove in three runs in a 4-0 win against the RedHawks Friday. Zephyrs pitchers Duane Below, Jonathan Abaladejo, Zach Phillips, and Chris Hatcher combined for New Orleans' sixth shutout of the year. Below (5-3) went the first six innings, earning his fifth win. The lefty scattered five hits with one walk and six strikeouts. The RedHawks had more than their fair share of scoring chances, but went 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base in their fifth shutout loss of the season. Skipworth put New Orleans in front 2-0 in the second with a two-run, two-out single. A solo home run from Joe Mahoney in the sixth put the Zephyrs ahead by three runs. Skipworth hit a RBI double in the seventh to plate the final run. Jake Buchanan turned in a quality start for Oklahoma City but was tagged with the loss. He allowed three runs and five hits over six innings. Buchanan (1-1) struck out a career-high nine batters and did not allow a walk.

Today's Probable Pitcher: PCL All-Star Jarred Cosart looks to return the RedHawks to the win column during his start tonight...On Monday, Cosart allowed three runs (one earned) and six hits with seven strikeouts and three walks in a no decision against Albuquerque. He threw 103 pitches over the five frames, and it was the first time in four starts he did not last at least six innings...Over his last four starts, Cosart has allowed two earned runs or less each time and posted a 1.88 ERA...Cosart ranks second in the PCL with a .205 opponent batting average and third with a 2.98 ERA, but he also is second in walks (46)...He leads the RedHawks with seven wins, 87.2 innings pitched and 90 strikeouts...On Tuesday he was announced as one of two starting pitchers that were elected by field managers and media to the PCL All-Star team...Today marks his third start against New Orleans this season (1-0, 4.35 ERA). In his last start at Zephyr Field, Cosart threw six scoreless innings and struck out eight batters without a walk in a 4-1 victory on June 20.

Against the Zephyrs: 2013: 6-4 2012: 8-8 All-time: 127-116 In NEW: 58-56

Last night was just the third time in 10 games this year the RedHawks have allowed four or more runs against Zephyrs. In half of their meetings, the Zephyrs have scored one or no runs...Oklahoma City has outscored New Orleans, 40-28, this season and the RedHawks pitching staff has a combined 2.69 ERA and limited the Zephyrs to a .214 average...Oklahoma City split a four-game series with the Zephyrs during their last trip to New Orleans, June 18-21. In each of the first three games, neither team scored through five innings and the Zephyrs were held scoreless through seven innings...The first game between the two this year was a 15-inning, 4-four, 54-minute marathon on April 25 in OKC. The Zephyrs won, 10-8...The Zephyrs homered 27 times against Oklahoma City last season and have gone deep eight times in 10 games this year. Kyle Skipworth has driven in seven of the last 13 runs against OKC (5 games).

Goose-Egged: Despite collecting eight hits last night, the RedHawks were shutout for the fifth time this season. The most hits they had recorded in a shutout prior to yesterday was just five. Three separate times they had a runner at third base with less than two outs and did not score. Six of the nine runners left on base were stranded in scoring position.

By George: After going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in his Triple-A debut June 27 in Nashville, George Springer has hit safely in each of his last nine games, hitting .414 (12x29) with two home runs and seven RBI. Between his time with OKC and Double-A Corpus Christi, he has mashed 21 home runs and stolen 27 bases. He is the only player in all of professional baseball this season go 20/20.

Laird off the Mat: One night after having a nine-game hitting streak come to an end, Brandon Laird went 2-for-4 yesterday. He has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games, posting a .415 average (17x41) with seven multi-hit games.

Hip Hip, Jose: Jose Martinez is currently on a six-game hitting streak and has hit safely in eight of his last nine games. During the streak he is batting .375 (9x24) with three multi-hit games.

Starting Line: In their last six meetings with New Orleans, the OKC starting pitching staff has allowed just seven runs over 37.1 IP (1.69 ERA) with four runs via solo homers. Over the last 20 games, the RedHawks starting rotation has posted a 2.52 ERA (33 ER/118.0 IP). In the last 25 games, OKC starting pitchers have allowed one or no earned runs 13 times, with 15 quality starts.

Leave it in Park: The RedHawks have not gone deep since back-to-back homers by Brandon Laird and George Springer on Monday against Albuquerque (four games). On the other hand, they have only allowed three home runs over their past nine games, each of which has been solo shots. Their 73 homers allowed this season are third-least in the PCL.

K-Ville: The RedHawks have struck out 11 Zephyrs each of the past two nights. Over 10 games with New Orleans this season, the OKC pitching staff has racked up 94 K's.

Wilting Walks: Over the first two games of this series, the RedHawks have walked just one batter, with none last night. It's the fifth time this season they did not walk a batter, with each of the last two occurrences against New Orleans (June 21). They have really turned things around after handing out 23 walks in the previous three-game series with Albuquerque.

Two-Out Trouble: During the past four games, 12 of the 17 runs the RedHawks have allowed have come with two outs, including four of five in the current series.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)

DATE TIME OPPONENT OKC PITCHER OPP. PITCHER

Sunday, July 7 6 p.m. @ New Orleans RHP Asher Wojciechowski (4-4, 3.45) RHP Jared Rogers (3-2, 5.88)

Monday, July 8 7:05 p.m. @ Round Rock LHP Wade LeBlanc (0-0, 1.93) TBA

Tuesday, July 9 7:05 p.m. @ Round Rock RHP Brad Peacock (4-2, 2.89) TBA

Wednesday, July 10 7:05 p.m. @ Round Rock RHP Jake Buchanan (1-1, 4.09) TBA

Check out the Oklahoma City Comets Statistics

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