PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

RedHawks Game Notes: June 29, 2014

Published on June 29, 2014 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City RedHawks (43-40) vs. Omaha Storm Chasers (44-37)

Houston Astros vs. Kansas City Royals

Game #84 of 144/Home #40 of 72 (19-20)

Pitching Probables: OKC-RHP Nick Tropeano (5-4, 2.28) vs. OMA-LHP John Lamb (4-6, 3.74)

Sunday, June 29, 2014 | 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 close out their season series with the Omaha Storm Chasers at 6:05 p.m. at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Select players will be available for autographs before the game, and kids can run the bases after the game.

Last Game: The RedHawks collected 11 hits, including two home runs, but were unable to catch Omaha in a 7-4 loss Saturday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The Storm Chasers jumped out to an early 2-0 lead before a RBI single by Marc Krauss cut the lead in half in the bottom of the first. He was later tagged out at the plate trying to tie the game on a Domingo Santana double. Omaha scored twice more in the second inning, pushing the lead to 4-1. Robbie Grossman led off the bottom of the third with a solo homer, and a sac fly by Kiké Hernandez cut the Omaha lead to 4-3. With Omaha leading 6-3 in the sixth, Preston Tucker hit his first homer with the RedHawks. Matt Duffy followed with a single and tried to score on a hit by Joe Sclafani, but was tagged out at home. Omaha answered with a solo homer by Carlos Peguero in the seventh. RedHawks starting pitcher Asher Wojciechowski (0-1) pitched four innings, allowing five runs (four earned) and nine hits over four innings. He walked one and struck out four. Omaha starting pitcher Aaron Brooks (7-2) earned the win. He allowed four runs and nine hits, walked three and struck out four over 5.2 innings.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Nick Tropeano (5-4) looks for a fourth win in six starts tonight...He ranks third in the PCL with a 2.28 ERA, third with a .191 opponent average and fourth with a 0.96 WHIP. Among Astros farmhands, he's second in WHIP and third in both ERA and opponent average...He last pitched last Sunday in Tacoma and allowed three runs on six hits, walked three and struck out seven over 5.2 innings in a no decision. It was the first time he allowed three earned runs in a game since April 21 at Memphis (10 games)...Prior to his last outing, Tropeano had won each of his previous three starts, allowing just two runs and 11 hits over 22.0 IP. He pitched at least seven innings each time and had 18 strikeouts against four walks while holding opponents to a .153 batting average...He's held opponents scoreless in three of his last six outings...Over his last eight starts, Tropeano has posted a 1.90 ERA with a .175 opponent average. He has compiled 54 strikeouts over 52 innings with just 11 walks; he had struck out just 18 batters (with 11 walks) over his first 27 innings...Surprisingly the RedHawks are just 5-7 in his starts and 6-9 in games in which he's appeared...Tonight marks his second start against the Storm Chasers. On May 27 he allowed a season-high seven hits and tied a season high by allowing four runs (two earned) over five innings and picked up the loss in a 9-1 defeat.

Against the Storm Chasers: 2014: 6-9 2013: 8-8 All-time: 124-115 In OKC: 62-57

Omaha's victory last night clinched a win in the season series. The RedHawks have not won a season series against Omaha since going 9-7 in 2010. Omaha won the 2011 and 2012 series before they split last season...Omaha is outscoring the RedHawks, 63-45, this season...The teams split their most recent four-game series June 5-8 in Omaha. The RedHawks won the final two games of the series, marking their first back-to-back victories against Omaha since June 25 and July 22, 2013...The Storm Chasers are 5-2 in OKC this season, and including the 2013 playoffs, they have won 10 of the last 13 meetings in Bricktown. Both of Oklahoma City's home wins this season have been walk-off victories...The RedHawks and Storm Chasers split their 2013 series, 8-8, with each team going 5-3 on its home turf.

Unlucky Seven: The RedHawks have lost six of their last seven games and now trail first-place Omaha by two games in the standings. During the stretch the pitching staff has a 4.98 ERA and opponents are hitting .299, collecting at least 10 hits in game five times. Four of the losses were by two or fewer runs, including three straight extra-inning losses in Tacoma.

Slammin' Santana: Domingo Santana went 2-for-4 Saturday for his third multi-hit performance in the last five games. He has hit safely in all five games during the stretch, going 10-for-21 with five extra-base hits and four RBI. He's batting .330 in June, and his current .305 average is the best it's been all season. He ranks tied for third in the PCL with 95 hits and also ranks among the league's top five in extra-base hits (36), and total bases (158). He also leads the RedHawks with 50 RBI (T-10th PCL) and 46 runs. Earlier this week he was selected to the annual All-Star Futures Game, which will be held July 13 at Target Field in Minneapolis.

Robbie's Return: In his first game after recently being optioned to the RedHawks, Robbie Grossman reached base all four times he stepped up to the plate and delivered his fourth home run of the season. Grossman is on a nine-game hitting streak with the RedHawks, batting .410 (16x39) with five multi-hit games, five RBI, and eight runs scored.

June Boom: With two more home runs Saturday night, the RedHawks have gone deep 31 times this month over 26 games - tied for third-most in the PCL. Last month, they hit just 21 homers over 30 games. As a team they are batting .292 in June (fourth in PCL) after batting just .257 in May.

RBI Machine: Marc Krauss added another RBI Saturday and now has batted in 20 runs through his first 21 games with the RedHawks. He is hitting .316 overall and is batting .440 (11x25) with runners in scoring position, including 6-for-10 when there are two outs. His 20 RBI leads the team this month, and he has gone 7-for-21 with six RBI during his current six-game hitting streak.

RISPy Proposition: The RedHawks are 7-for-19 with runners in scoring position during the last two games after going just 4-for-38 (.105) with runners in scoring position over the five games prior.

Kiké to Success: Kiké Hernandez went 0-for-3 with a RBI yesterday, snapping his nine-game hitting streak and 16-game on-base streak. He's hit safely in 15 of his last 17 games them at a .400 (30x75) clip with nine RBI and 11 multi-hit games (including two four-hit games). Since joining the RedHawks April 17, he ranks second in the PCL with 83 hits (Nick Ahmed, Reno - 87).

UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)

DATE TIME OPPONENT OKC PITCHER(S) OPP. PITCHER

Monday, June 30 8:05 p.m. @ Colo. Springs LHP Rudy Owens (3-4, 5.34) RHP Mike McClendon (1-0, 4.11)

Tuesday, July 1 8:05 p.m. @ Colo. Springs RHP David Martinez (5-5, 4.18) RHP Juan Nicasio (1-1, 6.35)

Wednesday, July 2 8:05 p.m. @ Colo. Springs TBA LHP Brett Anderson (NR, -.--)

Thursday, July 3 8:05 p.m. @ Colo. Springs TBA LHP Pedro Hernandez (5-4, 6.34)

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 29, 2014


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