PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

RedHawks Game Notes: May 6, 2013

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


Oklahoma City RedHawks (18-11) vs. Iowa Cubs (10-17)

Houston Astros vs. Chicago Cubs

Games #30 of 144/Road #14 of 72 (8-5)

Pitching Probables: OKC-RHP Ross Seaton (0-1, 11.57) vs. IOW-RHP Matt Garza (ML Rehab)/LHP Chris Rusin (1-3, 4.33)

Monday, May 6, 2013 | Principal Park | Des Moines, Iowa | 12:05 p.m. CT

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

Today's Game: The RedHawks head back to work this afternoon and will play the rubber match of an abbreviated three-game series in Des Moines at 12:05 p.m. Chicago Cubs pitcher Matt Garza will make a rehab start for Iowa.

Last Game: After weather caused havoc for two days, the RedHawks and I-Cubs returned to the field Sunday and split a doubleheader. Iowa took the first game, 5-2. The RedHawks had a couple of early leads and went ahead 2-1 in the fourth inning on Carlos Perez's first home run. Iowa took the lead for good in the bottom of the inning, scoring three times, including a two-run homer by Josh Vitters.

The RedHawks earned a split in the double dip, fending off several late I-Cubs rallies to eventually hang on to win 4-3 in 10 innings. Brett Wallace homered twice, and the RedHawks received a nice spot start from Kyle Hallock (4 IP, ER). On two separate occasions, the I-Cubs were down by one with none on and two out and rallied to tie the game in both the sixth and ninth innings. Che-Hsuan Lin put the RedHawks back in front with an RBI single in the 10th, and Eric Berger was able to seal the win in the bottom of the inning, earning his first career save.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Ross Seaton gets the call for the RedHawks, looking to overcome a recent rough patch...Over his last three outings, Seaton has allowed 20 runs (17 ER) and 20 hits over a combined nine innings...Before this recent stretch, Seaton had allowed one earned run in each of his previous four outings with OKC, dating back to last season...On Monday against Nashville, the Sounds got to Seaton for seven runs and seven hits in 1.2 innings...Although Seaton left with a 7-1 deficit, the offense picked him up and the RedHawks rallied for a 9-8 win...Seaton is hoping a return to the road will help him get straightened out...He has a 3.07 road ERA over three road starts with the RedHawks...Today is his first career meeting against Iowa.

Against the Cubs: 2013: 1-1 2012: 12-4 All-time: 99-108 In Iowa: 46-59

OKC started the season series against Iowa in 2012 by winning the first six games and went 12-4 overall...The RedHawks had never won more than 10 games in one year against the I-Cubs prior to that...The I-Cubs actually posted a better average (.283) than OKC (.274), but the RedHawks hit 19 home runs, including five over a two-game span by Mike Hessman, June 3-4...Jimmy Paredes led OKC with 20 hits against Iowa in 2012 and hit .323 in the series...The RedHawks pitching staff posted a 4.44 ERA...Oklahoma City also won the 2011 season series, 10-6...Their next meeting will be in Des Moines, May 24-27, and will include a doubleheader on May 26 in order to make up one of the games lost to inclement weather during the current series.

Wally World: Brett Wallace is starting to heat up, riding a six-game hit streak during which he has hit .435 (10-for-23). Yesterday marked his first multi-homer game overall since Aug. 1, 2012 when went deep twice in a game for the Astros in Milwaukee. His last multi-homer game for the RedHawks occurred June 22, 2012 in Nashville.

Paredes Patiently Popping Off: Jimmy Paredes is 19-for-42 (.452) during his current 11-game hit streak, and he has collected at least two hits six times. It's his longest hit streak he's had in the United States and the longest of his career since a 14-game streak in 2007 while playing for the DSL Yankees. Paredes is fourth in the PCL with 41 hits and ranks fifth with a .376 average. His current walk total stands at 14, well over half of what he had for all of 2012 (22). He didn't draw his 14th walk last season until July 15.

Cold Front: It seems the winter weather in Des Moines was able to cool Jonathan Villar down. He went hitless in yesterday's twinbill, going 0-for-6 and snapping an eight-game hitting streak. It's the first time he's been held without a hit in back-to-back games since April 10 and 12 (21 games). Even including yesterday, Villar is hitting .403 (31x77) over his last 19 games. Despite not having a multi-hit game until the 11th game of the season, he is second on the team with 12. During this stretch he has collected all 17 of his RBI and all 12 of his extra-base hits for the season. Since April 15, Villar and Omaha's David Lough are tied for the most hits in the PCL.

Swipe Out: The RedHawks are leading the league with 42 stolen bases, including 22 over the last eight games. Trevor Crowe has swiped 11 to lead the team and rank second in the PCL. In April, the RedHawks had 35 stolen bases, which is the most they have had in one month since July 2011 (41).

Out of the Ordinary: Yesterday's two blown saves in game two was well out of the norm. There had been only one blown save by a true relief pitcher for the season, with none since April 7. (The last blown save overall occurred April 14 when the RedHawks were still using a tandem starting rotation, and the blown save was credited to a "second starter.")

Even Stevens: Game two of yesterday's doubleheader marked the first time in 29 games this season the RedHawks and their opponent had the same amount of hits. Last season the RedHawks were fittingly 7-7 in games where both sides had equal hits.

The Middle Man: Until the RedHawks allowed five runs in game one of yesterday's doubleheader, they had only allowed the opposition to score three or less runs, or seven or more runs through each of their first 27 games.

Berger King: Eric Berger collected his first career save yesterday. It came in the lefty's 134th career appearance and 65th out of the bullpen.

Closing Arguments: The RedHawks are 6-1 in the final game of a series this season.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)

DATE TIME OPPONENT OKC PITCHER(S) OPP. PITCHER

Tuesday, May 7 7:05 p.m. Tacoma RHP Jarred Cosart (3-0, 2.63) RHP Jeremy Bonderman (2-2, 3.57)

Wednesday, May 8 11:05 a.m. Tacoma RHP Brad Peacock LHP James Paxton (2-2, 5.19)

Thursday, May 9 7:05 p.m. Tacoma RHP Asher Wojciechowski (0-0, 2.25) RHP Blake Beavan (0-1, 9.00)

Friday, May 10 7:05 p.m. Tacoma LHP Brett Oberholtzer (1-3, 7.71) LHP Jimmy Gillheeney (2-0, 2.84)

Check out the Oklahoma City Comets Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from May 6, 2013


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