RedHawks Game Notes: May 7, 2013
Published on May 7, 2013 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release
Oklahoma City RedHawks (18-12) vs. Tacoma Rainiers (21-11)
Houston Astros vs. Seattle Mariners
Games #31 of 144/Home #17 of 72 (10-6)
Pitching Probables: OKC-RHP Jarred Cosart (3-0, 2.63) vs. TAC-RHP Jeremy Bonderman (2-2, 3.57)
Tuesday, May 7, 2013 | Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark | Oklahoma City, Okla. | 7:05 p.m. CT
Radio: KGHM AM-1340 The Game, 1340thegame.com, IHeartRadio - Alex Freedman
Today's Game: The RedHawks return to downtown Oklahoma City to open an eight-game homestand after a weather-shortened three-game road trip to Iowa. Oklahoma City begins a four-game series against PCL-leading Tacoma today for the only series between the teams which currently hold the best records in their respective conferences.
Last Game: The Iowa Cubs clinched the three-game series against Oklahoma City with a 6-1 victory Monday afternoon in Des Moines, marking just the second series loss for OKC this season. The I-Cubs held the RedHawks to their lowest run total since an 8-1 loss April 22 at Albuquerque -- an 11-game stretch. The I-Cubs hit two home runs and received strong pitching throughout the game from Chicago Cubs pitcher Matt Garza--who was making a rehab start for Iowa--and Chris Rusin (2-3), who followed Garza and earned the win. RedHawks starting pitcher Ross Seaton (0-2) gave up four runs and eight hits over five innings. He recorded a season-high six strikeouts in the loss. OKC tallied eight hits, all singles. Trevor Crowe, Jonathan Villar and Carlos Perez each had two hits for OKC. Villar scored the lone run of the game for the RedHawks with Andy Simunic grabbing the lone RBI on a single in fourth inning.
Today's Probable Pitcher: Jarred Cosart (3-0) returns to the mound for OKC after earning his third victory of the season last Tuesday against Nashville...In the win against the Sounds, Cosart went 5.1 innings and allowed one run on four hits with six strikeouts...He retired 13 of the first 14 hitters he faced and did not allow a hit until there was one out in the fifth inning...He enters tonight's game with the ninth-best ERA in the league (2.63) as well as the third-best opponent batting average (.190)...He also leads the team with 29 strikeouts and 27.1 innings...Last week Cosart was named RedHawks April Pitcher of the Month by the Astros.
Against the Rainiers: 2013: 0-0 2012: 1-3 All-time: 36-39 In OKC: 21-15
The two teams met for a four-game series in Tacoma in August 2012, which the Rainiers won, 3-1...Tacoma won the third game of the series with a walk-off home run from Nick Franklin in the bottom of the 11th inning (4-3)...Jimmy Paredes led the RedHawks with six hits, including one home run, three RBI and three runs scored...Each team totaled 35 hits apiece during the 2012 series...During their previous series at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in 2011, the teams split a four-game set with the RedHawks winning the first two games...OKC last won more than two games in a season against the Rainiers in 2005 when they swept the season series, 4-0.
Running With the Pac: Tonight begins a stretch of 16-straight games against Pacific Conference foes. Last season the RedHawks went 14-17 against the other side of the league, including an 8-7 mark at home.
Recent Transactions: Last night, the Houston Astros recalled RedHawks infielder Jimmy Paredes and purchased the contract of outfielder Trevor Crowe. Paredes led the team with a .366 average and 41 hits. Crowe paced the team with 21 runs and 11 stolen bases, hitting .307. Infielder Brandon Laird will rejoin the RedHawks after being optioned from Houston. Laird hit .200 with two home runs and five RBI in 11 games with the Astros. He began the year in Oklahoma City and got off to hot start, batting .353 with two homers and 14 RBI in his first 12 games. His contract was purchased by Houston on April 18.
Back to Bricktown: The RedHawks resume a stretch of 24 home games in 33 days in downtown Oklahoma City tonight. So far they are 10-6 and have won the last seven straight. The RedHawks are one of six teams in the PCL with at least 10 home wins already this season. Three of those teams with 10-plus home wins are in the RedHawks' PCL American Southern Division. The RedHawks are hitting .321 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, led by Marc Krauss who has put up a .382/4/20 line in OKC.
Wally World: Brett Wallace is starting to heat up, riding a seven-game hit streak during which he has hit .407 (11-for-27). During the second game of Sunday's doubleheader, he became the first RedHawk to hit more than one home run in a game this season. He has a team-high eight hits in the last five games for OKC.
Valiant Villar: Shortstop Jonathan Villar is hitting .407 (33x81) over his last 20 games despite going hitless (0x6) in a Sunday's doubleheader. He rebounded quickly, going 2-for-4 Monday. Villar did not collect a multi-hit game until the 11th game of the season, but is now tied for first on the team with 13. Since April 15, he has more hits (33) than anyone else in the PCL.
Swipe Out: OKC leads the league with 45 stolen bases, including 24 in the last nine games. In April, the RedHawks had 35 stolen bases, which is the most they have had in one month since July 2011 (41). Oklahoma City picked up a season-high six stolen bases April 29 against Nashville. Trevor Crowe (11) and Jonathan Villar (10) both rank in the top five in the league.
Perez Dispensing Hits: Since being assigned to OKC from Double-A Corpus Christi on May 1, catcher Carlos Perez has six hits and four RBI through four games played, hitting .462. He has hit safely in all four games, collecting two multi-hit games. The 22-year-old started the season with Corpus Christi, hitting .283 with one home run and five RBI over 16 games.
Singles Club: All eight of the RedHawks hits yesterday were singles. It's just the second time through the season's first 30 games they were held without an extra-base hit (April 18 vs. Round Rock, Game 2).
Slow Starters: The RedHawks are 2-6 in series opening-games in 2013, including 1-3 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. OKC's lone win in a home series opener this season came April 29 against Nashville. Despite the slow starts, the RedHawks series record stands at 4-2-2.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)
DATE TIME OPPONENT OKC PITCHER(S) OPP. PITCHER
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)
Saturday, May 11 7:05 p.m. Salt Lake RHP Ross Seaton (0-2, 10.42) TBA
Pacific Coast League Stories from May 7, 2013
- Zephyrs Salt Bees with Five-Run Sixth - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Chatwood Handcuffs I-Cubs - Iowa Cubs
- Dodgers Recall Herrera, Rodriguez Joins Topes - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Sounds Open Homestand with 5-3 Loss - Nashville Sounds
- Cosart's 10 Strikeouts Lead RedHawks in 6-1 Win - Oklahoma City Comets
- Rainiers Ousted In Opener At OKC, 6-1 - Tacoma Rainiers
- Memphis Wins Homestand Opener over Sacramento, 3-2 - Memphis Redbirds
- Back-To-Back Homers Not Enough in 3-2 Loss - Sacramento River Cats
- Storm Chasers Rained Out - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Tuesday's Aces Game Postponed - Reno Aces
- Iowa Cubs Roster Has New Look Today - Iowa Cubs
- RedHawks Game Notes: May 7, 2013 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Padres Get Offense Going Early - Tucson Padres
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