PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

RedHawks Game Notes: September 1, 2013

Published on September 1, 2013 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City RedHawks (80-62) vs. Memphis Redbirds (69-73)

Houston Astros vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Game #143 of 144/Home #72 of 73 (45-26)

Pitching Probables: OKC-LHP Blair Walters (NR, -.--) vs. MEM-RHP Boone Whiting (5-5, 4.33)

Sunday, September 1, 2013 | 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 playoff-bound RedHawks continue their final home series of the regular season at 7:05 p.m. against the Memphis Redbirds. Memphis can clinch its division tonight with a win or an Omaha loss. Should that happen, these teams will meet each other in the playoffs beginning Wednesday in Oklahoma City.

Last Game: Memphis scored six runs in the first inning and went on to win, 7-3, against the RedHawks Saturday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The Redbirds racked up six hits in the top of the opening frame against David Martinez (0-2), including a two-run homer by Greg Garcia. The RedHawks scored once in the bottom of the inning on a sac fly by George Springer. Che-Hsuan Lin homered into the left field bleachers to lead off the bottom of the third inning for the RedHawks, and Brandon Laird added a sac fly later in the frame. A solo home run by Chad Huffman extended Memphis' lead to 7-3 in the eighth inning. The RedHawks bullpen did a great job, holding Memphis to one run and three hits over the last eight innings. However, the OKC offense was held scoreless with one hit over the final six innings, and Memphis' pitching staff retired 20 of the final 22 hitters, including the last 10 straight.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Blair Walters makes a spot start in his Triple-A debut tonight after joining the RedHawks from the High-A Lancaster JetHawks...Walters has appeared in 34 games and started five for Lancaster this season. He is 6-2 with a 7.36 ERA over 73.1 innings pitched...He has performed considerably better as a starter, posting a 3.48 ERA, compared with an 8.89 ERA out of the bullpen. Walters most recently started May 31 against Visalia...He ranks third among JetHawks pitchers with six wins and 34 appearances...Walters was acquired by Houston July 21, 2012 along with pitchers Matt Heidenreich and Chris Devenski in exchange for Astros pitcher Brett Myers...He was selected by the White Sox in the 11th round of the 2011 draft from the University of Hawaii and was named Pioneer League Pitcher of the Year with the Great Falls Voyagers later that year.

Double Deuces: Walters is the 22nd different starting pitcher used by the RedHawks this season.

Against the Redbirds: 2013: 7-7 2012: 8-8 All-time: 132-122 In OKC: 76-49

The road team improved to 11-3 in the season series with Memphis' 7-3 win Saturday...Memphis is 5-1 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark this season after also winning the first series between the teams in Oklahoma City April 12-15...In each of the previous three series between the teams this season, the road team has won three of four games...The Redbirds have a 75-71 run advantage in the season series to date...Brandon Laird is hitting .364 with two homers and 14 RBI during the season series. In just nine games against Memphis, Marc Krauss has belted three homers and collected 11 RBI...If the RedHawks win each of the next two games, they will win the season series for the first time since 2007 (10-6).

September Shakeup: With Major League rosters eligible to expand today, the Houston Astros recalled both outfielder Trevor Crowe and reliever Jorge De Leon from the RedHawks. In addition to Blair Walters, Double-A Corpus Christi reliever Andrew Robinson joined the RedHawks today. In 38 relief appearances, Robinson was 5-2 with three saves and a 3.28 ERA for the Hooks. Since the All-Star Break, Robinson has posted a 1.53 ERA and held Texas League opponents to a .208 batting average.

August Exit: The RedHawks went 18-12 in August, tying their highest monthly win total of the season (July). They hit 21 home runs during the month, marking the third straight month with at least 20 dingers. The RedHawks hit .268 and posted a 4.69 ERA as a team. Brandon Laird and George Springer each collected 24 RBI, tied for third-most in the PCL during the month. Jose Martinez paced Oklahoma City with 34 hits, including 11 doubles.

Crown 'Em: On Tuesday, the RedHawks clinched their first PCL division title since 2010 and their seventh division championship since joining the league in 1998. OKC will play the winner of the American Northern Division in a best-of-five series, starting Sept. 4-5 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Memphis' magic number to clinch the American Northern is down to one.

Berger King: Last night Eric Berger tossed four scoreless and hitless innings of long relief. Over his last 10 games (including one start), Berger has allowed two runs (both on solo HR) and six hits with 20 strikeouts over 21.1 IP.

The Quest for 40/40: George Springer went 1-for-3 with a RBI Saturday and has hit safely in seven of his last eight games (12-for-31). He ranks second in the Minors with 37 home runs this season and is trying to become the first Minor League player with a 40/40 season since Len Tucker of the unaffiliated Class B Pampa Oilers in 1956 (51 HR/47 SB). Springer trails only Joey Gallo of the Class-A Hickory Crawdads (40), who hit five home runs in the last two games, for the MiLB Joe Baumann Home Run Award. Springer has already joined Ruben Rivera and Darryl Strawberry as the only minor leaguers over the past 40 years with at least 30 home runs and 40 stolen bases in the same season. He has collected 108 RBI (tied for second in the Minors) and scored 106 runs (fourth in the Minors) overall this season. Fellow Astros farmhand Andrew Aplin of High-A Lancaster is only other player to collect 100 of each this year.

RISPy Business: The RedHawks went 1-for-5 with 0 RBI with runners in scoring position last night. They are batting just .145 with runners in scoring position during the current homestand (9x62) and .157 over their past nine games (14x89).

Constantly Chasing: Over the past four games, the only time the RedHawks have led was following Jose Martinez's game-winning RBI double in the bottom of the 14th against Nashville Thursday night. They have trailed in 34 of the last 41 innings. In addition, opponents have scored first in seven straight games and tallied 10 runs in the first inning over the past three nights.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)

DATE TIME OPPONENT OKC PITCHER OPP. PITCHER

Monday, September 2 11:05 a.m. Memphis RHP Ross Seaton (3-7, 8.16) RHP Eric Fornataro (1-4, 6.61)

***End of Regular Season***

Wednesday, Sept. 4 7:05 p.m. Home TBA American Conference Finals, Game 1

Thursday, Sept. 5 7:05 p.m. Home TBA American Conference Finals, Game 2

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