PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

RedHawks Game Notes

Published on April 14, 2009 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City RedHawks (1-3) at Nashville Sounds (2-3)

Game 5 | April 14, 2009, 6:00 pm | Greer Stadium | Nashville, TN

Fox Sports Radio AM 1340, RedHawks Radio Network | Play-by-Play: Jim Byers

Tonight's scheduled starting pitchers:

RH Luis Mendoza vs. LH Sam Narron

TONIGHT: The Oklahoma City RedHawks will try to snap a two-game losing streak in the second game of this four-game series in Nashville. Righthander Luis Mendoza will make his 2009 debut for the RedHawks against Nashville's opening-night starter and former RedHawk lefty Sam Narron. OKC is 1-3 on the season-opening trip, shortened to seven games because of Sunday's rainout in Memphis. The Sounds snapped a two-game skid last night with a 4-3 win over the RedHawks and enter the game 2-3 on their season-opening eight-game homestand.

CLOSE BUT NO...: Last night the RedHawks dropped their third one-run decision of the young season in a 4-3 loss at Greer Stadium. All 3 OKC losses have been by a single run and in the last two the opposition has made a one-run lead in the first inning stand up. Last night, Mat Gamel's two-run homer off Derek Holland gave the Sounds a 2-1 lead after one inning. Hernan Iribarren's two-run double in the fourth put the Sounds up 4-1 before the RedHawks scored single runs in the fifth and seventh to conclude the scoring. Brandon Boggs had 2 RBIs, while Ben Harrison had the other.

HOLLAND'S DEBUT RECAP: Rangers' No. 2 prospect Derek Holland, the organization's 2008 Pitcher of the Year, went 4 innings last night, allowing 4 runs on 5 hits with 3 walks and 5 strikeouts in taking the loss. Holland's only 2008 loss came in his 20th start, on July 24 for Class A Bakersfield, at San Jose. Holland went 13-1 with a 2.27 ERA at three levels last year. He delivered 81 pitches last night, 50 strikes.

MENDOZA VS. NASHVILLE: Luis Mendoza has faced the Sounds twice in his career, both last year, on April 7 (ML rehab) and June 10. He was 1-0 with a 0.79 ERA (11.1 IP, 10 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO). Here's how current Sounds fared against Mendoza: Hernan Iribarren 1-for-3, single; Brendan Katin 1-for-5, single, 3 Ks; Adam Heether 0-for-2, 1 K; Tony Gwynn, 1-for-3, single.

NARRON VS. OKC: Sam Narron is 0-3 with a 3.93 ERA in 3 outings (2 starts) in his career against the RedHawks. All were last year, when the RedHawks went 14-2 against the Sounds. Current RedHawks' stats vs. Narron: Joaquin Arias 4-for-10, HR; Ben Harrison 1-for-3, double; Casey Benjamin 0-for-3, 1 K.

SELDOM SEEN SOUTHPAWS: Tonight's game is the RedHawks' first against a left-handed starter in 2009. The RedHawks have only had 12 official at bats against lefties in 4 games, going 2-for-12 (.167). They are 26-for-122 (.213) vs. righthanders.

LOW NUMBERS: The most runs scored or allowed by the RedHawks in a game this season is 4. The most hits OKC has allowed is 8 (Thursday and last night). Brandon Boggs and Ben Harrison share the team lead with 3 RBIs and are the only players with a multiple-RBI game, each having one. They're driven in 6 of OKC's 10 runs. The RedHawks remain the only team in the PCL without a home run.

MAKING THEM EARN IT: Through 4 games the RedHawks' pitching staff has allowed just 11 runs, good for the league's third-best ERA at 2.88 (Portland, 2.00; Memphis 2.19). The RedHawks have not allowed an earned run. By contrast, Nashville has allowed more unearned runs, 13, than the RedHawks have allowed runs. The Sounds have yielded the league's second-most runs, 33, yet only 20 have been earned.

LIVING FOR THE "CITY:" In recognition of taxpayers who funded the construction of AT&T Bricktown Ballpark in 1990s, the RedHawks added "City" to the franchise name in the off season after 11 seasons as the Oklahoma RedHawks. Previous local professional clubs also carried the "Oklahoma City" name, including the Triple-A 89ers from 1962-1997.

ON THE AIR: KTOK AM 1000 is the RedHawks' new flagship radio station, airing nearly 100 games. Day games will primarily air on sister station Fox Sports Radio 1340 AM. Between the two outlets all 144 games will be broadcast live. Affiliates around Oklahoma will again offer fans outside the OKC metro area the chance to listen to the RedHawks.

UPCOMING PITCHING PORBABLES:

Date Opponent Oklahoma City Pitcher Opposing Pitcher Radio

Wed. April 15 @ Nashville RH Doug Mathis 0-0, 3.00 RH Mike Burns 0-0, 9.00 FOX AM 1340

Thursday April 16 @ Nashville RH Neftali Feliz 0-0, 0.00 LH Chase Wright 0-0, 2.25 KTOK AM 1000

Friday April 17 Memphis RH Elizardo Ramirez 0-1, 1.29 RH P.J. Walters 1-0, 0.00 KTOK AM 1000

Saturday April 18 Memphis LH Derek Holland 0-1, 9.00 RH Blake Hawksworth 1-0, 3.60 KTOK AM 1000

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