RedHawks Game Notes
April 20, 2009 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release
Memphis Redbirds (6-4) at Oklahoma City RedHawks (5-5)
Game 11 | April 20, 2009, 4:05 pm | AT&T Bricktown Ballpark | Oklahoma City, OK
Fox Sports Radio AM 1340, RedHawks Radio Network | Play-by-Play: Jim Byers & Adam Marco
Today's scheduled starting pitchers:
RH Doug Mathis (0-1, 2.25) vs. RH Katsuhiko Maekawa (0-1, 12.00)
TODAY: The RedHawks will try for their first series win of the season in a 4:05 p.m. game against the Memphis Redbirds at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark. OKC is up 2-1 in the series, having collected back-to-back wins for the first time this season with a 6-0 shutout of the Redbirds yesterday and an 8-3 victory on Saturday. The RedHawks have split one series and lost one so far on the young season, but at 5-5 are .500 for the first time since they were 1-1. OKC is also a half-game ahead of Albuquerque for the American Conference South Division lead. Righthander Doug Mathis makes his third start of the year and second against Memphis. The RedHawks have scored 1 run while Mathis has been in the game in each of his first two outings in 4-3 and 7-1 losses. Katsuhiko Mawkawa is slated to make a spot start for the Redbirds.
TWILIGHT'S ALL RIGHT: Luis Mendoza pitched 5.1 scoreless innings in another 4:05 game yesterday to key a combined 6-0 shutout of Memphis, OKC's first shutout of the season. Brian Gordon (2.2) and Pedro Strop (1 IP) completed the 3-hitter, as OKC allowed its fewest hits of the campaign and Mendoza improved to 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA (see below for more on Mendoza). Until the eighth inning, the RedHawks were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position, but they built on a 2-0 lead with four runs off Josh Kinney and Charlie Manning in the eighth and wound up 3-for-12 with RISP. Redbirds starter Clayton Mortensen (1-1) took the loss. OKC had a season-high 5 doubles, including two from Scott Thorman.
STILL TOPS IN ERA: The RedHawks lead the PCL with a 2.58 team ERA. Second-place Tacoma has a 3.03. OKC's Luis Mendoza and Beau Vaughan share the lead lead among qualifers with 0.00 ERAs. Brian Gordon is seventh with a 1.08, Neftali Feliz is tied for 13th at 2.00 and Doug Mathis is 15th at 2.25. The RedHawks' staff has allowed the fewest hits (69), runs (32) and earned runs (25) in the PCL.
MENDOZA HONORED: Luis Mendoza was named the first PCL Pitcher of the Week today for April 9-19. Mendoza is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in his 2 starts, having pitched 10.1 innings while allowing 4 hits, with 6 walks and 13 strikeouts.
STRANDED: OKC's bullpen has stranded 13 of 14 inherited runners this season, led by Brian Gordon, who stalled one yesterday to run his mark to 6-for-7.
BOGGS PRACTICES PATIENCE: RedHawks outfielder Brandon Boggs doubled and drew a walk yesterday to increase his on-base streak to a season-long 10 games. Boggs shares the league lead in walks, 11, with Omaha's Kila Ka'aihue.
IN A PINCH: Royce Huffman pinch-hit for starting DH Emerson Frostad yesterday in the eighth inning and walked. OKC has had two pinch-hit plate appearances this season and both resulted in walks, with Scott Thorman walking with the bases loaded at Nashville April 16.
DH SPOT PRODUCING: Collectively, RedHawks DHs are 11-for-32 (.344) with 2 homers and 8 RBIs. The most homers by any individual RedHawk is 1. Joaquin Arias and Julio Borbon share the club lead with 7 RBIs.
BORBON SETTING THE TABLE: Center fielder Julio Borbon leads the team with 5 multi-hit games. The 2007 supplemental first-round pick has 5 two-hit contests and three multi-RBI games, also the most on the team. Borbon has hit safely in 9 of 10 games this year and has served as the team's only leadoff hitter.
IRON MAN ARIAS: Joaquin Arias has played every inning at shortstop this season. Shortstop is the only position to have been manned by only one RedHawk.
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 PROBABLES:
Date Opponent Oklahoma City Pitcher Opposing Pitcher Radio
Tuesday April 21 Omaha RH Neftali Feliz 1-0, 2.00 LH Heath Phillips 1-1, 4.50 KTOK AM 1000
Wed. April 22 Omaha RH Elizardo Ramirez 0-2, 3.60 RH Brandon Duckworth 0-1, 8.59 KTOK AM 1000
Thursday April 23 Omaha LH Michael Ballard 0-0, 3.86 LH Bruce Chen 0-0, 3.60 FOX AM 1340
Friday April 24 Omaha RH Luis Mendoza 2-0, 0.00 RH Brian Bannister 0-1, 3.46 KTOK AM 1000
Pacific Coast League Stories from April 20, 2009
- O-Royals Rip Isotopes - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Iowa Cubs 7, Round Rock Express 5 - Iowa Cubs
- Sounds Sweep Away Zephyrs With 4-2 Win - Nashville Sounds
- Zephyrs swept by Nashville - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Reno Aces Home Opening Weekend a Success - OSC Original by Ed Kobak/Global Sports
- RedHawks Game Notes - Oklahoma City Comets
- Pacific Coast League Names Players Of The Week - PCL1
- Hoffman headed to AutoZone Park - Memphis Redbirds
- "Cordero" Ball on eBay for Charity - Omaha Storm Chasers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
