PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

RedHawks Game Notes

Published on May 11, 2009 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City RedHawks (11-17) at Round Rock Express (14-17)

Game 29 | May 11, 2009, 12:05 pm | Dell Diamond | Round Rock, TX

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

Today's scheduled starting pitchers:

LH Michael Ballard (1-2, 5.40) vs. RH Jose Capellan (1-5, 10.16)

TODAY: The Oklahoma City RedHawks and Round Rock Express conclude a 4-game series with a 12:05 pm getaway day game at Dell Diamond. Round Rock leads the series 2-1. OKC will try for its third set of back-to-back wins on the season after taking yesterday's game 4-3 in 10 innings. The last time the RedHawks won consecutive games was April 22-23 over Omaha at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark. The RedHawks are 5-8 on the road, but have not yet strung together consecutive road wins. Lefthander Michael Ballard will make his fourth start and eighth appearance of the season for the RedHawks. Righthander Jose Capellan gets the start for Round Rock. Today is expected to be the second and final rehab appearance for Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, who played 6 innings in the field yesterday and had three plate appearances, going 1-for-2 with a walk and run scored. Hamilton is scheduled to play the entire game today in center field.

Road Trip Stats

AVG. G AB H R HR BB SO SB CS

OKC Hitting .288 3 110 34 15 2 10 19 4 0

ERA W-L IP H R ER BB SO HR

OKC Pitching 5.88 1-2 26.0 37 21 17 3 21 4

UNDERSTUDY STARS: The RedHawks' Casey Benjamin drove in go-ahead runs in two different innings and made a run-saving, diving catch in left field to lead the RedHawks to a 4-3 win on Sunday in 10 innings. Benjamin did it all in 4 innings of work as he took the lineup spot vacated when Josh Hamilton's first rehab appearance ended. Benjamin's grab of a two-out liner in the seventh by Brian Bogusevic with a runner at second kept the score 2-1 Round Rock and allowed OKC to take the lead in the top of the eighth on RBI singles by Esteban German and Benjamin to make the score 3-2. John Gall homered in the bottom of the eighth to tie the score. In the 10th, Benjamin's sacrifice fly gave OKC a 4-3 lead, which held up as Warner Madrigal struck out the side for his first save. Round Rock native Brian Gordon (2-0) pitched 2 innings for the win. Ryan McKeller (0-2) pitched the 10th and took the loss as OKC snapped a season-long 4-game losing streak.

HAMILTON'S REHAB CONTINUES: Texas Rangers 2008 All-Star Josh Hamilton will play his second consecutive game with the RedHawks on a major league rehab assignment today. If all goes well, he is expected to be activated from the 15-day DL tomorrow when Texas opens a homestand against the Seattle Mariners. Hamilton is returning from a strained intercostal muscle in his left rib cage originally injured April 21 when he crashed into the outfield wall at Toronto's Rogers Centre. Hamilton was batting .242 (16-for-66) with 2 homers and 10 RBIs in 18 April games before the injury. His Texas Rangers media guide bio is available in the press box. Additional information on Hamilton is also available on page 2 of today's notes.

GETTING THE JUMP: OKC has allowed the first run in 8 of the last 9 games and 4 straight. For the season, the RedHawks are 7-4 when scoring first and 4-13 when allowing the first run.

ANOTHER KIND OF JUMP: The RedHawks are tied for fifth in the league with 31 stolen bases. Memphis also has swiped 31. Esteban German leads OKC with 10 steals in 11 tries. Collectively, the RedHawks have been caught stealing the second fewest times (5) behind Memphis' 4.

ELIZARDO ROLLS A SEVEN AGAIN: Yesterday's starter Elizardo Ramirez completed 7 innings in a no decision, his second 7-inning start in 6 outings this season. Ramirez and Doug Mathis are the only OKC starters to complete 7 innings (Mathis has done it once). Mathis (4) and Ramirez (3) own 7 of the staff's 8 quality starts, with today's starter Michael Ballard accounting for the other.

FELIZ BACK IN ROTATION: Top prospect Neftali Feliz missed his last turn through the rotation with a sore shoulder, but will return to the mound on Thursday against Portland as the soreness has eased and no structural damage was found in examinations by doctors in OKC and Arlington.

DOT...DOT...DOT: OKC out-hit Round Rock 13-9 yesterday, improving to 8-1 when out-hitting the opposition...OKC is 3-15 when out-hit and 0-1 when the hits are even...The Express' 3 home runs yesterday matched the most allowed by the RedHawks in a game this season.

UPCOMING PROBABLES:

Date Opponent Oklahoma City Pitcher Opposing Pitcher Radio

Tuesday May 12 Portland RH Tommy Hunter 0-1, 5.40 LH Cesar Ramos 1-2, 3.82 KTOK AM 1000

Wed. May 13 Portland RH Doug Mathis 1-2, 4.37 RH Matt Buschmann 1-3, 9.11 FOX AM 1340

Thursday May 14 Portland RH Neftali Feliz 1-1, 5.03 LH Wade LeBlanc 0-2, 5.34 KTOK AM 1000

Friday May 15 Portland RH Luis Mendoza 2-1, 1.84 RH Walter Silva 0-0, 3.68 KTOK AM 1000

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