RedHawks Game Notes
May 29, 2010 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release
Oklahoma City RedHawks (26-21) at New Orleans Zephyrs (22-24)
Game 48 | May 29, 2010, 6:00 pm CDT | Zephyr Field | Metairie, LA
News Radio 1000 KTOK, RedHawks Radio Network | Play-by-Play: Jim Byers
LH Michael Kirkman (5-1, 2.59) vs. RH Brad Stone (2-1, 3.20)
TONIGHT: The RedHawks and New Orleans Zephyrs (Florida Marlins) continue their series with the second of a 4-game set at Zephyr Field. New Orleans won the series opener in 10 innings last night 3-2, capped by Donnie Murphy's game-winning homer off Elizardo Ramirez. OKC is 0-4 in extra-inning games and remains the only PCL club without an extra-inning win this season. OKC leads the American South by a half-game over Albuquerque. It's the RedHawks' narrowest division lead since they assumed outright possession of first following a win April 16. RedHawks Lefty Michael Kirkman, seventh in the league with a 2.59 ERA, takes on righthander Brad Stone. OKC has won 8 of Kirkman's 9 starts, with him going 5-1 on the season.
FIRST WALK-OFF: Last night's 10th-inning homer by Donnie Murphy sent the RedHawks to their first walk-off loss of the season. The RedHawks have 1 walk-off win and it came the second night of the season April 9 vs. Albuquerque. OKC did not allow a walk-off homer last year. The last game-winning homer by an opponent was July 28, 2008 at Colorado Springs, when Adam Melhuse capped a 6-run Sky Sox ninth inning with a 3-run shot off Kiko Calero in a 12-9 final.
RARE BULLPEN STUMBLE: Last night's blown save by Alexi Ogando, on a game-tying 2-run single in the eighth by Hector Luna, was the first for the RedHawks since April 27. The bullpen allowed all 3 New Orleans runs last night, matching the total runs surrendered by the 'pen in its previous 40.1 innings. Including last night, in the past 12 games OKC's bullpen has logged 44.2 innings, allowing 6 earned runs (1.21 ERA) on 24 hits while going 2-1. The bullpen strung together a 24.2-inning scoreless streak (snapped on Saturday) during that span.
ERA NO. 1: OKC leads the PCL in team ERA at 3.24. Fresno has the second best mark at 3.37. The RedHawks have allowed the fewest home runs (24) and earned runs (150), while yielding the second-lowest overall run total (178). With a dozen strikeouts last night, OKC pitching has totaled the second-most strikeouts (353) behind Sacramento's 373.
KEEPING IT CLEAN: The RedHawks are fifth in team fielding percentage (.980) and have committed the fifth-fewest errors (36). The RedHawks are 16-8 when errorless and 10-13 when charged with a bobble. Second baseman Hernan Iribarren leads PCL second basemen with a .995 fielding percentage, 1 error in 193 total chances.
VOTE FOR PEDRO: OKC reliever Pedro Strop owns an 11-inning scoreless streak, during which he has allowed just 1 hit, a single by Javier Guzman last night. Strop's scoreless streak has spanned all of his last 6 outings. He recently had a stretch of 24 consecutive retired batters covering all or part of his appearances from May 4-23. The consecutive retired batters streak was stopped on Sunday with a walk in Portland.
IT'S A DROUGHT: Yesterday featured no rain before or during an OKC game for just the second time in 9 days on this trip. Monday in Tacoma was also dry. Four of the last 18 scheduled RedHawks playing dates have had postponements or cancellations because of rain. The RedHawks had no rainouts or rain delays in their first 31 scheduled dates this season. Rain fell during play or affected pre-game work in 7 of the first 8 days on this trip. Seven rain delays have occurred during the trip (5 in Portland, 2 in Tacoma) totaling 8 hours and 26 minutes.
MIDDLE GROUND: The RedHawks are 5-8 in series openers and 4-8 in series finales, but are a combined 17-5 in Games 2 and 3 of a series.
AWAY FROM HOME: Esteban German is tied for the league lead with 37 runs scored, but has failed to score in the last 5 games. He has crossed the plate 3 times in his last 11 games. German continues to rank and third in the league with 17 stolen bases behind Sacramento's Corey Wimberley (21) and Portland's Luis Durango (18).
UPCOMING PROBABLES:
Date Opponent Oklahoma City Pitcher Opposing Pitcher Radio
Sunday May 30 @ N.O. LH Michael Ballard 2-3, 5.25 TBA 1340 Fox Sports
Monday May 31 @ N.O. RH Tommy Hunter 1-1, 2.91 TBA 1340 Fox Sports
Tuesday June 1 Memphis RH Doug Mathis 1-0, 5.63 RH Lance Lynn 3-3, 3.81 KTOK AM 1000
Wed. June 2 Memphis RH Omar Beltre 0-3, 3.04 RH Oneli Perez 0-1. 4.40 KTOK AM 1000
Pacific Coast League Stories from May 29, 2010
- Five-run Second Dooms Express As They Fall 9-0 To Omaha - Round Rock Express
- RedHawks strike against Z's bullpen, even series - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Albuquerque hammers Redbirds - Memphis Redbirds
- Sounds Win 5-3 On Second Straight Walk-Off Home Run - Nashville Sounds
- Buster Posey Recalled to San Francisco - Fresno Grizzlies
- RedHawks Game Notes - Oklahoma City Comets
- Round Rock Express - Game Notes at Omaha Royals - Round Rock Express
- Royals Win in 14 Innings â 6 Straight W's - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Aces Drop 7-2 Decision To Sacramento - Reno Aces
- Express Drop Opener To Royals 6-5 In 14 - Round Rock Express
- Sox Win in Extras, Snap Eight Game Losing Streak, 9-8 - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
- Veteran infielder ties Beavers record with five hits in 10-inning defeat - Portland Beavers
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