PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

RedHawks Game Notes

Published on June 20, 2010 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City RedHawks (38-30) at Nashville Sounds (37-31)

Game 69 | June 20, 2010, 2:05 pm CDT | Greer Stadium | Nashville, TN

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

LH Michael Kirkman (6-1, 3.11) vs. LH Chris Waters (4-3, 3.24)

TODAY: The RedHawks send their winningest pitcher this season, Michael Kirkman, to the mound in the third of a 4-game series at Nashville. Kirkman is 6-1. Nashville has won the first 2 games of the this series and 3 straight over OKC dating to the previous set at Greer Stadium in April. Last night, the Sounds scored 3 unearned runs in the fourth inning to break a 1-1 tie in an eventual 4-3 win. OKC still leads the American South Division by 3.5 games over Albuquerque. Nashville is tied for third, but only a half-game out of first, in the American North. Lefty Chris Waters, who beat the RedHawks in a 7-inning start April 21, gets the call for the Sounds.

NOT IN THREES: OKC brings a season-high 2-game road losing streak into today's matinee, their fourth set of back-to-back road defeats this season. OKC has not dropped as many as 3 in a row away from home and is 18-14 on the road. The RedHawks have the PCL's third-best road record behind Fresno (22-13) and Omaha (18-11).

DAVIS CONTINUES TORRID JUNE: Chris Davis has hit safely in 17 of 18 games this month and is leading the PCL in batting during June at .469 (30-for-64) with 3 homers and 13 RBIs. Davis has hit safely in 7 straight (12-for-24) and has 2-hit games in each of his last 4 contests. For the season, Davis second in the PCL in hitting at .352 and seventh in on-base percentage at .406.

MORELAND AMONG JUNE LEADERS: Mitch Moreland has driven in at least 1 run in 7 of the last 10 games, collecting 15 RBIs during that time. In June, Moreland is tied for fourth in RBIs with Portland's Mike Baxter, trailing only Salt Lake's Mark Trumbo (19) and the leaders, Memphis' Allen Craig (21) and Fresno's Brett Pill (21).

BIG FLYING: The RedHawks have homered in 7 straight games, totalling 12 in that span, and are 27-13 when hitting at least 1 homer in a contest. They are 11-17 when homerless. Six of their 7 runs in this series have been produced by homers. OKC has 64 home runs, tied for fourth in the PCL.

LEADERS: Brandon Boggs is fourth in the league in walks with 40. He's 10th in on-base percentage at .402. Boggs struck out as a pinch hitter last night, ending a 23-game in-base streak. Esteban German is tied for fifth in walks with 37, plus being second in stolen bases (25) and third in runs (47). German had a league-best 22-game road on-base streak snapped on Friday.

SALTY'S HOMER STREAK ENDS, GARKO'S CONTINUES: Jarrod Saltalamacchia's 3-game home run streak ended last night on an 0-for-3 with a sacrifice fly. Ryan Garko belted a 2-run shot in the sixth inning to extend his homer streak to 3 games.

RAPADA ADDS TO STREAK: Lefty reliever Clay Rapada tossed 1.2 shutout innings last night, extending his scoreless inning streak to 8.2. During that time he's allowed just 3 hits. Rapada also had an 8.2-inning scoreless stretch from April 12-25.

PITCHING HOLDS ONTO TOP SPOT: OKC maintains the PCL lead in team ERA at 3.50. Iowa is second at 3.52. The RedHawks have allowed the fewest home runs in the league (33), 15 fewer than the closest teams, Fresno and Tacoma.

ONE MORE DAY?: Rangers outfielder and 2008 PCL MVP Nelson Cruz went 0-for-3 with a walk last night in the second game of a scheduled 3-game rehab stint. It's Cruz's second rehab assignment with OKC this season for injuries to both hamstrings. The 2009 American League All-Star played 2 games with the RedHawks May 11-12. Cruz has been on the 15-day DL since May 30 (retro May 29) with a left hamstring strain. He was on the DL from April 27-May 14 with a right hamstring strain. Cruz's bio is with the relievers on page 5.

UPCOMING PROBABLES:

Date Opponent Oklahoma City Pitcher Opposing Pitcher Radio

Monday June 21 @ Nashville RH Doug Mathis 2-2, 4.24 LH Chuck Lofgren 6-4, 5.15 KTOK AM 1000

Tuesday June 22 @ N.O. TBA RH Rick VandenHurk 4-3, 5.40 KTOK AM 1000

Wed. June 23 @ N.O. RH Tanner Scheppers 1-0, 2.36 RH Brian Lawrence 5-5, 4.28 KTOK AM 1000

Thursday June 24 @ N.O. RH Brandon McCarthy 2-0, 2.48 LH Wes Whisler 0-0, 6.00 KTOK AM 1000

Check out the Oklahoma City Comets Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Pacific Coast League Stories from June 20, 2010


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.

OurSports Central