RedHawks Game Notes
July 20, 2010 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release
Oklahoma City RedHawks (52-41) at Iowa Cubs (51-44)
Games 94 & 95 | July 20, 2010, 5:05 pm CDT | Principal Park | Des Moines, IA
1340 Fox Sports, RedHawks Radio Network | Play-by-Play: Jim Byers
RH Elizardo Ramirez (4-3, 5.01) vs. RH Casey Coleman (8-7, 4.27)
RH Geoff Geary (4-5, 4.67) vs. RH Hung-Wen Chen (0-1, 5.00)
TONIGHT: The RedHawks and Iowa Cubs make up for a May 10 rainout with a pair of 7-inning games starting at 5:05 pm CDT at Principal Park. OKC has won 2 straight, including an 8-0 decision last night. These will be the second and third games of a series in Des Moines after the teams split a 4-game set at The Brick from Thursday-Sunday. The season series is 4-4. The RedHawks have played 3 doubleheaders, all at home, sweeping Nashville July 7 and New Orleans June 16 while being swept by Fresno May 17. OKC maintains a 3.5-game lead over Albuquerque in the American South.
SHUTOUT NOTES: Omar Beltre earned his first win of the season with 5 scoreless innings, while Willie Eyre (3 innings) and Zach Phillips (1) did not allow a baserunner in last night's 8-0 OKC win in a combined 1-hit shutout. The previous low hit total by an OKC opponent this season was 2, in an 8-0 win April 25 vs. Memphis and a 7-inning loss (1-0) May 17 vs. Fresno. Beltre had received a total of 5 runs of support while he was in the game in his previous 4 starts, but accepted a 5-run first inning last night. The RedHawks have 7 shutouts this season, third-most in the PCL, 6 combined and 1 by Michael Ballard in a 7-inning game June 16 vs. New Orleans.
MAX SLAM: Max Ramirez hit his first home run of the year in yesterday's first inning with a 2-out grand slam off Thomas Diamond as part of a 5-run first inning. The RedHawks have hit 5 slams this season, 2 by Gregorio Petit in one game (June 22 at New Orleans) and 2 by Ryan Garko (May 21 at Portland and July 5 at home vs. Nashville). The RedHawks have 93 home runs, 47 on the road and 46 at home. They have at least 1 homer in 11 of their last 13 games, totaling 17 in that time.
TAKE YOUR BASE: The RedHawks and Cubs combined for 9 walks last night and have drawn 53 walks in the last 5 games of this 2-city super series.
PULL UP A CHAIR: After a 2-game stretch where both contests stretched 3 hours, 25 minutes, last night's game was accomplished in 2:49. Nine of the last 13 OKC games have taken 3:07 or longer, including 3 extra-inning games: July 15, (3:49, 10 innings); July 7, Game 2, (4:15, 13 innings); and July 8 (4:38, 12 innings).
SCORING EARLY: The RedHawks led wire-to-wire last night after a 5-run first inning. In 4 games between these teams in Oklahoma City over the weekend, the team that scored first lost 3 times. OKC has allowed the first run in 12 of the last 16 games, going 9-7 in that time. OKC is 27-13 when scoring first and 25-28 when allowing the first run.
ERA NO. 1: The RedHawks lead the PCL in team ERA at 3.66. Nashville is second at 3.77. The RedHawks have allowed the fewest home runs (53) in Triple-A. OKC has also allowed the fewest runs (393) and earned runs (337) in the PCL. OKC has scored 110 more runs that it has allowed, the best run differential in the league and second in Triple-A behind Durham's +140.
ERROR UPDATE: The RedHawks have made 32 errors in the past 28 games after committing one inconsequential error yesterday. The RedHawks' last set of consecutive back-to-back errorless games was a doubleheader sweep of New Orleans on June 16. When making an error, OKC is 27-30. When errorless, the RedHawks are 25-11.
GERMAN ON DL: Esteban German was placed on the 7-day DL Saturday with a left hamstring strain. German sustained the injury legging out an infield hit in Friday's sixth inning. Guilder Rodriguez was promoted from Double-A Frisco and has hit safely in all 3 games since the promotion, his first to Triple-A. Other RedHawks on the DL are RHP Brandon McCarthy (right shoulder inflammation), IF/OF Chad Tracy (strained left oblique), OF Endy Chavez (right knee soreness following a return from 2009 surgery) and LHP Michael Ballard (lower body).
UPCOMING PROBABLES:
Date Opponent Oklahoma City Pitcher Opposing Pitcher Radio
Wed. July 21 @ Iowa RH Rich Harden 0-1, 5.68 RH Jeff Samardzija 6-1, 2.85 KTOK AM 1000
Thursday July 22 @ Iowa RH Guillermo Moscoso 5-3, 4.58 RH Jay Jackson 6-6, 3.55 KTOK AM 1000
Friday July 23 @ Memphis LH Michael Kirkman 9-3, 3.25 TBA KTOK AM 1000
Saturday July 24 @ Memphis RH Omar Beltre 1-6, 2.08 TBA KTOK AM 1000
Pacific Coast League Stories from July 20, 2010
- Luebke Shines as Beavers Top Aces - Portland Beavers
- Round Rock Express Out-Slug New Orleans 11-9 - Round Rock Express
- Express Beat Z's 11-9 - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Lynn Punches out Royals - Memphis Redbirds
- Isotopes Defeat Sounds, 9-7 - Nashville Sounds
- I-Cubs Sweep Doubleheader - Iowa Cubs
- Former Major League Outfielder Wily Mo Pena Joins Beavers - Portland Beavers
- Angels Option Aldridge to Salt Lake, Conger Placed on DL - Salt Lake Bees
- RedHawks Game Notes - Oklahoma City Comets
- Homestand Concludes with Kid-A-Palooza, Tweetup - Fresno Grizzlies
- Aces Open Series With 9-6 Win Over Portland - Reno Aces
- Portland Drops Third Straight Game Despite Homers By Cooper, Kazmar - Portland Beavers
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