RedHawks Game Notes
Published on April 6, 2013 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release
Transactions, 4/6/13:
-Dallas Keuchel recalled to Houston
-Kyle Hallock added from A-Quad Cities
Oklahoma City RedHawks (1-1) vs. Memphis Redbirds (1-1)
Houston Astros vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Game #3 of 144/Road #3 of 72 (1-1)
Pitching Probables: OKC-RHP Jarred Cosart/RHP John Ely vs. MEM-RHP Seth Maness
Friday, April 5, 2013 | AutoZone Park | Memphis Tenn.| 6:05 p.m. CT
Radio: KGHM AM-1340 The Game, 1340thegame.com, IHeartRadio - Alex Freedman
Today's Game: The RedHawks and Redbirds are set to play their first nine-inning game of the season at 6:05 p.m. after splitting yesterday's season-opening doubleheader. The RedHawks will feature the pitcher tandem of Jarred Cosart and 2012 PCL Pitcher of the Year John Ely.
Last Night: The RedHawks and Redbirds split a doubleheader. Memphis used an eight-run fifth inning to tally nine runs total, and two Redbirds pitchers combined to toss a five-hit shutout in 9-0 win. Memphis' big inning included five hits and four walks, including two with the bases loaded. The RedHawks got their offense going in Game 2, and they held off a furious Memphis rally to win 8-7 to secure their first victory of the season. The RedHawks jumped out to an 8-2 lead, thanks to four RBI by Brandon Laird. Laird also connected on the team's first home run of the season with a two-run shot in the fourth inning. Trailing 8-3 in the seventh, Memphis scored four times and put the tying run at second base. Jose Valdez then got Jermaine Curtis to fly out to left field to end the game, as Valdez earned his first save of the season.
Today's Probable Pitchers: Jarred Cosart opens the season at Triple-A for the first time in his career....Cosart spent the majority of last season with Double-A Corpus Christi...He earned Texas League All-Star honors after going 5-5 with a 3.52 ERA over 15 starts...Cosart joined the RedHawks permanently in late July...He allowed just one earned run over his last 18 innings with the RedHawks and held opponents to a 1.94 batting average...After the regular season was over, he joined the Mesa Solar Sox of the Arizona Fall League and was named the East Division starting pitcher in the Rising Stars Game...Cosart was limited to just 21 appearances (20 starts) las season due to blister issues, resulting a couple of stints on the DL...Tonight will be his first career outing against Memphis.
John Ely will follow Cosart...Ely was named 2012 PCL Pitcher of the Year and Dodgers Minor League Pitcher of the Year after leading the league in ERA and strikeouts, while tying for the lead in wins...Of his 27 starts with the Isotopes, 18 were quality starts and posted an impressive 2.76 ERA over 14 starts at hitter-friendly Isotopes Park...Ely was acquired by the Astros via trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for LHP Rob Rasmussen this past December... He has struggled a bit against Memphis throughout his career, going 0-4 with a 7.92 ERA over six starts.
Against the Redbirds: 2013: 1-1 2012: 8-8 All-time: 126-117 In Memphis: 56-76
These teams split last year's season series...The RedHawks hit .290 as a team...Jimmy Paredes hit .361 and Fernando Martinez collected five homers and 18 RBI over 15 games...Despite hitting .257 for the season (last in PCL), the Redbirds hit .306 against OKC pitching...Memphis scored 20 or more runs in a game twice, including a 24-7 romp on July 22. The Redbirds hit two grand slams in one inning, and it set a RedHawks record for most runs allowed in a game...Last night's Game 2 win snapped a seven-game losing streak at AutoZone Park...OKc has not won the season series against Memphis since 2007.
News of the Day: Recently acquired Astros pitcher Travis Blackley suffered a shoulder strain yesterday during a bullpen session and has been placed on the DL. The Astros recalled RedHawks pitcher Dallas Keuchel, who wil be replaced on the roster by LHP Kyle Hallock from Low-A Quad Cities. Hallock tossed a scoreless inning in his season debut Thursday night.
Close Calls: It should be no surprise the RedHawks won their first game of 2013 by one run. Last season they tied with Nashville for the most one-run wins in the PCL (28) and had the best winning percentage in on-run game (.609)
Plate Patience: Over yesterday's doubleheader, the RedHawks offesnse walked 11 times and only struck out 10 times. Memphis, however, also drew more walks (9) than strikeouts (8).
Goose Egg'd: Yesterday's 9-0 loss in Game 1 marked the second time in team history the RedHawks were shutout in their first game of the sason, and the first instance since they fell 1-0 at Memphis in 2005. Last season the RedHawks were shutout eight times, the last of which occurring on August 10 at home against Sacramento (3-0).
Keeping it in the Park: Going back to last season, the RedHawks have allowed just six dingers over the last 25 contests, spanning 219 IP. Opponents have not left the park in 94 consecutive innings.
Hit King: Jimmy Paredes returns after a stellar 2012 season. Paredes set a new single-season team record with 161 hits, and what's more remarkable is he only played in 124 games. He notched 52 multi-hit games and also led the team in doubles (28), triples (7), runs (92), and stolen bases (37). After walking just 22 times all season in 2012, Paredes drew a walk in each game of the doubleheader yesterday. He drew a walk in consecutive games just three times last year and has never drawn a walk in three straight with OKC.
Nice To See You Again: Thirteen players on the current roster spent time with the RedHawks in 2012. Three players have been on the roster at some point during each of the last two seasons.
Melting Pot: Twelve players on the RedHawks roster came to the Astros via trade, including five acquired since Jeff Luhnow was named Astros General Manager in December, 2011. Four others were claimed off waivers since that time. Over half (13) of the players on the current roster were not with the Astros organization prior to Jan. 1, 2012. Only five were originally drafted/signed by HOU.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)
DATE TIME OPPONENT OKC PITCHER(S) OPP. PITCHER
Sunday, April 7 1:35 p.m. @ Memphis LHP Brett Oberholtzer/TBA RHP Michael Wacha
Monday, April 8 7:05 p.m. @ Nashville LHP Rudy Owens/RHP Jose Cisnero RHP Frankie De La Cruz
Tuesday, April 9 7:05 p.m. @ Nashville RHP Paul Clemens (1-0, 5.40)/RHP Jordan Lyles (0-1, 8.31) RHP Tyler Thornburg (0-0, 1.80)
Wednesday, April 10 7:05 p.m. @ Nashville TBA/RHP Jarred Cosart RHP Hiram Burgos (0-0, 0.00)
Pacific Coast League Stories from April 6, 2013
- Round Rock Scores Early And Often To Knock Off Storm Chasers 9-3 - Round Rock Express
- Cosart, Ely Lead Effort in 3-1 Win - Oklahoma City Comets
- Zephyrs Fall 6-0 in Nashville - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- In 15 Innings, Sky Sox Down Aces 3-2 on Walkoff Single - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
- Hellweg, Sounds Blank Zephyrs, 6-0 - Nashville Sounds
- Aces Drop 3-2 Decision to Sky Sox in Extras - Reno Aces
- RedHawks Game Notes - Oklahoma City Comets
- Former Lobo Smith Joins Isotopes - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Cats Drop Game Two To 51s, 9-3 - Sacramento River Cats
- Rainiers Fall Short at Fresno, 8-3 - Tacoma Rainiers
- Rainiers Fall Short at Fresno, 8-3 - Tacoma Rainiers
- Sky Sox Defeat Aces 6-2 for First Win of the Season - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
- Salt Lake wins over Tucson - Tucson Padres
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