PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

RedHawks Rout Zephyrs, 12-3

Published on July 15, 2012 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Oklahoma City, Okla. - The Oklahoma City RedHawks (54-40) salvaged a split of their four-game series with the New Orleans Zephyrs (49-46) with a 12-3 win in front of 4,188 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark on Sunday night.

New Orleans struck first with two runs in the top of the first inning. Right fielder Bryan Petersen hit a home run to right field to give the Zephyrs an early 2-0 lead.

The RedHawks responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the second inning. Mike Hessman and Brett Wallace started the inning with back-to-back singles. Oklahoma City loaded the bases on an error by Zephyrs' third baseman Mike Cervenak. RedHawks' shortstop Angel Sanchez hit an RBI-single to center field to score Hessman. Catcher Jair Fernandez, who made his team debut on Sunday, was hit by a pitch, which let in another run. Later in the inning, the RedHawks took a 3-2 lead on Jimmy Paredes' bases-loaded walk.

Oklahoma City starter Brett Oberholtzer (3-2) pitched well after giving up two runs in the first inning. Oberholtzer allowed just three baserunners through the next five innings. Oberholtzer finished six innings, giving up two runs, one of which was unearned. Oberholtzer struck out three while allowing two hits and two walks on 94 pitches.

Oklahoma City added two runs in the fifth on a Hessman sac-fly and an RBI-double by J.B. Shuck while knocking New Orleans' starter Tom Koehler (9-8) out of the game. Koehler lasted 4.2 innings, giving up five runs--three earned--on six hits and a walk while striking out five.

New Orleans had a chance to cut into the RedHawks' 5-2 lead in the top of the seventh. Oberholtzer was replaced by Juan Abreu to start the inning and New Orleans got the first two men of the inning on base. After a groundout and a strikeout, Abreu hit Kevin Mattison with a pitch to load the bases. With the bases loaded and two outs, Abreu got second baseman Nick Green to strike out swinging to end the threat.

The RedHawks busted the game wide open in the bottom of the seventh. Oklahoma City scored four runs, two on wild pitches by New Orleans reliever Evan Reed. Fernandez picked up his first hit in a RedHawk uniform, and his second RBI of the night, on a single to left field that scored Shuck and made it 9-2 RedHawks.

New Orleans added a run in the top of the eighth on a sacrifice fly by shortstop Donnie Murphy.

In the bottom of the eighth, Mike Hessman picked up his second RBI of the night on a double down the left field line that scored Brandon Barnes. Oklahoma City added two more runs in the inning on a bases-loaded walk to Shuck and a sacrifice fly by reliever Hector Ambriz to make it 12-3.

David Carpenter celebrated his 27th birthday with a scoreless ninth inning to close out the win.

Sunday's game was the conclusion of the RedHawks season series against the Zephyrs. Both teams won eight games.

The Oklahoma City RedHawks hit the road for eight games, starting with a four-game set in Omaha on Monday night at 7:05 p.m. The RedHawks return home on Tuesday, July 24th to take on the Iowa Cubs. For tickets, visit the box office on Mickey Mantle Drive, call (405) 218-1000, or order online through okcredhawks.com.

Live coverage of tomorrow night's game in Omaha starts at 6:35 p.m. on AM 1340 The Game, 1340thegame.com, or through the IHeartRadio mobile app.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 15, 2012


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