PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

RedHawks vs. Express - Game Notes - August 21, 2013

Published on August 21, 2013 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Today's Game: The RedHawks open a key five-game series in Round Rock at 7:05 p.m. at Dell Diamond, looking to extend their current six-game winning streak. The first-place RedHawks currently own a six-game lead over the second-place Express in the PCL American Southern Division standings. This is the RedHawks' final road series of the regular season.

Last Game: The RedHawks extended their home winning streak to 17 games in dramatic fashion Tuesday with a 6-5 walk-off win against Albuquerque at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The RedHawks entered the bottom of the ninth inning trailing, 5-4. With two outs and two strikes on the scoreboard, Jose Martinez hit a RBI double to tie the game. Outfielder George Springer followed with a single, and Martinez's head-first slide at home just beat the tag to score the winning run. Springer opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning with his 36th homer of the season. The Isotopes took a 3-1 lead in the top of the fifth, but the RedHawks responded in the bottom of the frame with three runs when Trevor Crowe drew a bases-loaded walk and Martinez hit a two-run single. Albuquerque then jumped in front in the top of the seventh on back-to-back two-out RBI singles. OKC reliever Rhiner Cruz (1-2) retired all three Isotopes he faced in the top of the ninth to record the win. Albuquerque pitcher Javy Guerra (0-4) had been 8-for-8 in save chances until Tuesday and took the loss. Last night was Oklahoma City's seventh walk-off win of the season.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Ross Seaton returns to the RedHawks to make his 12th start of the season with Oklahoma City...Since Seaton last suited up for OKC, he made nine appearances (eight starts) for Double-A Corpus Christi, going 2-1 with a 4.89 ERA. Six of his last seven starts lasted at least six innings, and five of those were quality starts...Over those nine outings with the Hooks, Seaton posted an impressive 34/10 strikeout-to-walk ratio...His last win came July 22 against San Antonio and his last four starts have resulted in no decisions. He has not lost since July 3 in Springfield (seven starts)...Seaton last pitched Aug. 15 at Northwest Arkansas. After allowing four runs over his first three innings, Seaton held the Naturals scoreless over his final three innings and did not factor in the decision...Seaton's last start for the RedHawks was coincidentally also against Round Rock June 14. He allowed a career-high 10 runs on 10 hits, walked a career-high six and struck out three over five-plus innings in a loss...He is a combined 5-7 with a 6.66 ERA over 22 games (20 starts) between the RedHawks and Corpus Christi.

Against the Express: 2013: 5-6 2012: 10-6 All-time: 73-65 In RR: 36-30

In their most recent series, the RedHawks won two of three games at Dell Diamond. OKC pitched shutouts in the first and last games, but the Express exploded for 11 in the middle contest. During that series, George Springer went 6-for-11 with three homers, a triple, and seven RBI...The road team is 7-4 this year, and Round Rock more than doubled its win total in OKC from 2012 (2), going 5-3...The Express has notched 11 or more runs in a game three times and outscored the RedHawks, 68-54. OKC's pitching staff has a 6.03 ERA...Round Rock has 14 homers against OKC, while the RedHawks have 11 in the 2013 series...Marc Krauss is batting .407 with two homers and six RBI over eight games...OKC has not lost the season series in five of the last six years...Round Rock is once again led by Bobby Jones, the legendary RedHawks skipper who compiled 595 wins and five division titles over eight seasons. He also managed the team when they were the 89ers in 1993-1994.

Recent Reinforcements: In addition to Ross Seaton, Marc Krauss will also join the RedHawks today after he was optioned to Oklahoma City. Krauss began the season with the RedHawks, batting .277 with nine homers and 35 RBI over 66 games. He made his Major League debut June 21 at iconic Wrigley Field and hit .169/3/10 over 32 contests with the Astros.

Friendly Confines: The RedHawks extended their club record home winning streak to 17 games with Tuesday's win at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. It is the Minor Leagues' second-longest home winning streak since 2005, trailing only Low-A Cedar Rapids' 19-game run in 2010. During the current streak the RedHawks are batting .299 (160x535), including .336 (51x152) with runners in scoring position, and have a 2.76 team ERA (47 ER/153.0 IP). Their 43-22 home record is currently the best in the Pacific Coast Leauge.

Tales From the Trail: While the RedHawks have found lots of recent success at home, the road has not been as kind. The RedHawks have dropped seven of their last nine away from OKC. Their .260 team road average is 28 points lower than it is at home.

High-Water Mark: The RedHawks currently own the best record in the PCL, and this is the first time the team has been 19 games over .500 in a season since Sept. 5, 2004 (81-62).

Chasing the Crown: George Springer collected his 36th homer of the season (Triple-A and Double-A combined) and owns a four homer lead for the MiLB Joe Baumann Home Run Award. He has seven home runs in the last 12 games and has hit seven of the RedHawks' last nine homers. He has collected 102 RBI (fourth in the Minors) and scored 100 runs (also fourth in the Minors) overall this season, making him the only player currently in affiliated baseball (Majors or Minors) to have 100 of each. Springer also has 39 stolen bases and is trying to become the first Minor League player with a 40/40 season since Len Tucker of the unaffiliated Class B Pampa Oilers in 1956 (51 HR/47 SB).

Mound Turnaround: After posting a 7.74 ERA through the first seven games of their West Coast road trip Aug. 8-14, the RedHawks pitching staff has allowed 16 runs during their current six-game winning streak with a 2.17 ERA (13 ER/54.0 IP) and a .205 opponent average (40x195). During the previous series, the RedHawks held Albuquerque to just two extra-base hits (both doubles) and did not allow an extra-base hit in four of the five games.

Comeback Kids: Yesterday was OKC's fourth win when trailing after eight innings (T-2nd in PCL) and first since June 1 in Albuquerque.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)

DATE TIME OPPONENT OKC PITCHER OPP. PITCHER

Thursday, August 22 7:05 p.m. @ Round Rock RHP Paul Clemens (3-1, 2.88) RHP Scott Richmond (4-6, 5.78)

Friday, August 23 7:05 p.m. @ Round Rock RHP Asher Wojciechowski (8-6, 3.52) RHP Josh Lindblom (8-2, 2.74)

Saturday, August 24 7:05 p.m. @ Round Rock RHP Bobby Doran (2-0, 3.86) RHP Evan Meek (6-7, 3.74)

Sunday, August 25 6:05 p.m. @ Round Rock RHP Jake Buchanan (5-3, 3.25) LHP Michael Kirkman (1-2, 7.85)

Check out the Oklahoma City Comets Statistics

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



Pacific Coast League Stories from August 21, 2013


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