PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

RedHawks vs. Padres - Game Notes - August 13, 2013

Published on August 13, 2013 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Today's Game: The RedHawks look to end their three-game losing skid and even up their current series when they play Tucson at 9:05 p.m. central time at Kino Stadium.

Last Game: Tucson jumped out to a seven-run lead through three innings and held off a fight from the RedHawks to win 7-5 Monday. The Padres built a 4-0 lead in the first inning, notching five hits in the process. Tucson added three runs in the third inning, taking advantage of two Oklahoma City errors for a 7-0 lead. The RedHawks got on the board in the sixth inning with a two-run single by Jon Singleton. They added three more runs in the eighth inning when Brandon Laird hit a two-run homer and Che-Hsuan Lin hit a two-out RBI single. The RedHawks put the tying runs on base with one out in the ninth, but Tucson closer Miles Mikolas retired the next two batters to end the game. RedHawks starting pitcher Paul Clemens (2-1) was charged with his first loss with OKC, allowing seven runs (five earned), eight hits and three walks over 5.1 innings.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Asher Wojciechowski looks to rebound from a loss and secure his team-leading eighth win of the season when he takes the mound for Oklahoma City tonight...Wojciechowski had a rare off night in his last outing Aug. 8 in Las Vegas and was charged with six runs and seven hits. He walked five and struck out six in 4.2 innings. It was his second-shortest start with OKC and it was the first time in 14 outings he did not pitch at least 5.2 innings...Entering his last start, Wojciechowski had not walked a batter in two straight games and had not issued a walk in 15.2 consecutive IP...His .215 opponent batting average paces the PCL, while his 3.18 ERA and 1.14 WHIP both rank second in the league. His 110.1 innings pitched leads OKC, and he is tied for the team lead with seven wins...Combined with his time in Corpus Christi, Wojciechowski leads all Astros farmhands in innings (136.1) and his 2.97 ERA is fourth-best among full-season affiliates...In July, Wojciechowski posted a 3-0 record and a 1.83 ERA. He allowed just seven runs and 22 hits in 34.1 IP and held opponents to a .183 average. For his efforts he was named the RedHawks' July Pitcher of the Month...Wojciechowski has allowed one earned run or less in nine of his 18 appearances with OKC...Tonight is Wojciechowski's first career start against Tucson.

Against the Padres: 2013: 0-1 2012: 4-0 All-time: 7-2 In TUC: 3-2

Oklahoma City's loss Monday was the team's first against Tucson since Aug. 9, 2011...Entering this series, the RedHawks had won each of the last five meetings, as well as seven of the teams' eight total meetings...Five of the last seven games between the teams have been decided by one run, including three of four during last year's series -- a RedHawks' sweep...Oklahoma City hit .319 as a team against Tucson last season and claimed back-to-back walk-off wins on May 13-14. They averaged about six runs per game and hit seven home runs...The RedHawks won three of four games during their only previous series at Kino Stadium, Aug. 7-10, 2011.

Slowing Their Roll: Following a 12-game winning streak, the RedHawks have dropped four of five on their current road trip. They have lost three straight games for the first time since June 23-25 (vs. Omaha) and have not lost four in a row since a five-game skid May 23-26 (@ Fresno/@ Iowa). The RedHawks hit .322 as a team during the winning streak but are batting .209 (34x163) on the road trip. They have scored in just eight of 45 total innings and scored in only one inning in three of the five games.

Pitcher Pinwheel: The Houston Astros have selected the contract of RedHawks pitcher Philip Humber and outrighted pitcher Travis Blackley to Oklahoma City. Humber returns to Houston after beginning the season in the Astros starting rotation. Following the All-Star Break, Humber was 2-0 with a 2.38 ERA and held opponents to a .171 average over seven appearances. He is the sixth RedHawk pitcher (four relievers, two starters) over the past two weeks to get promoted to Houston and the fourth to have his contract purchased (not already on 40-man roster). Blackley was acquired by Houston in a trade in early April from Oakland and went 1-1 with a 4.89 ERA over 42 appearances. He held fellow lefties to a .200 average and opponents only hit .146 with runners in scoring position. The Australian made a rehab appearance earlier this year with the RedHawks on April 18 against Round Rock (2.0+ IP, ER, 0 H).

As the Crowe Flies: Trevor Crowe is batting .455 (20x44) with three RBI during an 11-game hitting streak and now is hitting .389 (21x54) over 14 games since rejoining the team. Crowe also had a team-best 15-game hitting streak, April 6-21. He and Jimmy Paredes are the only two RedHawks this season to have two hitting streaks of at least 10 games...The RedHawks are 19-5 when Crowe leads off this season.

The Laird Up There: Brandon Laird went 3-for-5 Monday with a two-run homer. He is batting .364 (16x44) in August and leads all of Triple-A baseball with 18 RBI this month.

RISPy Business: Over the first 11 games of their recent 12-game winning streak, the RedHawks batted .349 (38x109) with runners in scoring position. Over the past six games they have combined to go just 7-for-47 (.149).

Glove Connection: The RedHawks committed two errors Monday--both occurring in the third inning--to end a stretch of five straight games without an error. Prior to Monday, Oklahoma City had just one error over the past nine contests combined. It was amazingly the first time they committed more than one error in a game since July 2 at home versus Albuquerque (three).

Tucson Ties: RedHawks pitching coach Steve Webber spent the past two seasons as Tucson's pitching coach, and pitcher Wade LeBlanc spent a good part of the 2011 season playing for Tucson as well. Also, three current RedHawks played their college baseball in Tucson at the University of Arizona: outfielder Trevor Crowe and pitchers Eric Berger and Jason Stoffel.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)

DATE TIME OPPONENT OKC PITCHER OPP. PITCHER

Wednesday, August 14 9:05 p.m. @ Tucson RHP Bobby Doran (1-0, 5.03) RHP Burch Smith (4-1, 2.93)

Thursday, August 15 9:05 p.m. @ Tucson RHP Jake Buchanan (4-3, 3.18) RHP Keyvius Sampson (1-1, 5.89)

Friday, August 16 7:05 p.m. Albuquerque RHP David Martinez (0-1, 8.31) RHP Red Patterson (6-4, 3.38)

Saturday, August 17 7:05 p.m. Albuquerque RHP Paul Clemens (2-1, 3.93) RHP Angel Castro (8-3, 3.48)

Check out the Oklahoma City Comets Statistics

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