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PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

RedHawks vs. Zephyrs - Game Notes - July 4, 2013

July 4, 2013 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Today's Game: The RedHawks will celebrate Independence Day with a clash against the New Orleans Zephyrs at 6 p.m. to open a four-game set at Zephyr Field. Oklahoma City leads the season series with New Orleans, 5-3.

Last Game: Oklahoma City took a 9-1 lead Wednesday against Albuquerque, but had to withstand a late Albuquerque comeback and hold on for a 10-9 win in front of a season-high sellout crowd of 11,103 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The visiting Isotopes scored first, but the RedHawks scored six runs on seven hits in the bottom of the inning. Oklahoma City eventually took a 9-1 lead after three innings and led 10-3 after six. The Isotopes plated six runs over the final three innings, including three in the ninth. They had the tying run in scoring position, but Chili Buss lined out to center field to end the game. Four RedHawks had multi-hit games, led by Ruben Sosa who went 3-for-4 with two RBI. RedHawks relief pitcher Kevin Chapman (1-2) recorded his first win of the season (2 IP, ER), and Isotopes starter Blake Johnson (6-5) was charged with the loss after he could not get through the first inning.

Today's Probable Pitcher: Jake Buchanan returns to the mound for Oklahoma City after earning his first Triple-A win last time out... In game two of last Friday's doubleheader in Nashville, Buchanan tossed five innings and allowed two runs and four hits. He gave up both runs on three consecutive hits with two outs in the first inning but allowed no runs and just one hit over his final four frames. He retired 13 of the last 14 hitters he faced including the final nine in a row...Buchanan was promoted from Double-A Corpus Christi following the Texas League All-Star Break. He went 7-2 with one save and a Texas League-leading 2.09 ERA in 18 games (13 starts). He ranked first in the league in WHIP (0.93), fourth in average (.226) and fifth in innings (82.0)...Through 15 games this season, his ERA was just 0.80, and he did not allow an earned run between April 30-May 30 (32.2 IP). His combined 2.17 ERA is second-best among Astros farmhands and 13th-best in all of the Minors...He has walked just nine batters all season and is averaging less than one walk per nine innings with a 5.1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Against the Zephyrs: 2013: 5-3 2012: 8-8 All-time: 126-115 In NEW: 57-55

The RedHawks split a four-game series with the Zephyrs during their last trip to New Orleans, June 18-21. The OKC starting pitching staff allowed just four runs over 25.1 IP and began the series with 20.0 consecutive scoreless IP. In each of the first three games, neither team scored through five innings and the Zephyrs were held scoreless through seven innings in each of those games...The first game between the two this year was a 15-inning, 4-four, 54-minute marathon on April 25 in OKC. The Zephyrs won, 10-8...Oklahoma City has outscored New Orleans, 38-23, this season and the RedHawks pitching staff has a combined 2.70 ERA...Jonathan Villar has a team-leading 11 hits and six RBI and is hitting .314...The Zephyrs homered 27 times against Oklahoma City last season but have gone deep six times in eight games this year.

A Cool Ambriz: Relief pitcher Hector Ambriz is scheduled to report to the team today after being optioned by the Astros. Ambriz has spent the whole year with Houston, going 2-4 with two saves and a 5.40 ERA over a team-leading 39 appearances. He signed as a minor league free agent in June, 2012 and made 18 appearances with OKC, posting a 1-1 record with two saves and a 3.33 ERA.

The Laird Up There: Brandon Laird is batting.455 (15x33) during his current nine-game hitting streak -- his longest of the season. He's collected six multi-hit games during the streak with one home run, six doubles, and five RBI.

Villar Who Villar: Jonathan Villar has also hit safely in each of his last nine games, batting .371 (13x35) with four multi-hit games and six RBI. The shortstop stole his league-leading 29th base last night. He ranks third with 84 games played and is fifth with eight triples. Yesterday he was named OKC's June Player of the Month, batting .309 with four homers, 15 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases.

20/20 Vision: After going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in his Triple-A debut last Thursday in Nashville, George Springer has hit safely in each of his last seven games, going 9-for-22 with two home runs and six RBI. Between his time with OKC and Double-A Corpus Christi, he has mashed 21 home runs and stolen 25 bases. He is the only player in all of professional baseball this season be a member of the 20/20 club. The next-highest stolen base total among players in the minors with 20+ HR is nine (Miguel Sano of AA-New Britain).

Firsts of Fury: The RedHawks have scored in the first inning in five of their last six games, totaling 11 runs. The seven hits they notched in the first inning last night is the most hits they've had in a single inning this season. However, opponents have scored in the first inning in five of the last six games as well, plating 10 runs.

Starting Line: Over the last 18 games, the RedHawks starting rotation has posted a 2.46 ERA (29 ER/106.0 IP). In the last 23 games, OKC starting pitchers have allowed one or no earned runs 12 times, with 13 quality starts.

Walks Gone Wild: The RedHawks walked 11 Albuquerque hitters last night. They did same thing exactly one month prior on June 3 in Albuquerque. Although the RedHawks ended up wining both games against the Isotopes, they had not walked 11 batters in one game since April 28, 2000 in Nashville (a 9-3 win). With 23 walks over the past three games, their 350 walks this season now are the most the PCL.

Familiar Foe on the 4th: For the second straight year the RedHawks will play in New Orleans on July 4. Last season the RedHawks edged the Zephyrs, 10-9. OKC trailed 5-4 in the eighth before busting out for six runs. New Orleans scored once in the eighth and three more times in the ninth. They put the tying run at third base with two outs before Hector Ambriz got Chris Aguila to fly out to right field to end the game. Marwin Gonzalez, who was on a rehab assignment, went 3-for-5 with three doubles and three RBI.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)

DATE TIME OPPONENT OKC PITCHER OPP. PITCHER

Friday, July 5 7 p.m. @ New Orleans RHP Brad Peacock (3-2, 3.06) LHP Duane Below (4-3, 2.64)

Saturday, July 6 6 p.m. @ New Orleans RHP Jarred Cosart (7-4, 2.98) RHP Matt Neil (2-3, 5.08)

Sunday, July 7 6 p.m. @ New Orleans RHP Asher Wojciechowski (4-4, 3.45) RHP Jared Rogers (3-2, 5.88)

Monday, July 8 7:05 p.m. @ Round Rock TBA TBA

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