PCL1 Oklahoma City Comets

RedHawks vs. Zephyrs - Game Notes - July 5, 2013

Published on July 5, 2013 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Comets News Release


Today's Game: The RedHawks look for a fourth-straight win as they play New Orleans at 7 p.m. at Zephyr Field. Oklahoma City won the first meeting of their four-game series Thursday, squeaking out a 2-1 victory.

Last Game: The RedHawks grabbed a 2-1 win Thursday, as four Oklahoma City pitchers combined to allow one run and three hits against the Zephyrs. Starting pitcher Brad Peacock (4-2) allowed one run over six innings, scattering three hits with one walk and seven strikeouts. New Orleans' one run scored in the second inning after a solo homer by Nick Green. The RedHawks tied the game soon after with a RBI single by George Springer in the third inning. Oklahoma City then took the lead in the fifth. Che-Hsuan Lin led off the inning with a single and advanced to third on a fielding error. He later scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-1. RedHawks relievers Hector Ambriz, Jose Valdez and Josh Zeid kept New Orleans scoreless and hitless during the final three innings and combined to retire the final eight New Orleans batters. Zeid recorded his ninth save.

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: 6-3 2012: 8-8 All-time: 127-115 In NEW: 58-55

The RedHawks held New Orleans to one run Thursday, marking the fifth time this season they have held the Zephyrs to one run or less in a game...Oklahoma City has outscored New Orleans, 40-24, this season and the RedHawks pitching staff has a combined 2.51 ERA and limited the Zephyrs to a .212 average...Oklahoma City split a four-game series with the Zephyrs during their last trip to New Orleans, June 18-21. In each of the first three games, neither team scored through five innings and the Zephyrs were held scoreless through seven innings...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...Jonathan Villar has a team-leading 12 hits and six RBI and is hitting .333...The Zephyrs homered 27 times against Oklahoma City last season but have gone deep seven times in nine games this year.

Close Calls: The RedHawks have won each of their last three games, with each victory coming by one run. It's the third time this season they've played three consecutive one-run contests, and their record now stands at 13-12 in one-run games. The RedHakws have yet to play four straight one-run games in 2013.

Villar Who Villar: Jonathan Villar is in the midst of a season-high 10-game hitting streak, batting .389 (14x36) with four multi-hit games and six RBI. The shortstop leads the PCL with 29 stolen bases, ranks third with 85 games played and is fifth with eight triples. It's also the first time he's had consecutive multi-walk games since June 6-7, 2012.

By George: 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 eight games, going 11-for-26 (.423) with two home runs and eight RBI. He swiped two bases in the sixth inning last night, and between his time with OKC and Double-A Corpus Christi, he has mashed 21 home runs and stolen 27 bases. He is the only player in all of professional baseball this season be a member of the 20/20 club.

Taking the Laird Out: Brandon Laird went 0-for-4 last night to snap a season-high nine-game hitting streak. After a stretch in which he went 15-for-29, Laird is 0 for his last 8, and he is just 2-for-20 against New Orleans this season.

Starting Line: In their last five meetings with New Orleans, the OKC starting pitching staff allowed just four runs over 31.1 IP (1.15 ERA) with three runs via solo homers. Over the last 19 games, the RedHawks starting rotation has posted a 2.41 ERA (30 ER/112.0 IP). In the last 24 games, OKC starting pitchers have allowed one or no earned runs 13 times, with 14 quality starts.

Leave it in Park: The RedHawks have only allowed two home runs over their past eight games, each of which has been solo shots. Their 72 homers allowed this season is tied with New Orleans for second-least in the PCL.

Wilting Walks: One night after handing out 11 walks against Albuquerque, the RedHawks issued just one free pass yesterday. With 24 walks over the past four games, their 351 walks are just one behind Nashville for the most in the PCL.

Not Scoring First? Not a Problem: The RedHawks have also won the past three games despite not scoring first in any of them. In four of their last five games, the team that scored first did not win.

Zephyr Field Zenith: The RedHawks will try to win consecutive games at Zephyr Field for the first time since Aug. 29-30, 2011 (14 games). Both teams have alternated wins and losses at Zephyr Field within each of the past two seasons.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)

DATE TIME OPPONENT OKC PITCHER OPP. PITCHER

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

Tuesday, July 9 7:05 p.m. @ Round Rock RHP Brad Peacock (4-2, 2.89) TBA

Check out the Oklahoma City Comets Statistics

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