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 Oklahoma City Baseball Club

RedHawks Game Notes: May 4, 2012

May 4, 2012 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Oklahoma City Baseball Club News Release


Omaha Storm Chasers (18-10) vs. Oklahoma City RedHawks (17-11)

Kansas City Royals vs. Houston Astros

Game #29 of 144/Road #13 of 72 (7-5)

Pitching Probables: OMA-LH Dallas Keuchel (4-1, 1.62) vs. OKC-LH Ryan Verdugo (2-0, 3.70)

Friday, May 4, 2012 | Werner Park | Papillion, Neb.| 7:05 p.m. CT

Radio: KGHM AM-1340 The Game, 1340thegame.com, IHeartRadio - Alex Freedman

UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)

Saturday, May 5 @ Omaha (KC): OKC-RH Jordan Lyles (4-0, 3.46) vs. OMA-LH Mike Montgomery (2-0, 4.55) - 7:05 p.m., KGHM-AM 1340, 1340thegame.com, IHeartRadio

Sunday, May 6 @ Omaha (KC): OKC-RH Henry Sosa (2-0, 4.39) vs. OMA-LH Will Smith (0-2, 4.31) - 2:05 p.m., KGHM-AM 1340, 1340thegame.com, IHeartRadio

Monday, May 7 @ Omaha (KC): OKC-RH Aneury Rodriguez (1-3, 4.97) vs. OMA-LH Everett Teaford (0-0, 0.00) - 11:05 a.m., KGHM-AM 1340, 1340thegame.com, IHeartRadio

Tuesday, May 8 vs. Las Vegas (TOR): OKC-RH Paul Clemens (2-2, 4.50) vs. LV-TBA - 7:05 p.m., KGHM-AM 1340, 1340thegame.com, IHeartRadio

Wednesday, May 9 vs. Las Vegas (TOR): OKC-LH Dallas Keuchel (4-1, 1.62) vs. LV-TBA - 11:05 a.m., KGHM-AM 1340, 1340thegame.com, IHeartRadio

Today's Game-- The RedHawks clash with defending PCL Champion Omaha for the first time in 2012 at 7:05 p.m. Pitcher Dallas Keuchel will try and stabilize things after a rough 10-run loss last night in Albuquerque.

Last Night-- The Albuquerque Isotopes exploded for a seven-run, eight-hit third inning to guide the way to a 15-5 win over the RedHawks Thursday night at Isotopes Park. The Isotopes finished with 24 hits, tying a franchise record. They also notched 10 extra-base hits, falling one shy of their franchise mark. The RedHawks jumped out to an early 3-0 lead and led 4-3 in the third when the Isotopes put seven on the board. Nine of the first 10 batters in the inning reached base, and Jerry Sands gave the Isotopes the lead for good with a two-run triple to make it 5-4. Pitcher Will Savage also added a two-run homer as part of the rally. Scott Van Slyke hit a solo homer in the sixth inning and added a three-run shot in the seventh to give the Isotopes a 14-4 lead. RedHawks pitcher Paul Clemens (2-2) had a rough outing and was pulled in the third inning. He allowed seven runs and 10 hits with one walk and no strikeouts. Savage improved to a perfect 5-0 in addition to hitting his first home run. After a shaky beginning, Savage got through five innings, allowing four runs and eight hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

Tonight's Probable Pitchers-- Dallas Keuchel heads to the hill seeking a sixth straight quality start to begin his season...Keuchel currently is third in the PCL in ERA (1.62), fifth in WHIP (0.99), and third in fewest baserunners per nine innings (8.91)...He has already been named PCL Pitcher of the Week (April 5-15) and yesetrday was named the Astros' Triple-A Pitcher of the Month...Keuchel has lasted at least six innings in each start and has allowed two runs or less in four of his five starts...Although tonight will be his first career matchup with the Storm Chasers, he is no stranger to Omaha, as he was the winning pitcher in each of Arkansas' wins at the 2009 College World Series...Fellow lefty Ryan Verdugo makes his sixth start as well for Omaha...He's coming off a season-best seven-inning outing Sunday in Memphis, allowing just two runs, but did not figure in the decision...Opponents are only hitting .190 against Verdugo (fifth best in PCL), but his 19 walks are the second-most in the league....Verdugo made 25 starts last season with Double-A Richmond (8-6, 4.35), and was traded to Kansas City along with Jonathan Sanchez from San Francisco in exchange for Melky Cabrera this past off-season.

Trying to Bounce Back-- Last night the RedHawks had their largest margin of defeat since September 2, 2011 when they fell 12-1 at home against New Orleans, and their worst on the road since a 14-2 loss on June 26, 2011 in Round Rock. The good news is they won the next day after each of those losses

Anyone One But Albuquerque-- The RedHawks are now 2-6 against Albuquerque, but 15-5 against the rest of the PCL. (Albuquerque is 10-10 against others.) The RedHawks hit just .263 against the Isotopes, but .289 against everyone else. Their team ERA is 5.72 against Albuquerque, but 3.09 against the rest of league.

M&M Men-- Scott Moore and Fernando Martinez have both stood out within the RedHawks potent offense. Moore leads the PCL with 14 doubles, ranks second in extra-base hits (17), third in on-base percentage (.473), fourth in slugging percentage (.649), and ninth in batting average. Martinez is tied for the league lead with 24 RBIs and leads the RedHawks with five home runs. Combined they are hitting .341 with seven homers and 46 RBIs. Yesterday, Moore was named the Astros Triple-A Offensive Player of the Month, and Martinez was named the Triple-A Defensive Player of the Month.

Notable Streaks-- Fernando Martinez holds the team's longest current hitting streak at 10 games (.341, 15x44), the second time this season he's had a streak of least nine straight. With last night's home run, Justin Ruggiano is now on a six-game hit streak (.400, 8x20).

Saving the Day-- After earning a save Wednesday night, Jose Valdez is 5-for-5 in save opportunities this season. Last season he was 9-for-9 when given the opportunity to close the game for OKC.

In A Pinch-- Justin Ruggiano has been spectacular off the bench this year. After Wednesday's game-winning, bases-clearing double, Ruggiano is 3-for-5 with seven RBIs as a pinch hitter. As a team, RedHawks pinch hitters are 6-for-24 (.250) with 10 RBIs.

You Better Think Twice-- The RedHawks have caught 15 of 30 attempted base stealers for a 50 % caught stealing rate, best in the PCL. Landon Powell is 6-for-10, and Carlos Corporan is 9-for-20.

Rough Starts-- After posting a 2.14 ERA through the first 16 games of the season, the starting rotation has faltered a bit lately. Over the last 12 games, the starting rotation has a 6.61 ERA (46 ER/62.2 IP) and has allowed 87 hits in 62.2 innings. Five of those starts have lasted less than five innings

Against the Storm Chasers-- The RedHawks went 6-10 against Omaha last season, including a 4-4 mark in Omaha...The Storm Chasers won the final six games of the season series...The RedHawks batted just .217 while the Storm Chasers hit .302...Clint Robinson put up a .323/4/14 line over the 16 contests...These two teams next meet June 23-26 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.


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