RedHawks Fall in Offensive Battle

Oklahoma City gives up 10 runs in first three innings in loss to Isotopes.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 11:55 am

By: News On 6

Originally Published: Aug 29, 2010 10:45 PM CDT

Grant Belcher
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico – In what could be described as one of the more interesting games of the season, the RedHawks lost a 10-5 offensive battle to the Albuquerque Isotopes on Sunday.

Oklahoma City’s Willy Taveras started things off quickly for the RedHawks, homering in the first inning to left field to jump out to a 1-0 lead.

But Albuquerque’s Trent Oeltjen struck back in the bottom of the first, sending one out of the park on the Isotopes’ first at-bat to tie the game at 1.

In the bottom of the second, the Isotopes began to pour it on, with Jamie Hoffmann and Michael Restovich reaching base, followed by shortstop Justin Sellers driving them home with a three-run homer to put Albuquerque up 4-1.

It only got worse in the bottom of the third inning as the Isotopes scored six more runs, putting the deficit for Oklahoma at 10-1. Albuquerque picked up six hits in the third inning alone, and had nine hits through the first three innings.

However, the Isotopes went cold for the remainder of the game and the RedHawks made an attempt to scratch their way back.

Hernan Iribarren doubled in the top of the sixth, driving home Chris Davis to make it 10-2.

Third baseman Matthew Brown added a home run in the seventh, and Oklahoma City tacked on two more in the eighth to crawl back to within 10-5. But that’s all the comeback Oklahoma City could muster.

Pitcher Ben Snyder had a rough day on the mound for the RedHawks, giving up 10 runs on nine hits in three innings. John Ely got the win pitching for the Isotopes.

The RedHawks have lost five of their last six, and will start a series against Nashville at 7:05 p.m. Monday at the Bricktown Ballpark.