RedHawks Drop Series Finale in Nashville

Originally Published: Jun 21, 2010 10:55 PM CDT

Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The Oklahoma City RedHawks got off to a quick start, but could not keep their momentum going on the way to an 8-6 loss to the Nashville Sounds Monday.

The RedHawks (39-31) scored the game’s first run on a sacrifice fly by Ryan Garko in the top of the first, but Nashville quickly responded. The Sounds (38-32) started a two-out rally with a two-run double by Joe Koshansky, who scored on an RBI single by Luis Cruz for a 3-1 lead.

The RedHawks retook the lead with a big start to the third inning. Brandon Boggs and Mitch Moreland connected on back-to-back doubles to score one run, and Chris Davis homered in the next at-bat to add two more runs and give OKC a 4-3 lead.

Trent Oeltjen tied things up with a solo home run in the fourth inning, and the Sounds slowly pulled away from there. Cruiz hit a two-run homer in the fifth, and Ray Olmedo added an RBI double in the sixth to extend the lead to 7-4.

Moreland drove in a run in the seventh inning, and Gregorio Petit added an RBI double in the eighth to pull the RedHawks back within one. But Nashville added a final insurance run in the bottom of the eighth, and OKC went down in order in the ninth to seal the outcome.

Doug Mathis (2-3) was credited with the loss for Oklahoma City after giving up six runs on seven hits in five innings of work. Chuck Lofgren (7-4) pitched five innings and gave up four runs to earn the win, while Mitch Stetter and Brandon Kintzler combined to shut things down in the ninth.

Monday’s match-up marked the end of a four-game series in which the RedHawks lost three times. They will continue their road trip for their next game at 7 p.m. Tuesday against the New Orleans Zephyrs, who they swept in four games in their last series.