RedHawks' Ninth-Inning Comeback Falls Short

Originally Published: May 2, 2010 8:18 PM CDT

Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma City RedHawks nearly mounted a huge ninth-inning rally, but came up one hit short in an 8-7 loss to the New Orleans Zephyrs Sunday.

The RedHawks (15-9) entered the bottom of the ninth down 8-4, but started the inning on fire. After Esteban German and Hernan Iribarren reached on singles to start the frame, Chad Tracy connected on a third consecutive hit that drove German home and advanced Iribarren to third.

Chris Davis followed with an RBI single of his own, and Brandon Boggs followed suit to load the bases with still nobody out and OKC now trailing by two. Jarrod Saltalamacchia connected on the RedHawks’ sixth consecutive single, which drove in Tracy but Davis was thrown out at the plate trying to tie the game.

With one out, Emerson Frostad grounded to first base. Saltalamacchia was thrown out at second, but Frostad managed to outrun the throw back to first to narrowly avoid a game-ending double play. Mitch Moreland followed with a four-pitch walk, setting up the most suspenseful situation in baseball.

Taylor Teagarden came to bat with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth. An out would mean a loss, while a single likely would have won the game. Teagarden ripped a line drive toward shortstop, but Emilio Bonifacio caught it to end the game.

The loss came after Oklahoma City managed to build a 3-0 lead through the first five innings, as starter Michael Ballard held the Zephyrs (10-13) to just three hits. But in the sixth inning, Ballard surrendered a three-run home run to Jason Lane that tied the game and began a slew of New Orleans runs in the game’s final innings.

Willie Eyre replaced Ballard in the seventh inning, when Bonifacio hit an RBI single to give the Zephyrs their first lead of the game. New Orleans extended its lead with three more runs in the eighth. Moreland brought OKC closer with a solo home run in the bottom of the inning, but the Zephyrs added one more insurance run in the top of the ninth.

Eyre (0-2) was credited with the loss after giving up four runs in two innings of work. Jorge Sosa (2-1) earned the win with three runs allowed and five strikeouts in his six innings. Jose Veras pulled out the save, entering in the ninth and getting the final three outs. He was not responsible for any of the RedHawks’ three runs in the inning.

Oklahoma City has now lost two games in a row, which has only happened twice this season. The RedHawks will begin a four-game series against the Omaha Royals at 6:35 p.m. Monday.