RedHawks Take Down Omaha In Series Opener

Fernando Martinez tied his season high with three RBI for the Oklahoma City RedHawks in a 5-2 win against the Omaha Storm Chasers Tuesday in front of a crowd of 3,082 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

The RedHawks (29-23) scored five runs in the first two innings to post their highest run total in seven games and hold on for their second straight win.

Brett Wallace and Marc Krauss led Oklahoma City with two hits each as the RedHawks and Omaha (24-27) opened a four-game series in Bricktown. The RedHawks played their first home game since May 14 after a 13-game road trip.

The Storm Chasers entered the contest having won 12 of their last 14 games in downtown Oklahoma City, but an early lead Tuesday propelled the RedHawks.

Martinez tripled in the first inning to score Jake Elmore and Wallace for a 2-0 RedHawks lead with one out. Che-Hsuan Lin, the next batter up, singled to score Martinez for a 3-0 edge.

Omaha responded in the second inning when Willy Taveras hit a RBI triple to cut the score to, 3-1.

The RedHawks extended their lead in the bottom of the inning. Wallace singled to score Jonathan Villar before Martinez grounded into a force out that scored Elmore for a 5-1 lead.

Irving Falu advanced to third base, then scored on back-to-back wild pitches from Jarred Cosart to make the score 5-2 in the fifth inning.

Krauss caught a long fly ball from Brett Hayes at the left field wall to squelch a potential home run and end the top of the eighth inning.

Falu grounded into a double play to end the game.

Cosart (5-2) picked up his team-leading fifth win of the season, allowing two runs on three hits, striking out four and issuing a season-high seven walks.

Chris Dwyer (4-3) allowed five runs on four hits, walked four and struck out one in two innings.

Cosart and Dwyer entered the game with ERAs that ranked among the Pacific Coast League's top 10.

The RedHawks' homestand against Omaha continues with a 7:05 p.m. game Wednesday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.