Two Home Runs And Good Pitching Boosts Redhawks

News9.com

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico – The Oklahoma City Redhawks rebounded from Tuesday's 11-4 loss with a 5-4 victory over Albuquerque thanks to strong pitching and two home runs.

Tommy Manzella and Koby Clemens both smashed home runs while Ryan Rowland-Smith, Wesley Wright and David Carpenter all had good nights on the mound to help OKC to its 31st win of the season.

Oklahoma City starter Ryan Rowland-Smith allowed one run and four hits over four innings before he left the game in the top of the fifth after a foul bunt attempt in the top of the inning hit his left index finger. Reliever Wesley Wright (2-0) dealt two perfect relief innings for the winning decision. David Carpenter (7) dealt one and one-thirds scoreless frames for the save, increasing his Triple-A scoreless innings total to 17 and one-thirds.

The first place Isotopes got the scoring going in the third off a single by Eugenio Velez scored Justin Sellers for a 1-0 score.

The Redhawks evened the game in the fifth. Drew Locke led off with a double and then scored off Waldimir Sutil's double to tie it 1-1.

In the sixth frame, OKC's Brian Bogusevic led off with a triple, then Robinson Cancel managed a single that scored Bogusevic to make it 2-1. Next, Tommy Manzella blasted a long line drive home run to left field, his sixth of the season to give the Redhawks a 4-1 advantage.

OKC's Koby Clemens opened the seventh with a pinch-hit home run to deep right centerfield to help the Redhawks go up 5-1.

The bottom of the seventh saw Albuquerque get back in the game against reliever Jose Valdez. Leadoff batter Jerry Sands hit a home run to quickly cut OKC's lead to 5-2. In the eighth inning, Valdez gave up a two-out, two-run home run form Joe Becker for a 5-4 score.

Oklahoma City squeezed out the win and now sits at 31-43 on the season.

Lefty Gustavo Chacin will take the mound for OKC Thursday for game three of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 8:05 CST.