Only one hit left the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark on Thursday before Oklahoma's Drew Meyer rolled the game- winning single past a diving Junior Spivey in the bottom of the 13th inning.
"It's not a good way to start the season, 13 innings," Meyer said. "But it's good to start it with a win."
With the wind gusting at 30-plus mph to straightaway center field, it seemed to be any thing but a pitcher's paradise.
Instead, the only homer of the night came in the first inning from the Hawks' Rashad Eldridge, a 180-pound outfielder with 25 career home runs in six seasons.
"I was anticipating a few more home runs," said Oklahoma's Adam Hyzdu, who kept the game tied at 4 with a pair of tough, late-inning catches in right field.
"The pitchers did a good job. (Memphis has) a lot of good arms."
The teams combined to use 11 pitchers, a small number compared to the 28 base runners -- 14 each -- stranded by both teams.
"Quite frankly, I was surprised there weren't more home runs," first-year RedHawks manager Tim Ireland said. "If guys would have gotten a few more up, there could have been some go out."
Both teams squandered scoring opportunities, batting a combined 6-for-38 with runners in scoring position. The RedHawks loaded the bases in the 12th with no outs but failed to score.
Meyer was 4-for-7 with a double and triple to go with the game-winner.
The pitching matchup featured players who might see the majors at some point this season -- Oklahoma's Robinson Tejeda and Memphis' Anthony Reyes. They didn't inspire much drama as each allowed four runs before exiting.
Tejeda, who might be sent to the parent Texas Rangers as early as next week, left after three-plus innings. Jayson Durocher allowed one hit in 22/3 for the win.
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