Drillers Win Streak Snapped with Loss in Springfield

The Springfield Cardinals used one big inning Tuesday night to post a victory in the opening game of a four-game series with the Tulsa Drillers. The Cardinals erased a 1-0 Tulsa lead with four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and defeated the Drillers 5-3 at Hammons Field.

The loss snapped a season high four-game winning streak for the Drillers and dropped them 4½ games behind the first-place Cardinals in the Texas League's North Division.

Tulsa took an early lead in the game, scoring just minutes into the contest. Right fielder Andrew Toles tripled into the right field corner on the second pitch of the game, then scored when Willie Calhoun followed with a sacrifice fly.

Drillers starting pitcher Carlos Frias protected the 1-0 lead, blanking the Cardinals on only two hits through the first four innings before the Redbirds erupted for four runs in the bottom of the fifth to go in front.

Reliever Ralston Cash took over for Frias and he walked the first two hitters of the inning, before C.J. McElroy singled home a run to tie the game at 1-1.

Springfield starting pitcher Daniel Poncedeleon helped himself with a sacrifice fly that put the Redbirds in front. After another walk from Cash, Bruce Caldwell singled home two more runs to cap the big inning and give the Cardinals a 4-1 lead.

The Drillers tried to get back in the game, scoring single runs in both the sixth and seventh innings. In the sixth, Kyle Farmer singled and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Jacob Scavuzzo.

Tulsa used the same script in the top of the seventh to pull to within 4-3. Drew Maggi led off with a base hit and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Toles.

But, the Drillers would get no closer as the Cards got one of the runs back in the bottom half of the seventh when Breyvic Valera singled home a run that made it 5-3.

John Brebbia worked two scoreless relief innings to close out the win for the Redbirds.

Tulsa lost despite out-hitting Springfield 9-7. Alex Verdugo accounted for 1/3 of the hits, finishing 3-4.

The two teams will continue their series with a doubleheader on Wednesday. The first game will start at 5:10pm and will feature a pitching matchup of Tim Shubuya (0-0, 0.00 ERA) for the Drillers against Trey Nielsen (4-2, 3.32 ERA) of the Redbirds. Chase De Jong (2-4, 3.75 ERA) will pitch the nightcap for Tulsa against Kurt Heyer (1-2, 3.63 ERA) of Springfield.