Tulsa Drops Third Straight to Springfield
TULSA, OK – The Tulsa Drillers have yet to catch a break since earning their only win over the Springfield Cardinals on Wednesday. After gaining their first lead since Wednesday, Tulsa fell behind and trailed most of the Saturday night’s game, but Taylor Young capped a ninth-inning rally to send
TULSA, OK – The Tulsa Drillers have yet to catch a break since earning their only win over the Springfield Cardinals on Wednesday. After gaining their first lead since Wednesday, Tulsa fell behind and trailed most of the Saturday night’s game, but Taylor Young capped a ninth-inning rally to send the game to extras. The Cardinals quickly scored their placed runner in the tenth, and Tulsa was held scoreless resulting in a 6-5 defeat in front of 7,916 fans at ONEOK Field.
The loss dropped the Drillers home record to 5-11 and to 1-3 in extra-inning games this season. The loss also clinched the second series loss of the season for the Drillers.
The Drillers found themselves in a hole early. In the first inning, a single, a hit batter and a walk filled the bases with Cardinals. Mike Antico singled to drive in two runners and gain the first lead of the night. Two batters later, Noah Mendlinger drove in a third Springfield run to make it a 3-0 lead in the first inning.
The Drillers responded in the bottom of the second to take the lead. The inning began with three consecutive walks to load the bases. A ground ball force out at third base allowed the Drillers first run to score. Bubba Alleyne followed with a three-run homer to put Tulsa ahead 4-3.
The Cardinals answered with an RBI single in the third inning to tie the game.
Tulsa reliever Jack Dreyer was charged with a fielding error in the fifth inning, which led to an unearned run, giving Springfield a 5-4 lead.
Both bullpens controlled the game over the next three frames. Tulsa used a combination of Antonio Knowles, Juan Morillo and Logan Boyer to hold Springfield scoreless.
Springfield’s Alex Cornwell also kept the Drillers scoreless before Tulsa worked to tie the game in the ninth.
Three straight singles pushed across the tying run, and catcher interference put the winning run at third for the Drillers. With two outs, Dalton Rushing lined the first pitch he saw to the Cardinals shortstop for the third out to send the game to extras.
In the top half of the tenth, Matt Lloyd singled to drive in the placed runner and put Springfield ahead 6-5.
An error began Tulsa’s half of the tenth to put two runners on base, but a double play and a flyout halted the Drillers chances and ended the game.
INSIDE THE GAME
*Fernandez drew a walk in the second inning to increase his on-base streak to 19 straight games.
*Tulsa starting pitcher Yon Castro was charges with four runs on five hits in three innings pitched in his second start for the Drillers.
*Dreyer’s unearned run kept his ERA at 0.00 for the season. He completed two innings on the mound and struck out three. He is the only Tulsa pitcher to not allow an earned run this season.
*Matt Carpenter finished 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. He also scored a run and was hit by a pitch.
*The Drillers saw more production from the nine spot in the lineup on Saturday. Alleyne finished 1-for-4. Tulsa now has a .284 average from the spot this season, the highest nine-hole average in the Texas League. The next highest average is the Arkansas Travelers with a .247 mark.
*Tulsa finished 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
*Drillers relievers did not allow an earned run and have a 2.71 ERA for the season, the lowest in the Texas League.
*The Drillers wore Star Wars jerseys featuring Jar Jar Binks for Star Wars Night at ONEOK Field.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers and Cardinals will conclude their six-game series with game six on Sunday afternoon. Starting time is set for 1:00 p.m. and the starting pitchers are expected to be:
SPR– RHP Tink Hence (3-0, 2.10 ERA)
TUL – LHP Justin Wrobleski (1-1, 4.76 ERA)