Hynick's Return Helps Drillers Stop Skid

During the 2008 season, Brandon Hynick was the Tulsa Drillers top pitcher, leading the team with 10 wins. Tuesday night, he pitched in the Texas League for the first time in four years and showed that he is still capable of having success in the league. Hynick was sensational in his return to the mound for the Drillers, cruising through eight innings and helping Tulsa to a 5-1 win at Corpus Christi that snapped a season high six-game losing streak.

Hynick was originally an 8th round draft pick by the Colorado Rockies in 2006, and he seemed to be on the fast track to Coors Field.

Prior to his 10 win season in Tulsa, he had won 16 games for Class A Modesto in 2007. He followed up his stellar season in the Texas League with 10 more victories for Triple A Colorado Springs in 2009, but he was traded to the Chicago White Sox late in that season for major leaguer Jose Contreras.

Hynick has spent the past two seasons pitching in the minors for the White Sox and the Cincinnati Reds before rejoining the Rockies earlier this season.

He has split the first part of this season between Modesto and Colorado Springs before rejoining the Drillers during their current road trip.

In his eight innings Tuesday, Hynick allowed only four hits and one run. The right-hander did not walk a batter and struck out two while throwing 55 of his 84 pitches for strikes. Of the 24 outs he recorded, 14 came via infield grounders.

The only run he allowed came in the bottom of the third and actually put the Hooks in front temporarily. Catcher Jair Fernandez led off with a double and scored when the hero of last night's game, Jonathan Villar, singled him home with two outs.

The lead was short-lived as the Driller responded with three runs in the top of the fourth off Jarred Cosart, who is considered one of the top pitching prospects for the Houston Astros. After Nolan Arenado grounded out to open the inning, Ben Paulsen produced the first of four straight singles. After a base hit by Corey Dickerson moved Paulsen to third, Kent Matthes brought him home with a hit to tie the game. Another hit by Lars Davis scored Dickerson to give the Drillers the lead. With runners at first and third, Cosart struck out Mike Mitchell, but the pitch skipped by Fernandez. The wild pitch allowed Matthes to race home for the third run of the frame.

Tulsa made it 4-1 in the fifth when Angelys Nina singled, moved to second on a balk and scored on a base hit by Ben Paulsen.

Matthes capped the scoring with his 9th home run of the season in the top of the ninth off reliever Arcenio Leon. The solo shot gave the Drillers a four-run lead.

Josh Sullivan came on for Hynick in the bottom of the ninth and needed only nine pitches to work a 1-2-3 inning and complete Tulsa's first win since June 22.

The Drillers had nine hits in the victory with Paulsen, Nina, Dickerson and Matthes each collecting two.

Tulsa will close out its six-day road trip Wednesday night. Joe Gardner (3-5, 4.52 ERA) will take the mound for the Drillers against Jose Cisnero (5-6, 3.62 ERA) of the Hooks. Starting time at Whataburger Field is scheduled for 6:05PM.