Drillers Lose No-Hitter, But Defeat Rockies 5-3
On an unseasonably cool evening in downtown Tulsa, the current Drillers got the best of the ex-Drillers as Tulsa defeated Colorado 5-3 before a crowd of 7,516.
For eight innings, it appeared as if the large crowd would view history as the Drillers no-hit the major league Rockies for the first eighth innings. The no-hit effort ended with one out in the top of the ninth inning when Chris Nelson doubled of the center field wall.
Tulsa starter Christian Friedrich, rated by Baseball America as the second-best pitching prospect in the Rockies minor league system, was brilliant against the parent club. The lefthander blanked Colorado through the game's first six innings, allowing only two walks while striking out seven.
Former Oral Roberts hurler Sean Jarrett kept the no-hitter alive by pitching around a leadoff error in the seventh.
Joe Torres and Dustin Molleken combined to work a perfect eighth, before Nelson doubled off Casey Weathers in the final inning.
Wilin Rosario accounted for much of Tulsa's offense. The catcher gave the Drillers an early lead with a one-out home run in the bottom of the second off Rockies starter Esmil Rogers.
Rosario doubled and scored on a base hit by Scott Beerer to make it 2-0 in the fourth.
Mike Daniel and Ben Paulsen added solo homers in the fifth to up the margin to 4-0.
Later in the fifth, Darin Holcomb reached on an error and scored on another hit by Beerer to make it 5-0.
After Nelson's double ended the no-hit effort, the Rockies rallied with three runs against Casey Weathers. With the tying runs on base, Colorado's comeback attempt ended when Adam Jorgenson retired Ryan Spilborghs on a ground out to end the game.
Rosario finished a perfect 3-3, while Beerer was 4-4 with four singles.
Their production gave Friedrich more support than he needed. The outing was a great start for the 23-year-old who suffered through an injury-filled season in 2010 with the Drillers. If his outing against the Rockies is any indication, 2011 should go much better.
With an opportunity to impress Rockies manager Jim Tracy and several of the club's front office members, Friedrich was happy with his standout performance against a major league lineup.
"When you look at the lineup card before the game, you see the names of Tulowitzki, Gonzalez, Giambi and Helton," he said. "It's a little intimidating at first, but it's nice to know that you actually know them. It takes some of the pressure off."
Friedrich added, "I had some of my best stuff tonight, and it gives me confidence going into the season to start off on the right foot."
Tulsa will wait a week before beginning that regular season. The Drillers will play exhibition games against the Triple A Oklahoma City RedHawks on Sunday and Monday and against Oklahoma Wesleyan University on Tuesday.
The Drillers will open the regular season on Thursday, April 7 by hosting Corpus Christi at ONEOK Field.