Tulsa Hangs On for 6-4 Win in Hennessey's Managerial Debut

Fresh off seeing the Tulsa Drillers blow a three-run, ninth inning lead in Ryan Garko's final game as the club's manager on Sunday afternoon, Drillers interim manager Scott Hennessey probably felt like he was having a deja vu moment in his first game leading the club. After taking a 6-3 lead into the ninth inning Monday night against the Springfield Cardinals, Layne Somsen and the Drillers almost let another three-run lead slip away. But Somsen and his Tulsa teammates were able to hang on as they defeated the Cardinals 6-4 in their series opener against the first-place club.
With the win, the Drillers moved to just two games behind the Cardinals for the top spot in the Texas League North Division. The victory also marked Hennessey's first career victory in his managerial debut after it was announced Sunday that he would serve as Tulsa's interim manager following Ryan Garko's resignation.
The bottom of the ninth began ominously as Somsen issued a leadoff walk to Oscar Mercado. Following a stolen base, a groundout, a fielding error and a single, the score was 6-4 with runners on first and second and one out.
Somsen then induced a tailor-made, double-play groundball to second off the bat of Bruce Caldwell that looked as if it would end the ballgame. But Tulsa shortstop Errol Robinson bobbled the ball on the relay for his second error of the game, extending the inning for Springfield. A full-count walk to Jacob Wilson then loaded the bases as it looked like a collapse was imminent. But Somsen recovered to get a groundball from Jesse Jenner that Matt Beaty fielded at third before narrowly throwing out Jenner at first for the final out of the ballgame.
The Drillers won Monday night's contest despite tying their season-high with four errors in the game.
Sloppy play helped the Cardinals plate the first run of the game in the bottom of the first. With runners on second and third and one out, Anthony García hit a grounder to short that Robinson was unable to field cleanly, allowing a run to score.
But Tulsa starter Dennis Santana stemmed the tide as he struck out John Nogowski before picking Darren Seferina off second to end the inning.
The score would hold there until the fourth when the Drillers would pull ahead.
Beaty led off the top of the frame with a walk and quickly came home to score when Blake Gailen smoked an RBI double to tie the game at 1-1. Springfield starter Chris Ellis looked as if he might be able to escape further damage though as he retired the next two Tulsa batters. But Santana helped himself out as he lined a single into center to plate Gailen, giving the Drillers a 2-1 lead.
Santana had to work himself out of trouble again in the home half of the frame as he put runners on second and third with no outs following a walk, a hit-by-pitch and a wild pitch. After retiring the next two Cardinal batters, Santana surrendered an RBI single to Magneuris Sierra that tied the contest at 2-2. But Beaty helped limit the damage in the inning as he made a great sliding catch of a groundball off the bat of Mercado before leaping to his feet to retire the Cardinals speedster for the third out.
Beaty then made his presence felt at the plate in the top half of the fifth as he followed a leadoff double from Robinson with a two-out, two-run home run to give Tulsa a 4-2 advantage. The homer was Beaty's 11th of the year.
The two clubs traded runs in the seventh to make the score 5-3 before the Drillers padded their lead with a run in the eighth on an RBI double by Tim Locastro to take a 6-3 lead into the eventful ninth.
Santana was credited with the victory in his Double-A debut while Somsen earned his second save of the season. Ellis took the loss for Springfield.
The Drillers and Cardinals will continue their 3-game series Tuesday evening. Tulsa will send out RHP Josh Sborz (4-7, 4.21 ERA) to the hill while Springfield will counter with a southpaw in starter Austin Gomber (4-7, 4.55 ERA). First pitch from Hammons Field is scheduled for 6:30 PM.