Cardinals collapse in 9th, lose 9-7 to Drillers

May 22, 2019

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A 7-3 ninth-inning lead disappeared on the Springfield Cardinals (18-28) on Wednesday at Hammons Field, losing 9-7 to the Tulsa Drillers (24-21) in front of 3,189 fans.

DECISIONS:
W: LHP Chris Nunn (1-1)
L: RHP Merandy Gonzalez (1-2)
S: RHP Shea Spitzbarth (3)

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED:

- Zach McKinstry's three-run home run off Gonzalez with one out in the ninth put the Drillers ahead 8-7 and completed the all-too-quick comeback win for the visitors. The ninth inning started out in the same fashion, with Carlos Rincon taking Gonzalez deep to leadoff the inning. Four batters later, Gavin Lux singled home a run that cut the Cardinals lead to 7-5. McKinstry's homer immediately followed, and then Angelo Mora made it back-to-back home runs and cemented the 9-7 final.

- After Tulsa had cut a 6-1 Cardinals lead to 6-3 with two runs in the eighth, 2B Irving Lopez pushed what appeared to be an insurance run across the plate in the bottom of the eighth that extended the lead to 7-3.

- Tulsa's late push actually started in the top of the eighth with back-to-back home runs by DJ Peters and Lux, who finished 4-for-5.

NOTABLES:
- Cardinals RHP Williams Pérez had an excellent start and exited the game with a 7-1 lead, seemingly in line for what would have been his fifth win. Perez allowed just a single run over 7.0 innings, striking out eight to five hits and two walks on 95 pitches.

- The Cardinals bullpen allowed eight runs on eight hits over the game's final 2.0 innings. Of the four relievers who entered the game after Perez exited, only Ronnie Williams (0.2 IP, 1 K) didn't allow a run.

- LF Randy Arozarena hit his first home run of 2019, doubled and singled in a 3-for-5 day. RF Johan Mieses and 3B Elehuris Montero also went yard.