Busch’s Hit Gives Drillers Late Win
Tulsa, OK – Tulsa second baseman Michael Busch picked a good time for his first extra-base hit in the month of June. Tuesday night, in the opening game of a 12-game homestand for the Drillers, Busch’s run-scoring double to the base of the centerfield wall in the bottom of the
Tulsa, OK – Tulsa second baseman Michael Busch picked a good time for his first extra-base hit in the month of June. Tuesday night, in the opening game of a 12-game homestand for the Drillers, Busch’s run-scoring double to the base of the centerfield wall in the bottom of the eighth inning broke a tie game and propelled Tulsa to a 5-4 victory over Springfield. It was the Drillers only lead of the game.
Busch’s game-winning hit gave Tulsa just its second victory in its past nine games. It also allowed the Drillers to keep pace with first-place Wichita in the Double-A Central North Division standings, just ½ game behind the Wind Surge.
The late heroics gave the Drillers their first lead of the night, after twice rallying from deficits to tie the game.
The Cardinals took their first lead with a run in the top of the second inning. Nick Plummer and Justin Toerner started the inning with consecutive singles. After a strikeout, Nick Dunn singled home Plummer with the game’s first run.
The Drillers tied the game at 1-1 in the sixth inning. After Busch was hit by a pitch leading off the inning, he advanced to second on a ground out and to third on a wild pitch. Carlos Rincon’s double brought him home.
The Cardinals went back in front in the top of the seventh with three runs on only one hit. Three walks from reliever Zach Willeman, who was activated from the Injured List earlier in the day, loaded the bases. With two outs, Plummer grounded a single into right field that scored two of the runners, and when right fielder Donovan Casey’s throw to the plate was wild, a third runner came home to give Springfield a 4-1 lead.
The Drillers used a similar script to tie the game again in the bottom half of the seventh. Springfield reliever Kyle Leahy issued walks to Casey and Busch before being replaced by Jacob Bosiokovic. Bosiokovic walked Miguel Vargas, Rincon and Devin Mann in succession to force home two runs. Jacob Amaya followed with a sacrifice fly that plated Vargas to tie the score at 6-6.
The eighth-inning double was Busch’s only hit of the night, but he reached base three times and scored two runs.
The timely hit allowed reliever Justin Hagenman to pick up his fifth win of the season, tying him with Guillermo Zuniga for the team lead and for the lead in all of Double-A.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
*The Drillers announced a few roster changes prior to Tuesday’s game. Catcher Juan Zabala was placed on the Development List to make room on the active roster for Willeman. Also, pitcher Austin Drury, who was officially promoted from Great Lakes on Sunday, joined the team. Finally, infielder Kenny Betancourt was activated from the Injured List and transferred to Great Lakes.
*The two teams combined to strand a total of 22 runners on base.
*Pitcher Michael Grove made the start on the mound for the Drillers and allowed just one run on five hits in 3.2 innings pitched. He walked four and struck out six.
*Nick Robertson recorded the final out to pick up his second save of the season.
*Vargas and Stevie Berman each had two hits in the game for the Drillers.
UP NEXT
Springfield at Tulsa on Wednesday, June 23 at 7:05 PM at ONEOK Field. The pitching matchup will be Springfield LHP Tyler Pike (0-1, 8.79 ERA) vs. Tulsa RHP Ryan Pepiot (0-2, 1.82 ERA).