Cards Strike Early to Beat Drillers

The Tulsa Drillers staged a late rally against Springfield Thursday night at ONEOK Field, but an early seven-run lead for the Cardinals was too much to overcome. The Cards scored in three of the first four innings to take their big lead and held on for an 8-5 win. The win was the second straight for the Redbirds and gave the two teams a split of their four-game series after the Drillers had won the first two.
It was a rough start to the night for the Drillers and pitcher Mitchell White. After White retired the game's first hitter on strikes, the next five Cards batters reached base safely on two hits, two walks and an error, ending White's night because of a one-inning pitch limit.
Springfield scored two runs in that first inning before adding a third on a run-scoring double by Ramón Urías in the second.
The Drillers got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third when Errol Robinson singled and came home on pinch-hitter Peter O'Brien's double.
But the Cardinals got the run back and more with five runs off reliever Nate Long in the fourth that increased their lead to 8-1. The big hit in the uprising was a three-run double by Victor Roache.
Tulsa cut into the margin in seventh inning when Tyler Colvin walked and Robinson singled. With two outs, Luke Raley belted his ninth home run of the season to pull the Drillers to within 8-4.
Connor Joe pulled another run back with a towering, solo home run in the bottom of the eighth. For Joe, it was his eighth homer of the year.
It would be as close as the Drillers would get as they went down in order in the bottom of the ninth.
WHAT YOU MISSED
O'Brien's pinch-hit double gives him at least one hit in six of his past seven games. He has raised his average 61 points during the hot streak.
White's short night ended after 29 pitches as Drillers pitchers are on a 30-pitch per inning limit. The right-hander allowed only one hit and two walks while recording one out.
The Drillers made another roster move just prior to game time, adding free agent outfielder Tyler Goeddel to replace infielder Hamlet Marte who was assigned to Rancho Cucamonga. Goeddel opened the season with Louisville, the Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. In 2016, he appeared in 92 games in the majors with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Robinson accounted for three of Tulsa's seven hits, finishing with two singles and a double.
*Reliever Shea Spitzbarth worked two shutout innings, making it five straight scoreless outings for the right-hander. His scoreless streak now stands at 7.1 straight innings.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Drillers will open a four-game series with Arkansas on Friday night at ONEOK Field. Starting time for the opener is scheduled for 7:05PM with the pitching matchup featuring:
ARK     Nathan Bannister (3-2, 4.54 ERA)
TUL      Devin Smeltzer (0-3, 7.90 ERA)