Pitching Shines Again as Drillers Take Series from Cards
Tulsa, OK – The Tulsa Drillers capped their best series of the season Sunday afternoon with a 3-2 win over the Springfield Cardinals at ONEOK Field. The victory gave the Drillers a series win over the first-place Cardinals, four games to two. It also moved them back over .500 in
Tulsa, OK – The Tulsa Drillers capped their best series of the season Sunday afternoon with a 3-2 win over the Springfield Cardinals at ONEOK Field. The victory gave the Drillers a series win over the first-place Cardinals, four games to two. It also moved them back over .500 in the first half of the season with a 14-13 record.
The game featured a total of just eight hits with Tulsa pitchers limiting the Redbirds to just three. All eight of the hits were singles.
The Cardinals manufactured their two runs early before Tulsa starting pitcher Patrick Copen settled in. Copen opened the game by walking the first two batters. Leadoff man Chase Davis eventually scored the first run of the day on a two-out passed ball.
The Drillers answered in the bottom of the first when Damon Keith walked, advanced to second on a base hit by Kyle Nevin and scored on a base hit from Kendall Simmons.
Springfield immediately restored its lead in the second inning. Brody Moore led off with the Cards’ first hit and then swiped both second and third bases to set up a sacrifice fly from R.J. Yeager.
It stayed 2-1 until the Drillers took the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth. Keith opened the inning with a base hit, but he was erased on a fielder’s choice groundout from Nevin. After Chris Newel drew his league-leading 57th walk of the season, a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. The wild pitch proved key as Nelson Quiroz grounded a base hit into left field that scored both runners and gave Tulsa a 3-2 lead.
The Tulsa bullpen took it from there. Jerming Rosario allowed just one hit and one walk while holding the Cards scoreless in the seventh and eighth innings.
Antonio Knowles continued is strong run, needing to just eight pitches to retire the side in order in the top of the ninth to gain his tenth save of the year.
INSIDE THE GAME
*Entering the series, Tulsa was just 1-11 against Springfield this season. The 4-2 series win improved the season mark to 5-13.
*Much of the credit for the success goes to the Drillers bullpen. In the series, Tulsa relievers allowed just one run in 23 innings pitched, recording a 0.39 ERA.
*On a warm afternoon, starter Copen worked four innings and allowed two runs on just two hits. He had five strikeouts and was hampered by three walks. Copen needed a total of 78 pitches, 43 of which were strikes, to get through his four innings.
*Carson Hobbs was outstanding in relief of Copen, getting his first Double-A win in just his second appearance at the level. Hobbs retired all six batters he faced in the fifth and sixth innings and needed just 25 pitches to do it.
*Knowles has been almost untouchable over the last two months. Sunday’s outing extended his scoreless streak to nine straight games, covering 10 1/3 innings. In his last 15 outings, he has given up just one run in 16.2 innings for a 0.54 ERA. Maybe even more impressive, has gotten either the win or the save in nine of his last ten appearances.
*Rosario has not given up a run in his last seven games and 9.0 innings pitched.
*Newell drew a pair of walks and has now reached base safely in 13 consecutive games.
UP NEXT
The Drillers will now embark on their longest road trip of the season with 12 total games. The trip will include six games in Midland against the RockHounds, followed by six games in Corpus Christi against the Hooks. It will begin on Tuesday with the first game in Midland. First pitch for the opener is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Momentum Bank Ballpark, and the starting pitchers are expected to be:
Tulsa – RHP Roque Gutierrez (1-1, 7.45 ERA)
Midland - TBA