Drillers Close Season with Loss in Springfield
September 7, 2015 - Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
The Tulsa Drillers closed out the 2015 regular season Monday afternoon with a 6-3 loss to the Springfield Cardinals at Hammons Field. The defeat closed a strong run of play from the Drillers during the final week of the season in which they won five of their final seven games. Tulsa finished its first season as a Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate with a 62-77 overall record.
With the Cardinals needing to win to keep their playoff hopes alive, Monday's finale was decided in the very first inning. Tulsa jumped to a lead in the top of the first when Brandon Trinkwon walked and scored on a base hit by Lars Anderson.
The Cardinals erased the lead in the bottom half of the first with five unearned runs. With two outs and Charlie Tilson at third, Nick Martini appeared to hit an inning-ending grounder, but third baseman Daniel Mayora misplayed the ball for an error, allowing Tilson to score the tying run.
The miscue was followed by a walk and three straight hits from the Cardinals. When the inning finally concluded, the Redbirds had a 5-1 lead they would not relinquish.
Each team added a run in the sixth inning before the Drillers threatened in the ninth. With lightening and thunder moving near Hammons Field, Tulsa made things interesting when Mayora singled with two outs and scored when Jeremy Rathjen followed with double off the glove of right fielder David Washington. The Cardinals survived when closer Ronnie Shaban struck out pinch-hitter Webster Rivas to end the game.
Despite the victory, the Cardinals season officially ended a few minutes later when the Arkansas Travelers held on to beat Northwest Arkansas 3-2. The result gave the Travelers the second-half North Division title and playoff meeting with the Naturals.
The Drillers will next be in action when they open the 2016 season on Thursday, April 7 with a road game in Corpus Christi against the Hooks.
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Texas League Stories from September 7, 2015
- Marte Goes Deep But Riders Drop Season Finale - Frisco RoughRiders
- Hooks End Regular Year with MiLB-Best 89 Wins - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Another Big Inning Lifts Hooks Past Missions in Season Finale - San Antonio Missions
- Arkansas Travelers Second Half Champs - Arkansas Travelers
- Cardinals Win Regular Season Finale, 6-3, on Monday - Springfield Cardinals
- Late Rally Falls Short in 3-2 Loss at Arkansas - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- RockHounds Sweep Weekly Texas League Honors - Midland RockHounds
- Drillers Close Season with Loss in Springfield - Tulsa Drillers
- 'Hounds Are Historically Good ... Renato Is Just Grand - Midland RockHounds
- Tulsa Offense Explodes in 10-4 Win - Tulsa Drillers
- Drillers Top Cards Before 8,385 Fans at Hammons Field - Springfield Cardinals
- Hooks Rout Missions for Win No. 88 - Corpus Christi Hooks
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