Cardinals Send Drillers to Second Straight Loss
September 3, 2021 - Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
TULSA- St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Dakota Hudson made the start for Springfield Thursday night at ONEOK Field against the Tulsa Drillers, but it was Redbirds' reliever Domingo Robles who took the spotlight. Robles, who entered the game with a 6.63 ERA, allowed just one run in 6.1 relief innings after taking over for Hudson. The Cardinals backed Robles with five home runs, sending Tulsa to a 10-1 defeat.
The loss was the second straight for the Drillers and was costly, as it dropped them into fourth place in the league standings and three games out of the second of two playoff spots that are available this season.
The Cardinals led from the start, scoring a pair of early runs with the first coming in the top of the first inning when Matt Koperniak hit a drive that landed in the right-center field bullpen and just out of the reach of a leaping James Outman. It was the first-ever Double-A homer for Koperniak.
The Cards made it 2-0 in the second when Malcom Nunez doubled, stole third and scored on an infield grounder from Moises Castillo.
It remained a two-run game until the seventh inning when Nunez struck again, leading off with a blast over the centerfield fence for his fifth home run of the season. Later David Vinsky singled, stole second base and eventually scored on a throwing error by shortstop Jacob Amaya, upping the lead for the Cardinals to 4-0.
Springfield ended any hopes of a late comeback for the Drillers by scoring three times in both the eighth and innings. In the eighth, Leandro Cedeno hit a two-run homer, and Irving Lopez added a solo shot to put Tulsa in a seven-run hole.
Ivan Herrera put the Cardinals into double figures with a three-run homer in the ninth, upping the lead to 10-0.
Tulsa's only run came in the ninth when Justin Yurchak singled and scored on a base hit from Hunter Feduccia.
Hudson was effective in his rehab start as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. The right-hander, who won 16 games for St. Louis in 2019, gave up two hits and issued one walk in 2.2 shutout innings while striking out three. He threw 43 pitches, 25 for strikes.
The win for Robles improved his record to 3-9.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
*Tulsa starting pitcher Clayton Beeter was charged with his first loss since joining the Drillers. The former Texas Tech hurler allowed two runs on two hits with three strikeouts in 2.2 innings.
*Reliever Justin Hagenman pitched effectively out of the Tulsa bullpen. He did not allow a hit and struck out four in 2.1 scoreless innings.
*Devin Mann was hitless in four at-bats and was robbed by third baseman Nunez on the game's final play, ending his ten-game hitting streak.
*Yurchak was activated from the Injured List just prior to the game and finished 2-4.
UP NEXT
Springfield at Tulsa on Friday, September 3 at ONEOK Field at 7:05 p.m.
Springfield will start RHP Dalton Roach (6-9, 5.70 ERA) on the mound while Tulsa has yet to announce a starter.
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