Chacin Brilliant in 5-3 Win
Published on June 16, 2009 under Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
To say Jhoulys Chacin pitched well in Tulsa's 5-3 victory over Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday night would be a massive understatement. Chacin set the tone for the Drillers as he retired the first 17 batters consecutively, striking out the first six. His ten strikeouts for the game gave him a Texas League leading 67 on the year to tie with teammate Esmil Rogers. Along with the strikeouts, Chacin allowed just two hits and two runs in 7 1/3 innings of work to collect his fifth win.
Chacin matched Rogers as the only Drillers' pitchers to endure into the eighth inning. Rogers has accomplished the feat twice.
The game was scoreless until the Drillers produced three runs in the top of the fourth. Jeff Kindel scored after he walked and Mike Paulk doubled to center. When Michael McKenry singled a liner to left, Paulk went to third and eventually scored on Ryan Harvey's double. Cole Garner extended the lead to 3-0 when he hit a sacrifice fly ball to center that sent McKenry home.
The Drillers made it 4-0 in the top of the fifth. Daniel Mayora reached on a walk before he stole second. Paulk's ground ball single to center allowed Mayora to cross the plate.
John Suomi's home run in the bottom of the sixth ended the shutout and decreased Tulsa's lead to 4-1.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Naturals produced two runs to come within a score of tying the Drillers. With Suomi on first and Cody Strait on second, Josh Johnson singled to bring Strait home. Kurt Mertins' single allowed Suomi to score and cut Tulsa's lead to 4-3.
After a double, Garner scored an insurance run in the top of the ninth on Anthony Jackson's single.
Drillers' closer Andrew Johnston boosted his league leading save total to 18. He delivered three strikeouts and gave up a hit in 1 1/3 innings.
Jackson went 3 of 5 with an RBI for the Drillers as the leadoff man.
Paulk and Harvey each ended the night with a pair of hits. Paulk had two RBI's while Harvey collected one.
Garner also performed well offensively as he went 1 of 2 with a sacrifice fly and reached base after being hit by a pitch.
The Drillers will wrap up their road series against the Naturals on Wednesday. Tulsa's left-hander Keith Weiser (4-5, 4.48 ERA) will take on Northwest Arkansas' Dan Cortes (4-5, 4.14 ERA). The Drillers will try to cut into the Springfield Cardinals' two-game lead in the North Division of the Texas League.
Texas League Stories from June 16, 2009
- Cards Stop Travs' Ninth Inning Rally, Win 4-3 - Arkansas Travelers
- Chacin Brilliant in 5-3 Win - Tulsa Drillers
- Cards Slide Past Travs...Up Two with Seven to Play - Springfield Cardinals
- Chacin Fans Ten in Drillers Victory - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Texas League Update - TL1
- Whataburger Field: Best on the Continent - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Six Travelers Named Texas League All-Stars - Arkansas Travelers
- Hooks Place Five on Texas League South All-Stars - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Missions Win Streak Ends at Six with 6-0 Shutout - San Antonio Missions
- Missions Add LHP Philip Barzilla; RHP Tim Stauffer Transferred to Triple-A - San Antonio Missions
- Six Drillers Named To All-Star Team - Tulsa Drillers
- Travs' Bell promoted to Triple-A Salt Lake - Arkansas Travelers
- Six Missions Named to Texas League All-Star Team - San Antonio Missions
- Three Naturals, Coach Carter named as All-Stars - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Cards with Nine All-Stars - Springfield Cardinals
- Texas League All-Star Rosters Announced - Frisco RoughRiders
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