Deduno, Jackson Lead Drillers To First Win
April 10, 2009 - Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
What a difference a night makes. Only 24 hours after a sloppy loss in the season opener, the Tulsa Drillers turned in a much different performance Friday night at Corpus Christi's Whataburger Field. The Drillers took a four-run lead, then survived a scary ninth-inning to hang on for a 4-2 win over the Hooks.
Centerfielder Anthony Jackson provided the perfect start to the night when he hit the game's first pitch over the wall in left field to stake the Drillers to a quick 1-0 lead.
For most of the night, it appeared to be all the offense starting pitcher Samuel Deduno and the Drillers would require, but Jackson provided more help in the fifth inning. After Deduno singled with one out, Jackson homered again to up the lead to 3-0.
The two home runs in three at-bats were a surprising power performance from Jackson. Last season, the 5' 8" speedster had only one homer in 430 at-bats for Class A Modesto.
Tulsa increased the lead to 4-0 in the sixth as Jeff Kindel singled and scored on a base hit by Cole Garner.
It was a near perfect start to the season for Deduno. In 2007 in his first season with the Drillers, the right-hander seemed on the verge of a big league promotion after leading the Texas League in strikeouts, but Deduno missed all of last season after undergoing arm surgery.
The 25-year-old showed no ill effects from the surgery and layoff. He started with 4 2/3 hitless innings before allowing a two-out single to former Driller Brian Esposito in the fifth inning.
Deduno carried the one-hitter into the seventh inning when the Hooks produced consecutive hits to place runners at second and third with no outs. Shane Lindsay was summoned to relieve, and he was able to keep the Hooks scoreless.
Jhon Florentino was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a wild pitch that skipped past catcher Mike McKenry for the first out of the inning. Lindsay retired the next two hitters on a strikeout and a fly out to preserve the shutout.
After Lindsay worked a scoreless eighth inning, the Drillers turned to Andrew Johnston in the ninth. Tulsa's designated closer preserved the win, but it was not easy. The right-hander gave up two singles and then hit two straight batters to allow the Hooks to cut the Drillers lead to two runs. With the bases loaded and only one out, Johnston avoided disaster by strucking out Esposito and retiring Wladimir Sutil on a ground out to end the game.
The escape allowed Deduno to claim his first win since beating Springfield on August 5, 2007.
Tulsa out-hit Corpus Christi 10-5 in the game with Jackson and Daniel Carte accounting for half of the ten. Jackson provided the two homers, while Carte finished with three singles.
The Drillers and Hooks will play the final game of their three-game series Saturday night at 7:05PM. Keith Weiser will pitch the finale for Tulsa against Casey Hudspeth of Corpus Christi.
Texas League Stories from April 10, 2009
- RoughRiders shut out Springfield - Frisco RoughRiders
- Frisco Exacts Revenge; Cards and Andy's Team Up for New Treat! - Springfield Cardinals
- Jackson Powers Tulsa Past Hooks - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Naturals' bats alive vs. Missions Friday - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Deduno, Jackson Lead Drillers To First Win - Tulsa Drillers
- Drillers Home Opener Thursday! - Tulsa Drillers
- Cards Hammer Riders on Opening Night - Springfield Cardinals
- Seventh Separates Hooks from Tulsa - Corpus Christi Hooks
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