Drillers Best Missions
Published on July 7, 2008 under Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
July 7, 2008 - For the third time in four days the Tulsa Drillers won a game in dramatic fashion Monday night. Jeff Kindel provided a walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th inning that gave the Drillers a 5-4 victory over the San Antonio Missions. The win was the fourth in five games for the Drillers on their current homestand and kept them atop the North Division standings of the Texas League.
The game-winning rally began with a one-out walk to Dexter Fowler. After Matt Miller struck out, Tony Blanco singled, moving Fowler to second base. It was Blanco's fourth hit of the night, giving him his second straight four-hit game. The hit set the stage for Kindel, who had struck out with one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth. With a second chance, Kindel delivered a bloop single to left that allowed Fowler to race home with the winning run.
The Missions had jumped to an early lead in the game, needing just three pitches to get on the board with a solo home run by Gabe Lopez. The lead-off home run was the second baseman's first long ball of the season.
The lead was quickly erased by Blanco. The Drillers' third baseman hit a towering three-run home run over the left field net, his 6th homer in the last 11 games. Eric Young Jr. led off the inning with a routine fly ball to right field that fell for a double when Mike Baxter lost the ball in the sun. The hot-hitting Fowler followed the double with a base hit bunt. Both scored ahead of Blanco's 18th blast of the season which put him in sole possession of third in the Texas League in home runs. Blanco was also 9th in batting average and 2nd in slugging percentage, only behind current Texas Ranger Max Ramirez coming into Monday night's game.
The home run derby continued in the top of the third as Craig Cooper's home run cut the Drillers lead to 3-2.
The Missions got even in the fifth on an RBI single by Josh Alley. Drew Macias reached on an error to lead off the inning and was followed up with a single by Cooper. Macias scored on the base hit by Alley, who came on in the third inning to replace the injured Kyle Blanks. Blanks was hit on the hand by a fastball from Tulsa starter Alan Johnson.
Cooper helped the Missions take a 4-3 lead in the seventh inning with his second home run of the night. Fowler, the Drillers center fielder, did not even move as the towering drive easily cleared the net in center field.
Cooper and Blanco's rendition of Dueling Banjos continued in the bottom half of the seventh. With Miller aboard following single, Blanco hit a line-drive off the right field wall for a double. He missed a home run by five feet, but the double was enough to score Miller from first and tie the game 4-4.
Blanco was never retired in the game, finishing a perfect 4 for 4 with a double and a home run. He also had walked twice, scored once and had 4 runs batted in.
Cooper finished the night going 4 for 6 with two solo home runs.
Frustrations flared in the top of the tenth inning when Missions manager Bill Masse was ejected by home plate umpire Brian Sinclair. Masse, upset about a called third strike on Sean Kazmar, proceeded to bury home plate before leaving the field. New Tulsa catcher Rick Guarno had a solid first game with the Drillers. He was 2 for 5 with a pair of singles.
David Parrish, released by the Rockies after Saturday's 3-hit game with the Drillers, found himself in a familiar park but in an unfamiliar dugout. He was signed Monday by the San Diego Padres and started at catcher for the Missions. Parrish finished his homecoming 0 for 2 but had a pair of walks.
Blanco's big night extended his hitting streak to 10 straight games, while Fowler pushed his streak to 12 straight.
The Drillers will wrap up homestand and the series with the Missions Tuesday night at 7:05 PM. Tulsa will look to Brandon Hynick (5-6, 4.99 ERA) to complete the sweep of San Antonio against Stephen Paris (5-2, 3.45).
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