TL1 Tulsa Drillers

Drillers Fall In Home Opener

Published on April 16, 2009 under Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release


Less than a week ago, Tulsa's Samuel Deduno out pitched Polin Trinidad of Corpus Christi as the Drillers defeated the Hooks. Thursday night, in Tulsa's 2009 home opener at Drillers Stadium, the roles were reversed. Trinidad opened with five shutout frames and received plenty of offensive support from his teammates as the Hooks topped the Drillers 15-4.

The Hooks' offense totaled 14 hits and benefited from 8 walks issued by four different Tulsa pitchers.

Mike McKenry enjoyed a big night in his Drillers Stadium debut. The Tulsa catcher finished with three hits, including a two-run homer in the sixth innings. He fell only a triple short of hitting for the cycle.

The Hooks opened the game's scoring with a two-run third inning, then added four more runs in the fourth off Deduno.

They doubled their 6-0 lead with a six-run sixth inning against the Tulsa bullpen. Mark Ori provided a two-run double, and an errant pickoff throw from McKenry allowed the final two runs of the inning to score.

The Drillers broke Trinidad's shutout bid with four runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Chris Nelson reached on an error, and McKenry followed with his first home run of the year just inside the left field foul pole.

Following the homer, Jeff Kindel tripled and scored on a ground out by Ryan Harvey. Michael Paulk singled, Darin Holcomb completed the big inning with a run-scoring double.

Corpus Christi finished the game's scoring with two runs in the eighth and one more in the ninth. The final run came on a long home run off the bat of Collin DeLome, his Texas League-leading fourth of the season.

The Drillers will continue their opening six-game homestand Friday night with Opening Night II. Keith Weiser (0-1, 1.69 ERA) will pitch for Tulsa against Casey Hudspeth (1-0, 0.00 ERA) of Corpus Christi. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05PM.

NOTES: Ceremonial first pitches were thrown before the opener by Bill Rollings and Robert B. Sutton. Rollings was the original owner of the Drillers, while Sutton's $1 million donation made the construction of Drillers Stadium possible. . . .Pitcher Xavier Cedeno is expected to join the Drillers on Saturday. . . .As a team, the Drillers accomplished the rare feat of hitting for the cycle in one inning. In the sixth, McKenry homered, Kindel tripled, Paulk singled and Holcomb doubled during their four-run outburst. . . .A paid crowd of 9,518 watched the final Opening Night at Drillers Stadium.

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Texas League Stories from April 16, 2009


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