Drillers hold off Nats
Published on June 16, 2008 under Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
June 16, 2008 - The Tulsa Drillers broke a scoreless tie with a four-run fifth inning and defeated the Northwest Arkansas Naturals 6-3 Monday night. The win for the Drillers was their first ever at Springdale's Arvest Ballpark after losing their first four games this season at the stadium.
The victory was the sixth in the past nine games for the Drillers.
The game, the next to last of the first half, began 46 minutes late because of rain in the Northwest Arkansas area.
Tulsa's big fifth inning began with one out when Jeff Dragicevich was hit by a pitch. The Drillers then produced four straight hits, as singles by Brian Esposito and Eric Young Jr. loaded the bases for Dexter Fowler. The Drillers' centerfielder delivered a two-run double that opened the game's scoring. Matt Miller followed with a two-run single, his first of three hits in the game, to give Tulsa a 4-0 lead.
Xavier Cedeno threw six shutout innings before an error by third baseman Tony Blanco in the seventh gave the Naturals a run. The damage could have been worse. With two outs and runners at second and third, second baseman Young made a leaping grab of a hard liner off the bat of Marc Maddox to end the inning.
Sloppy play from the Naturals helped the Drillers score a pair of runs in the top of the eighth as Daniel Carte reached on an error. He stole second base and scored on a base hit by Dragicevich. Later in the inning, Eduardo Cornejo, who had walked, scored on a wild pitch by Greg Atencio.
A two-run double by Geraldo Valentin in the bottom of the eighth completed the scoring.
Cedeno worked a season high 7 2/3 innings to collect his second straight win that improved his record to 5-6.
Ryan Mattheus recorded a 1-2-3 ninth to pick up his 10th save.
The Drillers and Naturals will play the final game of the first half Tuesday night in Springdale. Chaz Roe (0-0, 4.50 ERA) will pitch for Tulsa against Paul Mildren (2-4, 6.84 ERA) of Northwest Arkansas. First pitch will be at 7:00PM.
The final two games of the four-game series between the two teams will be the first two games of the second half.
Texas League Stories from June 16, 2008
- Cards live to fight another day - Springfield Cardinals
- Too Little, Too Late; Travs Can't Come Back Against Cards - Arkansas Travelers
- Missions nip Hooks - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Too little too late, Nats falter against Tulsa - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Drillers hold off Nats - Tulsa Drillers
- Series Preview: Tulsa Series Bridges Halves - Tulsa Drillers
- Naturals Back in Town All Week Long - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Drillers Home Against Cards June 20-23 - Tulsa Drillers
- RockHounds Make Roster Moves For Second Half - Midland RockHounds
- Travs Host Cards With Pennant Hopes - Arkansas Travelers
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