TL1 Tulsa Drillers

Drillers Lose Game and Series to RockHounds

Published on May 31, 2013 under Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release


The Tulsa Drillers entered Thursday night's game in Midland hoping to secure their second series win in a week against the RockHounds. For six innings, it appeared the pursuit would be successful as Tulsa carried a 4-2 lead into the seventh. But, the RockHounds struck for two runs in that seventh inning, then added another in the tenth to post a 5-4 win in the game and a two games to one victory in the series.

The one-run game was in stark contrast to the first two games of the series. Midland produced a 10-1 victory in game one, while the Drillers responded with 16-1 win in game two on Wednesday.

The two teams have now split their six meetings this season.

Both offenses struck early in the Thursday's finale. Midland jumped on top with a pair of runs in the first inning off Tulsa starter Tyler Matzek. D'Arby Myers doubled with one out, and Jake Goebbert drew a two-out walk. Dusty Coleman brought both runners home with a triple that gave the RockHounds a 2-0 lead.

Tulsa responded in the top of the second when Kyle Parker led off with a double, and Kent Matthes followed with his eighth home run to even the score.

The inning was not over as Dustin Garneau reached on an error and stole second base to move into scoring position. Joey Wong delivered a two-out single that scored Garneau and put the Drillers in front 3-2.

They added to their lead in the fifth when Rafael Ortega led off with a triple and scored when Cristhian Adames followed with a base hit.

Matzek settled in after the rough first inning, blanking the RockHounds over the next five innings before turning things over to Parker Frazier in the bottom of the seventh.

David Freitas, who hit four home runs in the three-game series at ONEOK Field last week, greeted Frazier with another homer that cut Tulsa's lead to one run.

Later in the inning, the RockHounds erased the lead as Darwin Perez doubled with one out and scored on a two-out single by Myers.

With scored tied at 4-4, Midland missed a great chance to win the game in the bottom of the ninth when it loaded the bases against Isaiah Froneberger with only one out, but Mike Marbry came on and got an inning-ending double play grounder from Coleman.

The RockHounds would finally end the deadlock with a run in the tenth off Marbry. Tyler Ladendorf opened the inning with a strikeout, but he reached first base safely when catcher Garneau could not handle what was ruled a wild pitch. Marbry retired Freitas on a fly out before getting a second out on a fielder's choice grounder from Chad Oberacker.

Perez reached on an infield hit to put runners at second and third, setting the stage for leadoff hitter Conner Crumbliss. Crumbliss lined a base hit down the right field line that scored Oberacker with the game-winning run.

The late rally from the Hounds cost Matzek his second win of the season. The lefthander allowed the two runs on five hits in his six innings of work. He walked three and struck out six.

Garneau enjoyed a big night at the plate for Tulsa going 3-4, while Ortega and Parker added two hits each.

The Drillers will move to the Dallas Metroplex to begin a three-game series against Frisco Friday night. Christian Bergman (3-3, 2.69 ERA) will pitch the opener for Tulsa while Texas Rangers right-hander Alexi Ogando will make an injury rehab start for the RoughRiders. The hard-throwing Ogando is 4-2 with a 3.08 ERA for the Rangers this season.

First pitch for the opener at Frisco's Dr Pepper Ballpark is slated for 7:05PM.

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Texas League Stories from May 31, 2013


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