TL1 Tulsa Drillers

Drillers Miss Opportunity with Loss

Published on August 25, 2010 under Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release


The Arkansas Travelers broke a tie game with two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and sent the Tulsa Drillers to a costly 5-4 defeat Wednesday night in North Little Rock. With the loss, the Drillers missed an opportunity to gain ground on first-place Northwest Arkansas in the North Division standings. The Springfield Cardinals had completed a victory over the Naturals earlier in the evening and broke a second-place tie with Tulsa to move to within two games of first place. The Drillers' loss kept them three games out of the top spot.

The Travelers winning rally came against reliever Chris Malone and began when Efren Navarro led off with a base hit to center. After Charlton Jimerson struck out, Jeremy Moore stroked another base hit. When right fielder Bronson Sardinha bobbled the ball, the runners advanced to second and third. Roberto Lopez then broke the tie with a grounded single into left field that scored both runners to give the Travs a 5-3 lead.

The Drillers did not go quietly as they attempted to stage a rally of their own in the top of the ninth. As he had been all night, first baseman Navarro was again a central figure in the action. It was his error that allowed Anthony Jackson to reach base to start the inning. Charlie Blackmon followed with a base hit that extended his hitting streak to 11 straight games and moved Jackson to third. The attempted rally came to an abrupt halt when Arkansas reliever Ismael Carmona enticed Sardinha to hit into 4-6-3 double play. Jackson scored on the play to cut the deficit to 5-4, but the Drillers were down to their final out, and Carmona ended the game when he retired Jason Van Kooten on a fly ball to centerfield.

The defeat leaves Tulsa with 12 games remaining in the regular season to erase its three-game deficit to Northwest Arkansas.

Wednesday's loss had begun positively for the Drillers as they jumped to a 1-0 lead for the second straight night with a run in the top of the first inning. Jackson led off the game with a double and eventually scored on a two-out balk from Arkansas starting pitcher Ryan Brasier.

The lead disappeared on Navarro's first big hit of the night in the bottom of the first. With one out, Ryan Mount singled and Navarro followed with his sixth home run of the season to give the Travs a 2-1 advantage.

Scott Beerer quickly tied the score when he led off the top of the second with his fourth home run.

Following the homer, Lars Davis singled, moved to second on a hit by Matt Repec and scored on a throwing error by second baseman Abel Nieves to put Tulsa back in front.

But, Nieves atoned for his error in the bottom half of the second with his third homer of the year to tie the game at 3-3.

Starting pitcher Cory Riordan pitched effectively for the Drillers. Riordan allowed six hits and three runs in seven innings. He walked three batters while striking out four.

Travs' reliever Jeremy Haynes collected the win with three scoreless innings of work. The victory improved his record to a perfect 3-0.

The two teams will play game three of their four-game series Thursday night. Keith Weiser (8-8, 4.35 ERA) will take the mound for the Drillers, while the Travelers will counter with Trevor Reckling (2-4, 3.88 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:10PM at North Little Rock's Dickey-Stephens Park.

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Texas League Stories from August 25, 2010


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