Drillers Rally Falls Short
Published on May 25, 2008 under Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
A long day at the ballpark came to a frustrating end for the Tulsa Drillers Sunday afternoon. Trailing 9-7 entering the bottom of the ninth, the Drillers rallied to cut the lead to a single run, but the rally came up short when Tulsa failed to score despite having runners at second and third with no outs as Midland held on for a 9-8 win in a game that took 3 hours and 35 minutes to complete.
The two teams have now split the first two games of their three-game series at Drillers Stadium.
Tulsa's ninth-inning rally attempt began with Midland closer Andrew Carignan walked both Neil Wilson and Dexter Fowler. Corey Wimberly put down a sacrifice bunt that Carignan threw wildly into left field. The miscue allowed Wilson to score and left Fowler at third and Wimberly at second.
Matt Miller followed and worked a full count against Carignan before being called out on strikes. The Tulsa designated hitter was then ejected from the game by home plate umpire Brian Sinclair for arguing the call.
The RockHounds intentionally walked Tony Blanco to load the bases. Carignan made the strategy work as he struck out Daniel Carte and Justin Nelson to end the game.
The game featured a combined 17 runs and 24 hits against 9 different pitchers. The scoring would have been higher if not for 7 double plays. The 3 hour and 35 minute game was the longest nine-inning game of the season for the Drillers.
The offense began early as former Driller Joe Gaetti belted his third home run of the year in the top of the first inning to give Midland a 2-0 lead.
The Drillers missed an opportunity to answer right back in the bottom of the first after Chris Nelson doubled and reached third on a throwing error. Miller followed with a walk to bring up Texas League Hitter of the Week Tony Blanco with only one out. Blanco lined a ball hard to the right side that looked as if it would fall for extra bases but Hounds first baseman Brian Snyder flagged it down and doubled Miller off first.
Neil Wilson did cut Midland's lead in half in the bottom of the third with a home run to left field. His third blast of the year made the score 2-1 in favor of the RockHounds.
Snyder doubled the Hounds run total with two RBIs in the top of the fourth. His two-out double expanded the lead to 4-1.
The Drillers bats came alive in the fourth inning as Tulsa took the lead for the first time. With Miller and Daniel Carte aboard following a walk and a single, Justin Nelson hammered a ball off the top of the center field wall. Nelson missed a home run by three feet but the ball fell for a two-run double.
Jeff Dragicevich followed Nelson's double with a home run to left to give the Drillers the lead at 5-4.
The RockHounds retook the lead in the sixth inning on a three-run homer by Snyder. The blast gave the first baseman five runs batted in for the game.
In the bottom of the sixth with Tulsa trailing 7-5, the Drillers plated two runs to tie the game. Carte lead off the inning with a double and scored on a sacrifice fly by Dragicevich. Nelson, who reached on a single, scored to tie the game on a clutch, two-out RBI single by Dexter Fowler.
Midland right fielder Jon Zeringue put the RockHounds back on top with an RBI single in the seventh inning. Fowler made a diving attempt on the play and appeared to be injured, but after treatment from trainer Austin O'Shea, he remained in the game.
The RockHounds added a big insurance run in the eighth inning with three straight singles off Tulsa reliever Casey Weathers.
The Drillers and RockHounds will wrap up their series on Monday at Drillers Stadium. The 1:05 p.m. Memorial Day game will match Tulsa starter Tomas Santiago (2-3) against Ryan Webb (2-3) for the RockHounds.
Texas League Stories from May 25, 2008
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- Naturals Tame RoughRiders Sunday - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Naturals snap five game win streak - Frisco RoughRiders
- Drillers Rally Falls Short - Tulsa Drillers
- Texas League Reaches 100,000,000 Fans - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Military Appreciation Day at Drillers Stadium - Tulsa Drillers
- Missions Rally In Third To Beat Travs - Arkansas Travelers
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