TL1 Tulsa Drillers

Drillers Shut out Travs 2-0

Published on July 31, 2011 under Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release


One night after being shutout by Arkansas, the Tulsa Drillers turned the tables on the Travelers Sunday evening at Dickey Stephens Ballpark. Josh Sullivan, Stephen Dodson and Daniel Turpen combined to blank the Travs, and Ben Paulsen broke a scoreless deadlock with a two-run double in the eighth inning to give the Drillers a 2-0 victory.

Sullivan was activated prior to the game to replace scheduled starter Christian Friedrich. The right-hander allowed five hits and a walk in five innings, but he was able to keep the Travelers off the scoreboard.

Arkansas' best chance to score came in the fourth when Gabe Jacobo and Roberto Lopez opened the inning with consecutive singles. Orlando Mercado followed with a sharp grounder that deflected off the foot of Sullivan. The pitcher was able to recover and throw home and retire Jacobo trying to score. Sullivan then retired the next two hitters to escape the jam.

Arkansas starter Orangel Arenas was also outstanding, limiting the Drillers to only four hits in seven shutout innings.

Tulsa finally broke the scoreless duel in the eighth inning with the help of an Arkansas miscue. Chris Scholl relieved Arenas and retired Mike Mitchell to open the eighth, but Erik Wetzel reached when third baseman Jacobo made a bad throw to first on his ground ball. After Tim Wheeler drew a walk, the Drillers executed a double steal that put runners at second and third. Hector Gomez struck out, but Paulsen provide the game's biggest hit with a two-out double to right. Both Wetzel and Wheeler scored on the play to give the Drillers a 2-0 lead.

Stephen Dodson, who had worked two perfect innings, pitched around a one-out single from Matt Cusick in the eighth before turning things over to Daniel Turpen in the ninth.

The Tulsa closer allowed a leadoff single to Lopez and a two-out walk to Darwin Perez, but he preserved the win and the shutout by retiring Chris Giovinazzo on a ground out to end the game. The save was Tupen's 9th in 12 opportunities this season.

Dodson collected the win to improve his record to 8-1. The eight victories ties him with Rob Scahill for the team lead.

The win keeps Tulsa one game behind first-place Northwest Arkansas in the North Division standings.

The Drillers are now 3-3 on their road trip that will conclude Monday night in Little Rock. Scahill (8-8, 4.28 ERA) will pitch the finale for Tulsa against Eddie McKiernan (4-10, 6.08 ERA) of Arkansas. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10PM.

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Texas League Stories from July 31, 2011


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