Drillers stage another rally
July 13, 2005 - Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
For the second straight game Wednesday night, the Tulsa Drillers spotted the Frisco RoughRiders a big early lead and then rallied for a come-from-behind victory. The rally began after the Riders scored three times in the first inning and single runs in both the second and third innings to take a 5-0 lead. But, with the help of a big 5-run fourth inning, the Drillers scored seven unanswered runs to post a 7-5 win.
The victory was the third straight for Tulsa while Frisco lost for the tenth straight time.
In search of his 10th win of the season, Drillers starting pitcher Jon Asahina got off to a rough start. Riders shortstop Joaquin Arias led off the game with a double and moved to third on a single by Ruddy Yan. After, Asahina walked Drew Meyer to load the bases, he retired Seth Taylor and Will Smith on strikes to get within one out of escaping the jam, but with an 0-2 count, Jason Hart doubled into the left field corner to clear the bases and give Frisco a 3-0 lead.
Cameron Coughlan increased the lead to 4-0 with his second home run of the year in the second. Doubles from Meyer and Smith in the third made it 5-0.
Frisco starter Thomas Diamond, who was the Texas Rangers first-round draft-pick in 2004 and is rated the organization's top minor league prospect, retired the first six Drillers hitters of the game before Tulsa broke through in the third. Luis Guance doubled and then scored the Drillers first run on a single by Jayson Nix.
Things fell apart for Diamond in the bottom of the fourth. The right-hander walked the first four hitters of the inning to force in a run and then surrendered a 2-run single to Jud Thigpen that pulled Tulsa to within 5-4. Another double by Guance tied the game and sent Thigpen to third and Diamond to the showers. Reliever Agustin Montero struck out Doug Bernier for the first out of the inning. Nix then hit a groundball to third that Taylor fielded and threw home to nail Thigpen attempting to put the Drillers in front. But with two outs, Tony Miller gave Tulsa a 6-5 lead with a base-hit that scored Guance.
Tulsa scored the game's final run in the sixth. Nix was hit by a pitch and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Matt Holliday.
After his tough start, Asahina settled down and worked six innings to gain his 10th win of the season. He joins Springfield's Randy Leek as the only 10-game winners in the Texas League this year.
Judd Songster worked two scoreless innings in relief, and P.J. Bevis worked a scoreless ninth to record his league-leading 18th save.
Tulsa won despite being out-hit by Frisco 12-5. Guance was the only Drillers' player with more than one hit.
The Drillers will conclude their current homestand Thursday night against the RoughRiders. Former Drillers' pitcher C.J. Wilson (0-4, 5.61 ERA) will start for Frisco against Ubaldo Jimenez (1-1, 4.91 ERA) for Tulsa. Game time will be 7:05PM.
Texas League Stories from July 13, 2005
- Travs continue struggles in San Antonio in 8-4 loss - Arkansas Travelers
- Homers doom Hooks - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Drillers stage another rally - Tulsa Drillers
- Estrada and Minges homer to back Leek's win - Springfield Cardinals
- Archbishop Jose Gomez to Become Honorary Mission - San Antonio Missions
- Hooks in first; Nolan Ryan Weekend - Corpus Christi Hooks
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