Drillers Win See Saw Wednesday Affair
Published on May 2, 2012 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
North Little Rock, Arkansas - The Tulsa Drillers scored two runs to break an eighth inning tie on Wednesday, then their bullpen held off the Arkansas Travelers during an 8-7 loss at Dickey-Stephens Park. Jose Gonzalez and Josh Rutledge each collected an RBI double off Matt Oye (1-2) in the eighth inning then Will Harris earned the save (1). The Drillers out hit the Travs 14-9 on Wednesday with six Tulsa batters getting two base hits. Third baseman Renny Osuna led the Travs with three singles.
The loss knocks the Travs to eight games out of first place at 11-15, while Tulsa improves to 19-7.
The Drillers looked poised to run away with the game early and led from the day's first at bat when Rutledge (4) took Greg Smith over the left field fence. Joe Gardner baffled the Travs over the first three innings recording six strikeouts with just one hit allowed.
Things appeared to unravel in the fourth inning after Drillers outfielder Kent Matthes reached with a one-out single. After the second out Smith froze Matthes with a pickoff, but was called for a balk by first base umpire Justin Sassamann who explained his call to Travs manager Mike Micucci. Then Mike Zuanich hit a deep fly ball to left field that carried over Adam Heether's head for an RBI double.
In the Arkansas dugout pitching coach Trevor Wilson was then ejected from the game by Sassamann. Tulsa catcher Jose Gonzalez then responded by driving in Zuanich with a single to left. Gonzalez moved up on a wild pitch and came home when Angelys Nina doubled over Heether's head in left field.
Trailing 4-0 the Travs got to Gardner the second time through the order. Osuna slapped a leadoff single, then Matt Long punched an RBI double to bring him home. Casey Haerther singled to move Long to third and extend his hitting streak to 14 games. Then Long came home around the tag on a fielder's choice hit by Roberto Lopez. Adam Heether hit a hard line drive that was caught by a leaping Angelys Nina at second base. Still the Travs loaded the bases when Darwin Perez walked, then Gardner hit Alberto Rosario forcing in Haerther and Gardner's exit from the game. Cory Riordan relieved and allowed a game-tying sacrifice fly from Rian Kiniry. Jean Segura completed the rally with a run-scoring single through the left side giving the Travs a 5-4 lead.
Smith left two runners in the fifth, and a home run from Lopez in the bottom of the fifth inning put the Travs on top 6-4. But Zuanich led off the sixth with a home run (2) to left field. The Smith walked Nina and allowed a pair of two-out singles to Mike Mitchell and Nolan Arenado tying the game. Mitchell, attempting to score all the way from first base, was thrown out at the plate when Arenado hit a hard single to center field.
Dakota Robinson took over for a scoreless inning then gave it over to Oye in the eighth. He got into trouble quickly with a leadoff walk to Zuanich. Then Gonzalez smacked his second hit of the day to the warning track in center field bringing the go-ahead run across. Rutledge made it 8-6 with his one-out double forcing Oye from the game. Mike Piazza cleaned it up with a dominating 1.2 inning performance including four strikeouts.
The Travs had their chances over the last three innings, but never could get the big hit. Osuna bunted his way on base in the seventh inning then stole his way to third. Coty Woods struck out Long and got Haerther to bounce out to end the threat.
Adam Heether found a way to get around the bases in the eighth inning. After being hit by a pitch from Drillers reliever Josh Sullivan, Heether made it to second on a Darwin Perez single. Then when Sullivan got Rosario to bounce to short, Heether moved up on the fielder's choice and scored on a wild pitch. The wild pitch also moved Rosario to second base as the tying run. The Little Rock born Sullivan though, got Rian Kiniry to fly out to end the inning with Tulsa leading 8-7.
Osuna got the tying run on base in the ninth inning with his third base hit, a single off Harris who then walked Long putting the winning runs on base with Haerther back at the plate. He got jammed and hit a high bouncer to Rutledge at short to start the game-ending double play.
Time of game was 3:07 and the paid attendance was 6,109
On Thursday night the series resumes at 7:10 at Dickey-Stephens Park. The pitching matchup shows right hander A.J. Schugel (0-3, 4.10) for the Travelers against Drillers lefty Edwar Cabrera (3-1, 1.64).
Texas League Stories from May 2, 2012
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