Errors cost Drillers
April 27, 2006 - Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
The Tulsa Drillers played the role of generous hosts to the Frisco RoughRiders Thursday night at Drillers Stadium. Tulsa committed five errors, including three in a 3-run seventh inning, helping the RoughRiders to a 4-2 win in the opening game of a 4-game series.
The Drillers carried a 2-1 lead into the top of the seventh inning before Frisco scored its three runs without the benefit of a hit. The fateful seventh began with Jason Burch walking the leadoff hitter Craig Ringe. An error by Ian Stewart on a groundball by Anthony Webster put runners at first and second. Kevin Mahar then laid down a sacrifice bunt and was safe when Burch's throw to first hit him in the back, allowing Ringe to score and Webster to move to third.
Judd Songster took over for Burch and struck out Aarom Baldiris but when catcher Chris Iannetta failed to hold on to the pitch, Baldiris broke for first. Iannetta's throw struck Baldiris, and Webster came home to put the RoughRiders in front 3-2. Another wild pitch by Songster allowed Mahar to race home with the fourth run.
Andrew Walker kept the Drillers off the scoreboard in the seventh and eighth innings, only permitting a one-out single to Stewart in the eighth, and Wes Littleton closed the game with a perfect ninth inning to gain his first save of the year.
Both teams struggled to produce offense in the game, combining for only 12 hits. Starting pitchers Enmanuel Ulloa and Armando Galarraga carried shutouts into the third inning.
The Riders broke the shutout with an unearned run in the top of the third when Ringe reached on an error by Stewart and eventually scored on a single by Nate Gold.
The Drillers tied the game in the bottom of the fourth as Joe Koshansky doubled and scored on Matt Macri's single.
The score remained 1-1 until the bottom of the sixth when doubles by Jordan Czarniecki and Christian Colonel put Tulsa in front 2-1.
Walker (1-0) recorded his first win of the year for the RoughRiders, surrendering only one run in four relief innings. Burch (1-1) took the loss despite not allowing a hit in one official inning of work.
The Drillers and RoughRiders will meet again on Friday night at Drillers Stadium. Steven Register (0-0, 2.66 ERA) will look for his first win of the year for Tulsa. Thomas Diamond (1-1, 6.00 ERA), the first-round pick of the Texas Rangers in 2004, will make the start for Frisco. Game time will be 7:05PM.
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