Five-run eighth inning breaks losing streak
June 28, 2005 - Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
The Tulsa Drillers broke a 1-1 tie with a 5-run 8th inning to defeat the Frisco RoughRiders 6-1 Tuesday night at Dr Pepper/7 UP Ballpark. The win was the first of the second half for the Drillers and snapped a season-high 4-game losing streak.
Tuesday's starting pitchers, Enmanuel Ulloa for Tulsa and Nick Masset for Frisco, both carried shutouts into the sixth inning. Drillers first baseman Tino Sanchez broke the scoreless tie with his first home run of the season leading off the sixth.
Frisco tied the game in the bottom of the seventh with an unearned run off Gerrit Simpson. Juan Senreiso, the first hitter Simpson faced, singled to left field to begin the seventh and then advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Dustin Smith. After Joaquin Arias flied out, Simpson looked to be out of the inning when Drew Meyer hit a grounder to short, but Luis Guance threw low to first for an error that scored Senreiso to tie the game at 1-1.
The Drillers pivotal eighth inning began with consecutive singles by Jayson Nix and Sanchez. Guance then atoned for his error the previous inning with a single that brought Nix home with the go-ahead run. With runners at first and second, Tony Miller took a called strike three while attempting to bunt. The failed bunt attempt did not hurt the Drillers as Frisco catcher Smith allowed a passed ball that moved both runners into scoring position. After Masset intentionally walked Jeff Salazar to load the bases, Wes Littleton came on to face Jud Thigpen who singled up the middle to score both Sanchez and Guance.
A single by Colina upped the lead to 5-1, and after Littleton picked off Thigpen, Corey Slavik tripled home Colina to make it 6-1.
Yusuke Arakawa, who got the final out in the seventh inning, pitched two scoreless innings to closeout the victory and end the Drillers losing streak. The victory improves Arakawa's record to 3-3.
Masset, despite setting a season-high with ten strikeouts, took the loss to fall to 3-8.
Ulloa allowed four hits and three walks in six shutout innings for the Drillers. The outing lowered his season ERA to 2.27.
Miller, Nix and Sanchez led a 10-hit Drillers attack with two hits each.
Tulsa and Frisco will conclude their 3-game series Wednesday night. Sandy Nin (1-4, 4.09 ERA) will make the start for the Drillers against John Danks (2-1, 3.16 ERA).
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