TL1 Tulsa Drillers

Francis Helps Drillers Stop Travs

Published on July 21, 2008 under Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release


July 21, 2008 - Making his first start in the Texas League in four years, Jeff Francis picked up Monday night where he left off in 2004. The rehabbing Colorado Rockies' lefthander worked 3 2/3 scoreless innings and the Tulsa Drillers offense produced another big game in a 12-3 win over the Arkansas Travelers in North Little Rock. The victory gave Tulsa a split of its four-game series with Arkansas.

Francis, recovering from inflammation in his pitching shoulder, threw 51 total pitches, with 39 strikes. He faced the minimum 11 hitters in his 3 2/3 innings. The only blemish was a one-out single by Brian Walker in the third, but he was erased on a double play. Francis recorded two strikeouts. He is expected to make his second rehab start for Tulsa Saturday night at Drillers Stadium.

Two nights after producing 14 runs on a season-high 21 hits, the Tulsa offense was again productive against the Travelers. The Drillers broke a scoreless tie with a three-run second inning. Three straight singles by Tony Blanco, Jeff Kindel and Daniel Carte scored the first run. An RBI groundout by Justin Nelson and a run-scoring triple by Brian Esposito completed the inning.

RBI singles by Carte and Corey Wimberly made it 5-0 in the third, and Blanco increased the margin to 6-0 with a run-scoring double in the fourth.

After the Travs got a run off Ching-Lung Lo in the fifth, Dexter Fowler, Matt Miller and Jeff Kindel had run-producing hits in the sixth that made it 9-1.

Chris Pettit homered for Arkansas in the seventh, but Tulsa answered with a two-run eighth inning thanks to consecutive RBI singles by Miller and Blanco.

Doubles by Wilberto Ortiz and Coby Smith gave the Travs their third run of the game in the bottom of the eighth, but the Drillers again responded with an RBI hit by Eric Young Jr. in the ninth.

Every Drillers' player in the lineup collected at least one run batted in, with Miller, Blanco and Carte knocking in two runs each.

Miller and Blanco led a 15-hit Tulsa attack with three hits each.

Francis did not work the necessary five innings to register the win, so the victory was awarded to Lo. After Jarrett Grube got the final out in the fourth inning, Lo worked the final five frames. He allowed six hits and three runs while improving his record to 8-7.

The game was the final meeting of the regular season between the Drillers and Travelers at Dickey Stephens Park.

The Drillers will now travel to Northwest Arkansas to begin a three-game series against the Naturals Tuesday night. Chaz Roe (3-1, 3.86 ERA) will pitch the opener against Blake Johnson (8-6, 4.19 ERA) of the Naturals. First pitch at Arvest Park is scheduled for 7:00PM.

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Texas League Stories from July 21, 2008


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