Frisco Outlasts Tulsa
August 15, 2007 - Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
Wednesday's opening game of a three-game series between the Tulsa Drillers and the Frisco RoughRiders proved to be a battle of attrition. After battling to a 4-4 tie through nine innings, each team plated a run in the 11th inning. Out of relievers, the Drillers sent designated hitter Duke Sardinha to the mound in the 12th. Emerson Frostad, the first hitter Sardinha faced, hit his 11th homer of the season into the net above the left-field wall, which allowed the Riders to escape with a 6-5 victory at Drillers Stadium.
Before going to the mound, Sardinha extended the game in the bottom of the 11th with a long, solo home run that erased a 5-4 Frisco lead. Steve Murphy's two-out, RBI-double in the top of the inning appeared to give the Riders the win, before Sardinha's heroics.
Sardinha gave the Drillers an initial 1-0 lead with a run-scoring single in the second inning. Murphy put the Riders in front 2-1 with a two-run homer in the top of the fourth.
After the Drillers tied the game with a run in the bottom of the fourth, both teams scored a pair of runs in the fifth. For Tulsa, Jordan Czarniecki provided a sacrifice fly and Matt Miller an RBI-single.
Tulsa missed an opportunity to gain ground on Arkansas and Springfield, who both lost Wednesday. The Drillers remain 1.5 games behind the first-place Cardinals and 0.5 game behind the Travelers. They still hold a 3.5 games lead over the Travs for a possible wildcard spot in the Texas League playoffs.
The Drillers bullpen was short-handed Wednesday night after the promotion of Juan Morillo and Judd Songster to AAA earlier in the day. Sean Thompson rejoined the club after clearing waivers and pitched one relief inning.
Jeff Dragicevich was removed from the disabled list and made his first appearance for the Drillers since June 14 and went 1-4 in the game.
Christian Colonel was 3-6 and extended his hitting streak to 14 games. Sardinha also added three hits.
The two teams will continue their three-game series Thursday when Tulsa's Jon Asahina (2-3, 4.97 ERA) will face off against Frisco's Luis Mendoza (13-2, 3.93 ERA). Game time is scheduled for 7:05PM.
NOTES: The Drillers presented a signed bat and ball by Mike Coolbaugh and his retired No. 29 jersey to the Coolbaugh family. . . . Wednesday's game was the longest for the Drillers this season at four hours and 14 minutes. . . .Frisco closer Jesse Ingram blew his first save of the season Wednesday night. He was 24 for 24 in save opportunities coming into the game.
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