Garner, Drillers bomb Missions
Published on July 13, 2009 under Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
The Tulsa Drillers' bats finally came to life Monday night as they beat the San Antonio Missions 14-1 at Drillers Stadium. Tulsa hitters were batting .238 during their current home stand, but they pounded a season high 29 hits in Monday's victory. The 14 runs were also a season best.
Cole Garner led the Drillers' offense with four hits, including a three-run home run, and four runs batted in. Rex Rundgren and Darin Holcomb picked up three RBIs each.
Anthony Jackson, Michael Paulk and Dayton Buller each collected three hits in the game. Two of Jackson's hits were triples, giving him three in the past two games.
The big offensive night overshadowed a strong outing from starting pitcher Brandon Durden (2-2). The lefthander threw seven solid innings, giving up only one run on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts. It was Durden's first start since returning from Single A Modesto.
The Drillers jumped to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as Jackson led of with his first triple and then scored on a ground out by Holcomb.
Tulsa added a run in the second inning after Garner led off with a single and moved to third on a single by Buller. An RBI groundout from Rundgren increased the lead to two runs.
The Missions scored their only run of the game in the third when Logan Forsythe's single plated Lance Zawadzki.
The Drillers used a huge third inning to pull away. Jeff Kindel reached on an error and then Michael Paulk doubled before Daniel Mayora hit a grounder that third baseman Logan Forsyth misplayed. The error allowed Kindel to jog home and put runners at first and second for Cole Garner.
After taking the first pitch for a called strike, Garner smashed a three-run home run over the left field netting and into the Walgreen's parking lot. Garner's eighth home run gave the Drillers a 6-1 lead.
In the fourth, Holcomb added a two-run home run to extend the Drillers lead to 8-1. The Tulsa third baseman has four home runs in his last five games and is batting .467 in that stretch. The home run also extended his hit streak to eight games.
Following Holcomb's home run, Kindel drew a walk and Paulk doubled before Garner added a run-scoring single. Buller followed with another base hit that scored Paulk and gave Tulsa a 10-1 lead.
The Drillers struck again in the sixth after a double by Mayora and a single by Buller, Rundgren plated Mayora on a grounded out.
They completed their scoring with a three-run eighth. Rundgren produced another run-scoring single, and Jackson tripled home the final two runs.
Cha Seung Baek (0-1), who is on a Major League Rehab assignment from the San Diego Padres, took the loss. He gave up six runs, two earned, in two and 2/3 innings of work. Baek left the game in the bottom of the third after getting hit in the hand on a grounder by Rex Rundgren.
The Drillers will conclude their series with the Missions Tuesday night at 7:05 PM at Drillers Stadium. Keith Weiser (5-8, 4.44 ERA) will take the mound for Tulsa against San Antonio's Cesar Carrillo (6-4, 4.77 ERA).
The Drillers will have Wednesday off before traveling to North Little Rock for a four-game series with the Arkansas Travelers. Tulsa will return home July 20th to host the Springfield Cardinals in a four-game series.
Texas League Stories from July 13, 2009
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- RoughRiders defeat Travs in slugfest - Frisco RoughRiders
- Garner, Drillers bomb Missions - Tulsa Drillers
- Big fourth inning dooms Teaford, Naturals - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Carter's walkoff sinks Cards - Springfield Cardinals
- Texas League Update - TL1
- They're Back! - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Southpaw Rowdy Hardy returning to Naturals - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Castro, Lo Shine in Futures Game - Corpus Christi Hooks
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