Gates, Travs drop Drillers
July 20, 2005 - Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
Arkansas designated hitter David Gates broke a 1-1 tie with a 3-run home run in the sixth inning as the Travelers defeated the Tulsa Drillers 5-3 Wednesday night. Gates' tie-breaking clout sent the Drillers to their season-high sixth straight loss.
Tulsa took an initial 1-0 lead on Wednesday with an unearned run in the third inning. With two outs and Jayson Nix at first, Jud Thigpen reached on an error by third baseman Greg Porter. The Drillers took advantage of the extra out when Sean Barker doubled into left field, scoring Nix with the game's first run.
It remained 1-0 until the bottom of the fifth. With two outs, Erick Aybar singled off Enmanuel Ulloa. Howie Kendrick followed with a double that brought Aybar home with the tying run. Tulsa lost more than the lead on the play as catcher Alvin Colina suffered an apparent knee injury when Aybar slid into home. He was replaced behind the plate by Tino Sanchez, and there was no word on the severity of Colina's injury.
The Travs 3-run sixth inning began with a one-out single by Kendry Morales. After Porter struck out, Ulloa hit Jason Aspito with a pitch to put runners at first and second, setting the stage for Gates. The Arkansas designated hitter drove a Ulloa pitch deep to left field. The drive just cleared the left field fence to give the Travelers a 4-1 lead.
The Drillers cut into the lead in the eighth inning. Tony Miller and Thigpen began the inning with consecutive singles off Von Stertzbach. Stertzbach loaded the bases when he hit Barker with a pitch. Pedro Borbon Jr. relieved Stertzbach and Corey Slavik greeted him with a line drive that Porter grabbed and then stepped on the third base bag for a double play.
Former Drillers pitcher Alex Serrano came on in place of Borbon and surrendered a run-scoring double by Sanchez. Luis Guance followed with a single that scored Barker and trimmed the Travs lead to 4-3. The inning ended when Doug Bernier grounded into a force out.
Arkansas added a run in the bottom of the eighth off P.J. Bevis. With two outs, Porter singled and scored on a double by Aspito.
In the ninth, Jordan Czarniecki led off with a single, but Serrano got a groundball double play off the bat of Jayson Nix. Miller then grounded out to end the game.
With the loss, Ulloa's record falls to 4-3. The right-hander allowed 8 hits and 4 earned runs in 6 innings. Arkansas starter Daniel Davidson gained the win to improve his record to 9-4. Serrano gained his 7th save of the season.
Czarniecki enjoyed his best game since joining the Drillers with three singles in four at-bats. Guance was the only other Tulsa player with more than one hit, going 2-4.
The Drillers will look to break their losing streak Thursday night in Little Rock. Sandy Nin will pitch for Tulsa against Willie Collazo for Arkansas. Game time will be 7:05PM.
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Texas League Stories from July 20, 2005
- Travs win fourth straight, Davidson wins third straight - Arkansas Travelers
- Wranglers win, bring your red on Thursday! - Wichita Wranglers
- Gates, Travs drop Drillers - Tulsa Drillers
- Chances come and go, Hooks fall, 4-3 - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Kendrick's Four Hits Leads Travs To 10-7 Win - Arkansas Travelers
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