Koshansky powers Drillers past Travs
April 19, 2006 - Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
Little Rock's Ray Winder Field is in its final season as the home of the Arkansas Travelers. You can likely count Drillers first baseman Joe Koshansky as one of those that will hate to see the end of the stadium. On Sunday, Koshansky belted a mammoth home run high over the screen in deep center field. Wednesday night, he topped that feat with a perfect 4-4 game that included two doubles, two homers and five runs batted in as the Drillers defeated the Travelers 8-4 for their fourth straight win.
Koshansky's big night began in the top of the first inning. Troy Tulowitzki, playing in his first game since getting hit by a pitch on Sunday, led off with his seventh double of the season. Seth Smith reached on an error, and Ian Stewart flied out. After Jud Thigpen was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Koshansky gave the Drillers a 2-0 lead with a double that scored Tulowitzki and Smith.
Tulsa increased its lead to 5-0 with a 3-run third. Koshansky started the outburst with a one-out double. An error by shortstop Brandon Wood allowed Christian Colonel to reach and Koshansky to advance to third. Following a sacrifice fly by Matt Macri, Colonel stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by catcher Bobby Wilson. Colonel then scored on a double by Chris Iannetta who then scored on another doubley by Doug Bernier.
The Travelers cut the lead to 5-2 in the fourth inning on consecutive solo home runs by Wood and Matt Brown.
Koshansky restored the Drillers 5-run cushion with a two-out, 2-run homer in the top of the sixth, but Wood added his second homer of the night in the bottom of the sixth to cut the Drillers lead to 7-3.
Another solo home run for the Travs, this time by Dwaine Bacon in the seventh, made it 7-4.
Koshansky's second homer and fourth hit of the game in the ninth put Tulsa in front 8-4.
Arkansas made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth. Doubles by Wilson, Casey Smith and Bacon cut the lead to 8-6. Aaron Peel drew a walk from Judd Songster to bring Wood, who hit 43 homers in Class A last season, back to the plate representing the winning run. Songster retired Wood on strikes to end the threat and the game.
Koshansky's big night increased his season average to .321, and he joined Jordan Czarniecki as the only Drillers players to enjoy a two-homer game this year. Iannetta, with two hits, was the only other Tulsa player with more than one hit in the game.
Starter Marc Kaiser (1-1) gained his first-ever Double A win, allowing seven hits and three runs in six innings of work. Josh Newman surrendered two runs in 2 2/3 innings in relief of Kaiser.
The win keeps the Drillers in first-place in the North Division, one game in front of Springfield.
Tulsa will conclude its series against the Travelers Thursday night in Little Rock. Ubaldo Jimenez (0-1, 11.57 ERA) will make his second start of the season against Chris Hunter (1-0, 6.35 ERA) of Arkansas. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10PM.
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Texas League Stories from April 19, 2006
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