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TL1 Tulsa Drillers

Mayberry Slugs Drillers

August 16, 2007 - Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release


Frisco RoughRiders outfielder John Mayberry Jr. is considered the top hitting prospect in the Texas Rangers system. Thursday night, Mayberry showed the Tulsa Drillers why the Rangers have such high hopes for him. The son of former big league slugger John Mayberry Sr. had a homer and four runs batted in to lead Frisco to a 7-3 come-from-behind victory over Tulsa at Drillers Stadium.

The loss was the second in a row for the Drillers and dropped them two games behind first-place Springfield and 1 ½ games behind second-place Arkansas in the North Division standings of the Texas League. The Cardinals were rained out by Tropical Storm Erin in San Antonio on Thursday while the Travs defeated Corpus Christi.

Thursday's game began promisingly for Tulsa. They took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third without the benefit of a hit. Duke Sardina walked and then moved to second when Rick Guarno was hit by a pitch from Frisco starter Luis Mendoza. Sardinha then stole third base where he scored on a two-out wild pitch from Mendoza.

The Drillers increased their lead to 3-0 on back-to-back home runs by Aaron Rifkin and Jordan Czarniecki to begin the fourth inning.

Tulsa starting pitcher Jon Asahina worked five scoreless innings, facing the minimum 15 batters, before running into trouble in the sixth. Emerson Frostad led off with a double, and Brandon Boggs drew a one-out walk to put runners at first and second. Casey Benjamin ended the shutout with a run-scoring single to right. After Adam Fox grounded out, German Duran brought Boggs home with the Riders second run on a base hit to center.

Matt Daley replaced Asahina to begin the seventh and surrendered a leadoff double to Steve Murphy. The right-handed hitting Mayberry then erased the Tulsa lead with a shot into the left field net. It was the slugger's 14th home run of the season and put the Riders in front 4-3.

Daley then retired the next two hitters before one of the season's strangest plays. The first pitch Daley threw to Boggs missed high and inside. After Boggs took several steps toward the mound, home plate umpire Barry Larson ejected Daley but not Boggs as both benches emptied. After players returned to the dugout, Boggs was taken out of the lineup by Frisco manager Dave Anderson. Judd Songster, who returned from Triple A Colorado Springs earlier in the day, replaced the ejected Daley for the Drillers.

Mayberry struck again in the eighth inning with a two-run single to left field to give the Riders a three run lead.

Mendoza (14-2) worked the first six innings to gain his Texas League-leading 14th win. Bill White pitched the final two innings, collecting four strikeouts, to get his first save of the season.

Christian Colonel singled with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning to extend his hitting streak to 15 games.

Corey Wimberly returned to the Tulsa lineup for the first time since suffering a hip pointer during the game on August 4. He finished 1-5.

Tulsa and Frisco will conclude their three-game series Friday night at Drillers Stadium. Samuel Deduno (5-6, 5.47 ERA) will take the mound for the Drillers against Michael Schlact (2-0, 1.54 ERA) of the RoughRiders. First pitch will be at 7:05PM.

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