Naturals Strike Early to Beat Drillers
Published on May 14, 2012 under Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
The four-game series between Tulsa and Northwest Arkansas that began Monday afternoon at ONEOK Field is a showdown between the first and second-place teams in the Texas League's North Division, and it was the second-place Naturals that made an early statement in the opener. The Naturals hit a pair of home runs in the top of the first inning and never trailed, despite a late comeback attempt from the Drillers, and posted an 8-6 victory. The result trimmed Tulsa's first-place lead to four games.
Right fielder Kent Matthes leaps high in an attempt to snare Wil Myer's first-inning home run.
The early homers from the Naturals were back-to-back blows that came after Tulsa starting pitcher retired the game's first two batters. Wil Myers, one of the top prospects in the Kansas City Royals system, provided the first one. It was an opposite field drive that just cleared the glove of right fielder Kent Matthes, who flipped over the fence in pursuit. Johnny Whittleman followed with a blast that caromed off the hitter's background in centerfield to make it 2-0.
The Drillers used a home run of their own to cut into the lead in the second inning as Matthes hit his 6th homer deep into the terrace section in left field to pull Tulsa to within 2-1.
Northwest Arkansas scored single runs in both the third and fourth innings to go in front 4-1. The run in the third came on a scary play. After Yem Prades led off with a double, Carlo Testa followed with a bunt up the first base line. Gardner fielded the bunt, but his throw carried Ben Paulsen into the first base line, where he collided with Testa, allowing Prades to score. Paulsen and Testa appeared to make head-to-head contact and both went down. After receiving treatment for several minutes from trainer Austin O'Shea, Paulsen was escorted off the field. Testa stayed on the base paths before being removed when the Naturals took the field for the bottom of the third.
It was later revealed that Paulsen was suffering from an apparent concussion and would receive further evaluation.
The Naturals added another run in the fifth as three straight two-out hits made it 5-1 and ended Gardner's day.
Myers struck again in the sixth with a towering home run that landed at the top of the left field berm. His second homer of the day was his 13th this season and tied him for the Texas League lead.
The Drillers were held to only one hit through the game's first five innings by Northwest Arkansas starter Elisaul Pimentel, but they plated two runs in the bottom of the sixth against former Drillers pitcher Ethan Hollingsworth. The damage came via a two-run double from Nolan Arenado that cut the deficit to 7-3.
The Naturals got one of the runs back in the eighth against former St. Louis Cardinals reliever Tyler Johnson, but the Drillers made things interesting with three runs in the bottom of the inning. A sacrifice fly by Arenado was followed by a two-run homer from Kiel Roling that cut the led to 7-5.
Any hopes of a Tulsa comeback were ended when Northwest Arkansas plated two more runs in the ninth off Johnson, who was making his Drillers debut and pitching in an official game for the first time since the 2009 season.
Tulsa pitchers surrendered a season high 16 hits in the game. Every Naturals starter except Testa, who had only one official plate appearance, had at least one hit in the game.
Gardner allowed 10 hits and 5 runs in 4.2 innings to suffer the loss that dropped his record to 1-2.
Pimentel, who was making his first start of the season, claimed the win that evened his record to 1-1.
Offensively, Arenado collected three runs batted in to match his season high that he had set in the first game of the season.
Game two of the four-game set between the Drillers and Naturals is scheduled for 7:05PM Tuesday night. Edwar Cabrera (4-2, 3.09 ERA) will pitch for Tulsa against Chris Dwyer (2-4, 5.91 ERA) of Northwest Arkansas.
Texas League Stories from May 14, 2012
- Missions Game Suspended, Will Be Completed Tomorrow - San Antonio Missions
- Cardinals Hold on to 3-2 Win in 11 Innings - Ozarks Springbirds
- Hounds Find Way Home - Frisco RoughRiders
- Myers Powers Naturals to Win - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Naturals Strike Early to Beat Drillers - Tulsa Drillers
- Game Notes, May 14 at San Antonio - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Ethan Hollingsworth Joins Naturals - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Naturals Ticket Fundraisers on Record Pace - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Chris Dwyer Named Texas League Pitcher of the Week - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Cody Decker Named Texas League Player of the Week - San Antonio Missions
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