Naturals Top Drillers 5-4
Published on August 3, 2011 under Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
In a matchup of first-place teams at ONEOK Field Wednesday night, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals defeated the Tulsa Drillers to take over sole possession of the top spot in the North Division standings. The Naturals erased a one-run Tulsa lead with a four-run fourth inning and then held off a late Drillers rally to post a 5-4 victory.
The defeat dropped the Drillers one game behind the Naturals. The two teams will play the deciding game of their three-game series Thursday night at ONEOK Field.
The Drillers scored first in Wednesday's game thanks to Bronson Sardinha's line drive home run to right field in the second inning. The solo homer was his seventh of the year and gave Tulsa a 1-0 lead.
Tulsa starting pitcher Dan Houston held the Naturals without a run or a hit through the first three innings, but he was undone by a tough fourth inning. The inning began when Christian Colon reached on a throwing error by third baseman Erik Wetzel. A walk to Anthony Seratelli and a base hit from Jamie Romak that deflected off Sardinha's glove in right field loaded the bases. Paulo Orlando followed with a bases-clearing triple to erase the Drillers' lead.
An RBI groundout from Wil Myers brought Orlando home to complete the four-run inning.
Romak increased the Northwest Arkansas lead to 5-1 in the top of the sixth with his 20th home run of the season.
The Drillers crept closer in the seventh inning. Wilin Rosario led off with a ground-rule double that lodged in the padding on the centerfield fence, and Tommy Field drew a one-out walk. Mike Mitchell brought Rosario home with a lined single to centerfield.
The hit ended the night for Northwest Arkansas starter Will Smith as Kevin Chapman was summoned from the bullpen. The lefthander struck out Brian Rike before Wetzel delivered a run-scoring single to pull the Drillers to within 5-3. With runners at the corners, Chapman ended the threat when he retired Texas League home run leader Tim Wheeler on a ground out.
Tulsa made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth. After Field lined out, Mitchell dropped a single into centerfield. Chapman retired Rike on strikes for the second out before lefthander Blaine Hardy replaced him on the mound.
Mitchell advanced to second on defensive indifference before scoring on a base hit by Wetzel to make it 5-4.
Tim Wheeler followed with another hit that moved Wetzel to second before a wild pitch advanced him to third. With the tying run at third and the potential winning run at third, Hardy struck out Hector Gomez to end the hopes of a comeback victory.
Houston was tagged with the loss despite allowing only three hits in six innings. The defeat evened his Double A record at 3-3, while Smith picked up his 10th win of the year for the Naturals.
The Drillers lost despite out-hitting the Naturals 9-4. Wetzel led Tulsa with three singles.
In Thursday's series finale, Alex White, acquired from the Cleveland Indians in the trade for Ubaldo Jimenez, will make a major league injury rehabilitation start for the Drillers. It will be his first appearance in the Colorado Rockies' organization.
White, who is 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA in the majors with the Indians this season, is scheduled to work one inning with regularly scheduled starter Cory Riordan (1-11, 5.81 ERA) coming on in the second.
Jeremy Jeffress (0-1, 6.75 ERA) will make the start for the Naturals with first pitch scheduled for 7:05PM in downtown Tulsa.
Texas League Stories from August 3, 2011
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- Frisco Cruises Past RockHounds To Even Series - Frisco RoughRiders
- Paulino Activated, Several Others Rehab - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Game Notes, August 3 - Corpus Christi at San Antonio - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Naturals to be Televised Regionally by KC Metro Sports - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Former Natural Hosmer Selected as AL Rookie of the Month - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Travs Drop First Game of Series Vs. Cardinals - Arkansas Travelers
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