Ninth Inning Comeback Drops Drillers
Published on May 2, 2016 under Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
Drew Maggi of the Tulsa Drillers Rounds the Bases following a Home Run
(Tulsa Drillers, Credit: Naeem Thomas)
For eight innings Monday afternoon, the Tulsa Drillers seemed on their way to salvaging the final game of a three-game series with Northwest Arkansas. The Drillers carried a one-run lead into the ninth inning, but that lead disappeared as the Naturals erupted for seven runs in their final at-bat to post a 9-3 victory at ONEOK Field. The win gave Northwest Arkansas a sweep of the series.
The big final inning spoiled a strong performance by starting pitcher Chris Anderson. Anderson appeared on his way to his third victory of the season after turning in his longest outing of the season. He allowed only three hits and one earned run in six effective innings.
Relievers Grant Dayton and Jordan Schafer each worked a scoreless inning to protect Tulsa's 3-2 lead, but things quickly unraveled in the top of the ninth.
Hunter Dozier tied the game by hitting the first pitch from Dale Thayer onto the grass berm in left-center field for his seventh home run of the year, tied for tops in the Texas League.
Bubba Starling followed with a base hit. After a sacrifice bunt, Frank Schwindel gave the Naturals their first lead of the day with an RBI single that scored Starling.
Following a base hit by Cam Gallagher, things got worse for Thayer. Logan Moon laid down a sacrifice bunt attempt that Thayer fielded and threw wildly down the first base line. The error allowed Schwindel to score to make it 5-3.
A wild pitch made it 6-3 before Ramon Torres doubled home the fifth run of the inning.
Seth Frankoff came on for Thayer and recorded a strikeout before committing an error with a wild pickoff throw.
Orlando Calixte kept the big inning going with a run-scoring single to right-center field that Jacob Scavuzzo allowed to skip under his glove for Tulsa's third error of the inning.
Dozier struck again to cap the uprising with a lined double into the gap in left field that scored Calixte with the seventh run of the inning that upped the Naturals lead to 9-3.
The Drillers had led throughout the game after taking a quick lead with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Brandon Trinkwon and Drew Maggi opened the first with back-to-back singles. With one out, a wild pitch from Christian Binford allowed Trinkwon to come home with the game's first run. Scavuzzo followed with a base hit that plated Maggi to make it 2-0.
The two teams traded runs in the third inning. In the top half of the frame, Logan Moore drew a walk and advanced to second on an errant pickoff throw from Anderson. Raul Mondesi Jr. brought him home with a two-out base hit to cut the Drillers lead in half.
Maggi struck in the bottom half of the third with a solo home run that just cleared the left field fence. The solo shot was Maggi's first home run since the 2015 season and upped Tulsa's lead to 3-2.
It did not take the Naturals long to again cut the lead to a single run. With two outs in the top of the fourth, Anderson hit Starling with a pitch. After a passed ball and a steal of third, Mauricio Ramos doubled into the gap in right-center field to score Starling and trim the Drillers lead back to one run.
The lead held unto the fateful ninth inning.
The Drillers will now take to the road for a quick, four-game set in Little Rock against the Arkansas Travelers. The series will open Tuesday night and the pitching matchup will feature Trevor Oaks (1-0, 1.50 ERA) for the Drillers against Blayne Weller (0-3, 3.43 ERA) of the Travs. Starting time at Dickey-Stephens Park is scheduled for 7:10PM.
Images from this story
 Drew Maggi of the Tulsa Drillers Rounds the Bases following a Home Run (Naeem Thomas) |
Texas League Stories from May 2, 2016
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- Homestand Highlights: May 3 - May 6 - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Cardinals Swing Past Travs, 7-1, Before 7,320 Fans - Springfield Cardinals
- Ryan Cordell Named Texas League Player of the Month - Frisco RoughRiders
- Ninth Inning Comeback Drops Drillers - Tulsa Drillers
- Naturals Explode for Seven-Run Ninth to Capture Fourth Straight Win - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Corey Baker Named Texas League Pitcher of the Week - Springfield Cardinals
- Riders Complete Sweep of Missions - San Antonio Missions
- Missions End Losing Streak with 5-2 Win - San Antonio Missions
- Missions Lose 1st Game in Midland - San Antonio Missions
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