Resilient Missions Top Drillers Again
Published on July 8, 2016 under Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
The San Antonio Missions entered Friday's meeting at ONEOK Field with the Tulsa Drillers with the worst record in the Texas League this season. They looked like anything but the league's worst team in claiming their second straight win from the first-place Drillers. The Missions had a response every time Tulsa scored and eventually sent the Drillers to a 10-5 defeat.
The loss dropped Tulsa into a first-place tie with Northwest Arkansas as both teams have identical 9-6 records.
Friday's game started quickly with each team using long balls to plate a pair of runs in the first inning.
For the Missions, their two runs came on a pair of solo home runs off Tulsa starting pitcher Scott Barlow. Nelson Ward, who also homered in Thursday's game, hit his fifth of the season onto the right field berm. One out later, Nick Schulz belted his fourth of the year, just clearing the fence in left-center field.
The Drillers answered in the bottom of the first, courtesy of Willie Calhoun. Drew Maggi led off with a base hit, and Calhoun followed with his team-leading 17th home run of the season to tie the game at 2-2. It is the third straight game in which the second baseman has homered.
The offensive fireworks continued into the second inning. In the top half of the frame, Taylor Lindsey led off with a ground-rule double and eventually came home on a base hit by Franchy Cordero to give the Missions a 3-2 lead.
Again, it was short-lived. Cody Bellinger led off the bottom of the second with his tenth home run to even the score at 3-3.
San Antonio responded again to go in front for the third time in the top of the third inning as Barlow put himself in a jam by walking the first two batters. A double play grounder nearly got him out of the trouble, but Lindsey delivered a two-out, run-scoring hit to put the Missions back in front 4-3.
This held until the Drillers came to the plate in the bottom of the sixth as leadoff batter Kyle Garlick greeted reliever Rafael De Paula with a double into the gap in right-center field. After Alex Verdugo struck out, De Paula walked Jacob Scavuzzo and Cody Bellinger to load the bases. The Missions nearly escaped the threat when Jordan Tarsovich hit a ground ball to Lindsey at first. He fielded it and threw to second for the second out, but De Paula could not handle the throw back to first, allowing Garlick and Scavuzzo to score to put Tulsa in front for the first time.
San Antonio again responded in its next at-bat. Reliever Chris Anderson walked Ward to open the inning before surrendering a single to Jose Rondon to promptly put runners at first and third with no outs. Schulz struck out, but River Stevens delivered a sacrifice fly to tie the game. Luis Tejada followed with an RBI double to put the Missions back in front 6-5.
They put the game out of reach with four runs against Daniel Corcino in the ninth. With one out, Rondon doubled and scored on a base hit by Stevens. Another hit from Lindsey plated Stevens before Rocky Gale completed the big inning with a two-run triple into the right field corner.
The Missions entered the game with a TL low .237 team batting average, but they produced 15 hits off four different Tulsa pitchers in the win.
San Antonio won the final two games of the three-game series to give the Drillers their first series loss at ONEOK Field since being swept by Northwest Arkansas in a three-game set April 30-May 2.
The Drillers will now open a three-game series with the Corpus Christi Hook Saturday night at ONEOK Field. Starting time for the opener is slated for 7:05pm with Tulsa starting pitcher Chase De Jong (9-4, 2.39 ERA) going for his eight straight win. Corpus Christi will send lefthander Kent Emanuel (2-0, 3.18) to the mound.
Texas League Stories from July 8, 2016
- Travs Take Series with 42 Hits in Three Games - Arkansas Travelers
- Cardinals Set Team Record with Seven Home Runs in 14-5 Win - Springfield Cardinals
- Riders Hang with Travs Early, But Get Outslugged in Series Finale - Frisco RoughRiders
- Resilient Missions Top Drillers Again - Tulsa Drillers
- Junis Pitches Naturals to Series Win in 5-3 Triumph - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Riders to Assist Families of Victims of Dallas Tragedy - Frisco RoughRiders
- The Cowardly Lion Put It Perfectly - Midland RockHounds
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