Richards Pitches Travs Past Drillers
Published on July 25, 2011 under Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
The Tulsa Drillers knew they had a difficult task in Monday night's meeting with Arkansas, as Texas League wins leader Garrett Richards was the starting pitcher for the Travelers. The former University of Oklahoma hurler had only been beaten one time this season and carried a Texas League best 10 wins into the start. However, the game began positively for the Drillers as they twice took leads in the first five innings, but the Travelers' offense eventually produced four home runs and Richards allowed only one hit over the final four innings to give Arkansas a 5-2 victory at ONEOK Field.
Tim Wheeler gave the Drillers an early lead with his 29th home run of the season in the third inning. (Rich Crimi)
The game was scoreless until Tim Wheeler struck in the bottom of the third for the Drillers. With two outs and the bases empty, Wheeler hit a towering drive that left the stadium and landed on Elgin Avenue beyond the right field fence. It was the outfielder's 29th homer of the year, tops in the Texas League. It also allowed Wheeler to tie Trey McCoy (1993) for the fourth highest season total in Drillers franchise history.
Tulsa starting pitcher Cory Riordan breezed through the first four innings before running into trouble in the fifth as Roberto Lopez led off with his fourth homer of the season to tie the score at 1-1. The blast cleared the terrace section in left field.
After the homer, Matt Cusick lined a single into center field. Angel Castillo followed with a fly ball to deep center that Wheeler caught in front of the warning track and then threw to second to nail Cusick who was trying to tag up on the play.
The defensive play proved important as the inning continued when Orlando Mercado singled and Jon Townsend moved him to third with a ground-rule double. Riordan escaped the jam by retiring Rian Kiniry on a ground out.
Tulsa went back in front in the bottom of the fifth. Hector Gomez led off with a liner to the fence in left-center field. The ball was originally ruled a home run, but was eventually changed to a ground-rule double when umpires discovered the ball was lodged behind the padding on the outfield fence.
Two pitches later, Gomez came home again when Brian Rike dropped a single into shallow left field. The run-scoring hit put the Drillers in front 2-1.
Riordan appeared on his way to an easy inning in the top of the sixth when he retired the first two batters, but Chris Pettit grounded a two-out single into left field. Lopez then struck again with his second home run of the night to give the Travs the lead at 3-2.
Arkansas used two more home runs to add to the margin. Darwin Perez led off the eighth inning with a solo shot off reliever Dustin Molleken, and Cusick added another one in the ninth off Joe Torres to make it 5-2.
Richards seemed to get stronger as the game wore on, clocking 100 m.p.h. on the stadium radar in the ninth inning. He held the Drillers to the two runs on only six hits while striking out four.
It was only the second nine-inning, complete game in the nearly two-season history of ONEOK Field. Richards (11-1) matched former Arkansas hurler Tyler Chatwood, who through nine innings in a win over Tulsa last season. Chatwood is currently in the majors pitching in the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim's starting rotation.
Riordan lasted six innings, giving up nine hits and three runs.
The loss dropped Tulsa into a second-place tie with the Travelers, one game behind Northwest Arkansas.
The Drillers will now head out on a weeklong road trip to Northwest Arkansas and Arkansas. The seven-game trip will begin Tuesday night against the Naturals in Springdale. Christian Friedrich (6-6, 3.72 ERA) will work the opener for Tulsa against Chris Dwyer (3-9, 6.80 ERA) with first pitch slated for 7:00PM at Arvest Ballpark.
Texas League Stories from July 25, 2011
- Naturals Solve Miller, Take Series With Cards - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Cardinals Lose to Naturals 5-4 - Springfield Cardinals
- Hooks Avoid Four-Game Sweep, Win 9-3 - Frisco RoughRiders
- Richards Pitches Travs Past Drillers - Tulsa Drillers
- Travs Ride Richards & Four Dingers To Victory - Arkansas Travelers
- Shoemaker Wins Third TL Pitchers Award Again - Arkansas Travelers
- Game Notes, July 25 - Corpus Christi at Frisco - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Principal Financial Dreams Tour Coming to Hammons Field - Springfield Cardinals
- Perez Named Player of the Week - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Experience Fritos Family Fridays at ONEOK Field - Tulsa Drillers
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