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TL1 Tulsa Drillers

Sullivan Leads Drillers in Shutout of Travs, 5-0

August 23, 2011 - Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release


Tulsa Drillers manager Duane Espy might have penciled in starter Josh Sullivan on purpose to take the mounds in the first game of the series against the Arkansas Travelers. Sullivan, a native of Little Rock had friends and family on hand to watch him pitch, as he made sure not to disappoint. Sullivan led the Drillers with five shut-out, one-hit innings Tuesday night as the Drillers blanked the Naturals 5-0 at Dickey-Stephens Park.

Going into the game, Travelers starting pitcher Matt Shoemaker had allowed only nine earned runs against the Drillers in his previous forty innings versus the team.

The first two innings were much of the same, as Shoemaker held the Drillers offense at bay. It wasn't until the third inning that the Drillers put their initial run on the scoreboard.

The recently slumping Tim Wheeler collected his second hit of the night, to that point, with one out. Wheeler then proceeded to steal second base, eventually reaching third on a ground out to the first baseman. With two outs, he then walked home on a balk by Shoemaker. Shoemaker had appeared to throw over to first base, occupied by Ben Paulsen, on a pickoff play that was immediately ruled a balk by home plate umpire Brian deBrauwere.

Wheeler finished the night with three hits, with both Bronson Sardinha and Tommy Field also adding two hits of their own in the ballgame.

Sullivan was finished after the fifth inning having not pitched since August 13, after he allowed only one hit, a double to Orlando Mercado in the second. Mercado was the only base runner Sullivan let reach base, as he failed to walk a batter and struck out five.

The Drillers second run as well, came with some help from the Travelers. Hector Gomez reached base, courtesy of an error by Gabe Jacobo, and advanced to second base on a ground out by Paulsen. Wilin Rosario singled to center, scoring Gomez and giving the Drillers 2-0 lead.

Adam Jorgenson came on to relieve Sullivan in the sixth and pitched two shut-out innings of his own. The relief effort lowered Jorgenson's earned run average to 1.42 in his last ten outings, which has spanned over 19 2/3 innings.

In the sixth the Drillers built on their two-run lead. Field led off the inning with a triple off the top of the wall in left, and was followed by a Brian Rike bloop single to center, scoring Field.

After adding two more runs in the top of the ninth, Dustin Molleken came in to close the door on the Naturals. His two innings sealed the victory and completed the shut-out as the Drillers took the first game of the series 5-0.

Tulsa and Arkansas will take the field against each other again Wednesday night at Dickey-Stephens Park in Little Rock, with first pitch scheduled for 7:10PM. Dan Houston (4-3, 4.48) will get the start for the Drillers, as Chris Scholl (2-3, 2.20) will be making his fifth start for the Travelers.

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Texas League Stories from August 23, 2011


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