Travs Turn Tables In Drillers Loss
Published on April 22, 2008 under Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
April 22, 2008 - For the second consecutive game, pitching was the dominant story in a matchup between the Tulsa Drillers and Arkansas Travelers Tuesday night. But unlike the previous game, the Drillers were on the losing end, as Travs starting pitcher Brok Butcher combined with a pair of relievers to beat the Drillers 5-3. The result left Tulsa and Arkansas with identical 8-10 records and in a tie atop the North Division standings of the Texas League.
On Tuesday, Butcher bested Ching-Lung Lo, who had his best outing of the year for Tulsa. Lo surrendered only four hits and four runs in five innings, but the line could have easily been better.
Travs leadoff hitter Coby Smith began the game with a double, but he was still at third base with two outs. Needing only one pitch to escape the jam, Lo uncorked a wild pitch that gave Arkansas a 1-0 lead.
In the second inning, consecutive doubles from Ben Johnson and Nate Sutton made it 2-0. Sutton later scored an unearned run when third baseman Corey Wimberly threw wide of first on a play that could have ended the inning.
The Drillers got on the board in the third inning on three straight one-out hits by Wimberly, Neil Wilson and Eric Young Jr.
Arkansas added a fourth run in the fifth inning on only one hit. Adam Morrissey walked, moved to second on a hit batter and to third on a base hit by Smith. He scored on a foul ball, sacrifice fly.
Tulsa cut the lead to a single run in the bottom of the fifth. A two-out single by Chris Nelson plated Young, and Matt Miller followed with another hit that scored Dexter Fowler to trim the lead to 4-3.
It would be as close as the Drillers would get as Johnson added a final run for the Travs in the ninth inning on his second homer of the season. It was the catcher's third hit of the game.
Stephen Marek pitched two scoreless relief innings for Arkansas, and Kevin Jepsen worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his third save of the year.
Butcher improved his record to 2-0 with the victory, while Lo suffered the loss to fall to 0-4.
Miller's fifth inning single was one of two hits in the game for the Tulsa designated hitter. He extended his hitting streak to a season high seven games with the 2-3 night and raised his batting average to .351.
Wimberly and Young extended their hitting streaks to five games.
The two teams will play game three of their four-game series Wednesday night at Drillers Stadium. Anthony Ortega (2-1, 2.12 ERA) will get the start for the Travelers, while Xavier Cedeno (2-1, 2.87 ERA) will work for the Drillers. First pitch will be at 7:05PM.
Texas League Stories from April 22, 2008
- Johnson & Travs Beat Tulsa 5-3 - Arkansas Travelers
- Travs Turn Tables In Drillers Loss - Tulsa Drillers
- Texas League Newsletter 2008 No. 2 - TL1
- Ed Lucas Activated, Mildren Promoted - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
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