TL1 San Antonio Missions

Wolff-Aided Victory

Published on July 6, 2009 under Texas League (TL1)
San Antonio Missions News Release


Usually the howling winds pushing in from Highway 90 over the right field wall take away hits at Wolff Stadium. Sunday night, they helped the Missions push across the game-winning run. Cedric Hunter dropped a bloop double into shallow center and scored on Mitch Canham's single to complete the Missions' 3-2, comeback victory over Tulsa.

With one out in a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the eighth, Hunter hit what looked like a routine fly ball to center field. But Tulsa center fielder Anthony Jackson, who had initially drifted back on the ball, suddenly came running in only to watch it drop to the grass in front of him. Hunter raced to second base and slid in safely with a double. Pinch hitter Mitch Canham followed with a single to left and Hunter raced around third and scored what turned out to be the game-winning run as left fielder Cole Garner's throw came in well up the line.

Hunter had his strongest game in a week, going 3-for-4 with the double and two runs scored. It was the sixth time this year he has hit safely at least three times in a game.

Drillers starter Samuel Deduno set down the first seven batters he faced and took a no-hitter into the fourth inning before Brian Joynt ripped a two-out single to left-center. Cedric Hunter followed with a single to move Joynt to third and Michael Collins walked on four pitches to load the bases for Jesus Lopez. Lopez hit a line drive to center field, but it hung up for Anthony Jackson as the Missions missed an opportunity.

Logan Forsythe finally got the Missions on the board, singling home Luis Durango from second base with two outs in the fifth, cutting the lead to 2-1. The basehit broke an 0-for-22 spell with runners in scoring position. They were 0-for-8 on Friday, 0-for-12 on Saturday and had gone 0-for-2 in their first two at-bats in Sunday's game. The last hit had come on Eric Sogard's three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth of Thursday night's 9-5 win over Northwest Arkansas.

The Missions tied the game in the sixth. Cedric Hunter singled with one out, and was running on the pitch as Michael Collins pulled a ball just inside third base down the left field line. Even though Hunter slid into second on the play, he popped up and sprinted around third, beating the relay throw to the plate to tie the game.

Mike DeMark pitched a scoreless eighth inning to earn his first victory of the season. It was also his first victory at the Double-A level. His last win came July 1st, 2008 at Visalia while with Lake Elsinore.

Evan Scribner worked a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out the final two batters of the game to earn his 14th save in 16 opportunities this season.

Ernesto Frieri tossed the first 6.0 innings of the game for San Antonio, allowing two runs on six hits. He was lifted for pinch-hitter Lance Zawadzki in the sixth inning, and did not factor in the decision.

Deduno left the game after four scoreless innings, having thrown only 68 pitches. The Tulsa bullpen was not nearly as effective, yielding three earned runs over their own four innings. Austin Chambliss (1-2) tossed the final 1.2 innings, allowing the final run of the game to absorb the loss.

W: DeMark (1-2); L: Chambliss (1-2); S: Scribner (14); HR: None

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Texas League Stories from July 6, 2009


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