Drillers Fall to Strong Cardinals Pitching

SPRINGFIELD, MO– For the second straight game, the Tulsa Drillers fell behind in the early innings to the Springfield Cardinals on Wednesday night. The Cardinals were able to attack Tulsa starter Gavin Stone, and the Drillers could not recover from a three-run deficit in falling 3-1 at Hammons field.

BOXSCORE

Springfield scored two early runs on Stone while earning only one hit. In the first inning, following a single and a walk, Chase Pinder hit into a forceout at second base, but a throwing error by Abiatal Avelino allowed Masyn Winn to score.

The Cardinals began the second inning with two walks, and a wild pitch from Stone moved the runners to second and third. Matt Koperniak then grounded out to first baseman Justin Yurchak, allowing Nick Dunn to score from third to give Springfield a 2-0 lead.

The Redbirds plated their third run in the fourth inning when Nick Raposo doubled to left-center field, allowing the speedy Dunn to score from first.

The Drillers put their only run on the board in the fifth inning when Brandon Lewis hit a solo home run.

Nick Robertson, Guillermo Zuniga and Jordan Leasure held Springfield scoreless over the final four innings.

Tulsa threatened in the eighth as Avelino led off the inning by reaching on an error. Leonel Valera then drew a walk, and Andy Pages was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs. Springfield then made a pitching change, and Carson Taylor went down on strikes to end the inning and the threat,

The Drillers pressured the Cardinals in the ninth as Yurchak began the inning with a walk, and Jonny DeLuca singled to put runners at first and third with no outs. Cardinals’ reliever Tyler Pike then retired the next three Tulsa hitters with two strikeouts and a groundout to end the game.

HIGHLIGHTS AND HAPPENINGS:

*Stone finished with three runs allowed, but only two were earned with seven strikeouts in four innings pitched. He entered the game with the lowest ERA among qualified full-season minor league pitchers.

*The Drillers offense was slowed by Springfield starting pitcher Gordon Graceffo who gave up just four hits in seven innings.

*Lewis has hit a home run in consecutive nights and has nine for the season.

*Yurchak increased his hit streak to eight games with his single in the fourth.

*Pages has now reached base in 12 consecutive games.

*UP NEXT: *

The Drillers will face the Cardinals again on Thursday night in the third game of their six-game series. Starting time at Hammons Field is set for 7:05 p.m. The starting pitchers are scheduled to be:

Tulsa – LHP John Rooney (4-2, 3.90 ERA)

Springfield – RHP Kyle Leahy (5-6, 5.89 ERA)