Tulsa Drillers Beat Springfield Cardinals 10-9 in Eleven Innings - AA, Texas League

MLN - THE RAW FEED - www.mlntherawfeed.com – Tulsa - The Tulsa Drillers won the opening game of a four-game series on Friday night, sending the Cards to their eighth straight loss in a 10-9 win in 11 innings. Brian Esposito’s suicide squeeze in the top of the 11th inning pushed home the eventual winning run against Cards’ reliever Zack Zuercher (0-1).  Tulsa actually jumped out to a 7-0 lead after just an inning and a half against Springfield starter Adam Ottavino.  Tony Blanco capped a five-run first inning with a grand slam, his third homer of the year.  Blanco followed Matt Miller’s RBI single in the second with one of his own, making it 7-0.  Springfield responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning, all with two outs.  Tyler Greene tripled home Mark Hamilton for Springfield’s first run, then scored on Mark Shorey’s RBI double, making it 7-2. 
ADVERTISEMENT Isa Garcia singled home Shorey, then scored on Jon Jay’s RBI double, making it a three-run game at 7-4.  Greene homered with one out in the fifth to make it 7-5, his fifth home run of the year.  Springfield completed the seven-run comeback with two in the fifth, as Jose Martinez delivered a two-run single with two outs against Drillers’ starter Alan Johnson, evening the score at 7-7. Tulsa got a pair of unearned runs in the sixth against Nick Webber, taking a 9-7 lead.  Springfield again countered, as Steven Hill and Alan Craig hit back-to-back homers, tying the game at 9-9.  It stayed that way until the 11th.  With the bases loaded and only one out, Brian Esposito laid down a perfect bunt, scoring Matt Miller from third with the go-ahead run to make it 10-9. The Cards got some help from Drillers’ reliever Casey Weathers in the bottom of the inning, as he walked Brandon Yarbrough to lead off the inning, then gave up a one-out double to pinch hitter Matt Pagnozzi, putting runners at second and third with only one out.  Casey Rowlett grounded to third base on the first pitch he saw though, for the second out of the inning.  Jon Jay then popped to third to end it, securing Weathers’ first save of the year.  Tulsa reliever Ryan Mattheus (1-2) got his first win of the year by tossing two scoreless innings. Springfield (17-24) looks to end their eight-game skid on Saturday night, sending Mark McCormick (0-0) to the mound in his first Double-A start.

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