Springfield Cardinals Rally Past Tulsa Drillers 4-3 - AA, Texas League

MLN - THE RAW FEED - www.mlntherawfeed.com - TULSA - All season long, the Tulsa Drillers have had a difficult time with the Springfield Cardinals at Drillers Stadium.  Despite having a couple of rehabbing major leaguers in the lineup, the trend continued Wednesday night, as the Cards rallied for two runs with two outs in the ninth inning to produce a 4-3 win over the Drillers.  Tulsa has now won only 3 of 15 meetings with Springfield at Drillers Stadium this year. 
 
Wednesday's loss was particularly frustrating as the Drillers were within one strike of securing their second straight win.  It was also disappointing because it dropped Tulsa out of first place in the North Division standings for the first time in the second half of the season.
 
Troy Tulowitzki, rehabbing from the Colorado Rockies, played shortstop for seven innings and finished with a single in four at-bats for Tulsa.  Starting pitcher Kip Wells, recovering from a blood clot in his pitching hand, allowed six hits and two runs in 6.2 innings of work.  He walked one batter and struck out eight.
 
The Drillers carried a 3-2 lead into Wednesday's final inning.  The dangerous Allen Craig grounded out off Casey Weathers to begin the ninth, but Weathers then walked Tyler Greene, and Jon Jay followed with a base hit.  After Cody Haerther struck out, Weathers hit Andrew Brown with a pitch to load the bases. 
 
Mark Shorey followed and the Drillers moved within one strike of a win when Weathers jumped ahead with two quick strikes.  But, Shorey lined the next pitch into center field, plating both Greene and Jay to give the Cardinals the lead.
 
The Drillers put two on with only one out in the bottom of the ninth, but Springfield closer Fernando Salas struck out Tony Blanco and retired Jeff Dragicevich on a fly ball to record his 16th save.
 
The result spoiled a possible come-from-behind win for the Drillers.  Springfield took a 2-0 lead with single runs in both the second and third innings off Wells.
 
Tulsa tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the third.  Tulowitzki started the inning with a leadoff single, and Dexter Fowler drew a walk.  After Matt Miller went down on strikes, Blanco doubled both runners home to tie the game at 2-2.
 
The Driller took the lead with a run in the bottom eighth.  Eric Young Jr. doubled to begin the inning, and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Daniel Carte.  From there, Young scored the go-ahead run when Brian Esposito hit a fly ball to right field.  Young slid in safely just ahead of Shorey's throw to the plate.
 

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Tulsa and Springfield will meet for the final time at Drillers Stadium this season Thursday night.  Chaz Roe (3-0. 2.96 ERA) will take the mound for the Drillers against Tyler Herron (4-4, 5.02 ERA) of the Redbirds.  First pitch is slated for 7:05PM.   

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