Drillers Get Crushed By Springfield

After rallying late to defeat the Tulsa Drillers in a barnburner on Monday, the Springfield Cardinals scored early and often Tuesday led by Mike O'Neill, James Ramsey and Ruben Gotay.

The trio at the top of the order collected 10 of their club's 17 hits and combined for 11 RBI to power the Cardinals to a 13-2 blowout victory over the Drillers at Hammons Field.

The trio was nearly unstoppable on the night. O'Neill finished 4-5 with three runs and three RBI, Ramsey went 3-4 with a homer, two doubles, four runs and two runs driven in, while Gotay went 3-4 with a season-high six RBI.

Springfield's 13 runs were the most allowed by Tulsa this season, matching a season-high set back on April 13.

Christian Bergman suffered his first loss since falling to the Cardinals in Springfield back on June 18. The right-hander was touched for six runs on nine hits in five innings of work.

Bergman struck out the leadoff man O'Neill on three straight pitches to open the home half of the first. Springfield's center fielder Ramsey followed by sending Bergman's fourth pitch of the game over the left field wall to give the Cardinals an early lead. The homer was the former first round draft pick's 13th since joining the Redbirds in early May.

In the bottom of the second, four singles produced three more Springfield runs. Colin Walsh singled home Cody Stanley with one out in the inning before O'Neill plated two on a two-out single to make it 4-0.

A long home run by Kiel Roling put the Drillers on the board in the fourth. With the bases empty and two outs, Roling crushed his 21st big fly of the season over the left field bullpen.

Tulsa tacked on another run in the fifth. Dustin Garneau doubled to left with one out in the inning to setup an RBI single from Joey Wong.

It was all Springfield from there.

The Cardinals answered with two runs in the bottom half to stretch their lead back out to four. With Ramsey and O'Neill on second and third, Gotay hit a soft fly ball to shallow center field. Although Jaron Shepherd made a terrific play on the ball, sliding to make the catch, O'Neill was able to tag and score from third. Chris Swaugger followed with an RBI double to deep center to plate Ramsey.

In the sixth, O'Neill drove in his third run with a two-out single off reliever Josh Mueller before Gotay broke the game open with a bases-clearing three-run double to deep left to put Springfield up 10-2.

Ramsey doubled home another run in the eighth and Gotay followed with a two-run single to bring the final to 13-2.

Tulsa, who won the first two games on its current road trip, has now dropped four straight. With the loss, the club falls to 13-19 in second half and to 47-53 overall.

The Drillers and Redbirds will be at it again Wednesday for the finale of their three-game series. Tyler Matzek (6-6, 3.24 ERA), who has allowed just two runs in his last 25 innings, will take the mound for Tulsa. Springfield has yet to announce its starter. First pitch at Hammons Field is set for 7:09 p.m.