Drillers Blank Cardinals For Second Straight Victory

The Drillers shutout the Springfield Cardinals Sunday night by a final score of 5-0. It was Tulsa's 10th shutout victory of the season. The game, which was originally scheduled for a 2:10 p.m. start time, was pushed back to a 5:10 start due to high temperatures.

Ryan Arrowood made his first start of the season for the Drillers as a spot start in Tyler Anderson's place and was nearly perfect. Arrowood held the Cardinals hitless over five innings and issued only one walk while striking out four. Anderson and Jon Gray were both placed on the DL to limit their innings in anticipation of their starts in the Drillers' playoff games beginning next week.

Tulsa got started early on the offensive side as well. Taylor Featherston gave the Drillers a first inning lead when he hit his 16th home run of the season with two outs, putting Tulsa up 1-0. The home run was Featherston's second in as many nights and tied him for the team lead with Ryan Casteel.

The Drillers increased the margin to three when Chris O'Dowd doubled home Joey Wong and Delta Cleary Jr. in the fifth inning. O'Dowd compiled three hits for the second straight night in Sunday's game and has driven home a combined five runs in those two games.

A two-out single from Brian Humphries followed by a double off the bat of Will Swanner scored a run in the sixth for Tulsa.

In the seventh, O'Dowd reached on a bunt single and advanced to second on an errant throw from Springfield pitcher Kurt Heyer. An ensuing single from Featherston scored O'Dowd and increased the Drillers' lead to 5-0.

Featherston and O'Dowd each had multiple hits and notched two RBI. Humphries was the only other Driller with multiple hits.

The Drillers will play their final road game of the 2014 regular season Monday night as they wrap up their series in Springfield. New addition LHP Jayson Aquino will start for the Drillers in place of Gray in what will be his first career game at the AA level. Aquino was 5-10 with a 5.40 ERA in 16 starts for High-A Modesto this season. Facing Aquino for the Cards will be LHP Kyle Hald (10-4, 3.89 ERA). First pitch at Hammons Field is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.