Drillers Use Strong Pitching To Top Hooks

Tulsa starting pitcher and Texas League All-Star Christian Bergman has suffered from a lack of run support this season, resulting in a misleading won-loss record for the right-hander. Saturday night in Corpus Christi, he made sure that offensive support was not an issue.

Bergman surrendered only four hits and one run in six innings, and the Drillers posted a 3-1 victory over the Hooks in the first of a three-game series at Whataburger Field.

The victory was the third straight for Tulsa, one win short of matching a season high.

The Drillers wasted little time in staking Bergman to a lead. With two outs and the bases empty in the bottom of the first, Kiel Roling delivered his 17th home run of the season. It was Roling's first homer since June 13.

Tulsa added two more runs in the top of the fifth. Jayson Langfels led off with a single, and Delta Cleary Jr. drew a one-out walk. After Tyler Kuhn struck out, Cristhian Adames delivered a big, two-out hit with a double into the gap in left-center field that scored both Langfels and Cleary Jr. to give the Drillers a 3-0 cushion.

The Hooks only damage against Bergman came in the bottom of the sixth. Enrique Hernandez led off with a double and moved to third on a base hit by Rene Garcia. Bergman then enticed a double player grounder from Erik Castro as Hernandez came home to cut Tulsa's lead to 3-1.

The Drillers bullpen made sure it held by retiring the final nine hitters in order. Josh Mueller pitched two perfect relief innings, and Juan Gonzalez worked a 1-2-3 ninth to close out the victory. For Gonzalez, it was his second save of the season.

The effecient outing dropped Bergman's ERA to 2.93, while his won-loss record improved to 4-6.

There were a total of only eight hits in the contest, with each team collecting four.

The Drillers will look to match their longest winning streak of the season in Sunday night's meeting with the Hooks, but it will not be easy. David Martinez (10-1, 2.09 ERA) will take the mound for Corpus Christi. Martinez leads the Texas League in wins and is second in ERA. Tyler Matzek (3-6, 4.04 ERA) will pitch for the Drillers with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m.