Drillers Fall To Springfield In Second-Half Opener

After extremely wet conditions kept the Tulsa Drillers and Springfield Cardinals off the field for two days, the teams were finally able to get in a game at Hammons Field on Tuesday night. Following the two-day layoff, Tulsa was unable to get anything going against Springfield starter Richard Castillo.

Fortunately for the Drillers, they had already clinched the first-half North Division title on Monday as a result of their doubleheader with the Redbirds being cancelled.

The veteran right-hander Castillo limited Tulsa to just three hits, while a three-run home run by Xavier Scruggs proved to be the difference as the Cardinals defeated the Drillers 3-0 in Springfield to open second half of the Texas League season.

In his first start with Springfield since returning from Triple A Memphis, Castillo was very good, holding the Drillers scoreless through 6.2 innings. He struck out four and walked three to record his fifth win of the season with the Cardinals.

Christian Bergman, who will be one of six Drillers representing Tulsa in next week's Texas League All-Star Game, was tagged with the loss. Bergman allowed three runs on four hits in six innings of work, while striking out three and walking two.

All three of the runs scored Tuesday came on one swing of the bat in the third. After Bergman quickly retired the first two hitters in the inning, Ruben Gotay worked a five-pitch walk. Chris Swauger followed with a line drive single to left to put two on for Scruggs who took care of the rest.

The big first baseman wasted no time, taking the first pitch he saw from Bergman and depositing it over the left field wall. It was Scruggs' 18th home run of the year, tying him for the league lead with Northwest Arkansas' Matt Fields and George Springer of Corpus Christi.

Both bullpens were lights out in this one, permitting just four hits combined over the final 4.1 innings.

Shortstop Cristhian Adames reached base three times for Tulsa in the loss. Adames has been on fire in the month of June, hitting .388 with one home run and six RBI.

The two teams return to Hammons Field to play one more game on Wednesday before the Drillers head back to Tulsa. Sean Gallagher (3-0, 1.64 ERA) will take the mound for the Drillers against left-hander Jonathan Cornelius (0-1, 4.66 ERA).