Tulsa Drillers use 3-Run Homer to Beat Corpus Christi

Originally Published: Apr 8, 2011 11:51 PM CDT

Layna Dewell
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

TULSA, Okla.—The Tulsa Drillers fell behind early in Friday’s game against the Corpus Christi Hooks, but thanks so a big fifth inning and good pitching to protect the lead, Tulsa pulled out the 5-4 victory.

The Drillers started off strong behind the pitching of Christian Friedrich who retired the first five Hooks batters, but the tides quickly turned when James VanOstrand drove a ball deep into the right field corner. The ball bounced off the glove of Bronson Sardinha and over the wall for the solo home run.

Then came the fifth, and Drillers rally began.

Scott Beerer began the rally with a one-out double. Next came Thomas Field who drew a walk followed by Mike Daniel who lined a single into right field that brought Beerer home with Tulsa's first run.

David Berner was then summoned from the Hooks bullpen to replace Jonnathan Aristil but that wouldn’t be enough to stop Tim Wheeler.

Wheeler absolutely blasted a fly ballover the right field fence that actually landed outside the ballparkon Elgin Avenue. The three-run home run put the Drillers up 4-2.

The Hooks closed the gap in the top of the sixth when Jon Gaston singled and scored on a base hit by VanOstrand, but Wilin Rosario answered with a solo homer in the bottom of the frame that restored Tulsa's two-run lead.

Tulsa relievers Sean Jarrett and Adam Jorgenson protected the lead on the mound. Jorgenson ended the game striking out Jon Gaston, his second save in two night.

The Drillers are now 2-0 after collecting only 6 hits in the victory.

Friedrich collected the win, allowing three hits and two runs in five innings on the mound. He walked two batters and struck out four.

Tulsa looks to take the series sweep, and undefeated start as they face the Hooks again on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at ONEOK Field.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Corpus Christi 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 4 10 0
Tulsa 0 0 0 0 4 1 0 0 x 5 61