Tulsa Drillers Get Back on Winning Track

Originally Published: Jul 17, 2010 10:28 PM CDT

Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

TULSA, Oklahoma – The Tulsa Drillers recovered from their worst loss of the season with a 7-4 win over the Arkansas Travelers Saturday.

The Drillers (44-45) got off to a quick start with the game’s first runs in the bottom of the first inning. Anthony Jackson delivered an RBI single and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Kiel Roling to give Tulsa a 2-0 lead.

The Travelers (34-57) cut the lead in half in the fourth on a wild play. With runners on first and second, Anel De Los Santos hit a sharp single into left field. Jackson gunned a throw to home plate, but catcher Wilin Rosario dropped the ball to allow an unearned run. But Rosario recovered to throw the other runner out at third and end the inning.

Tulsa immediately responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning thanks to RBIs from Scott Beerer and Jason Van Kooten to extend the lead to 4-1. The Drillers added another run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Jackson to stretch the lead to four.

Arkansas cut the lead in half again in the sixth with a two-run home run by Roberto Lopez, but the Drillers responded once more. Van Kooten launched a solo homer in the bottom of the inning to make it 6-3.

The Travelers drew within one with another home run in the seventh, this time a solo shot by Tyson Auer. But they never drew any closer. Van Kooten delivered his third RBI of the game on a single in the eighth inning, and Stuart Pomeranz pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn his 10th save of the year.

Brandon Durden (4-6) finished with the win after holding Arkansas to two earned runs on five hits in six innings. Trevor Reckling (1-1) was credited with the loss, despite pitching seven innings and giving up four earned runs. The defenders behind him committed three errors, which brought home three unearned runs and made the difference in the final score.

The Drillers have now won two of the first three games of the series, which will conclude at 6:05 p.m. Sunday.