Drillers Unable to Recover After Huge Start

Originally Published: Jun 21, 2010 10:50 PM CDT

Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

SPRINGDALE, Arkansas – There was a scoring onslaught to start the night, and the Tulsa Drillers failed to score any runs after the third inning on the way to an 8-6 loss to the Northwestern Arkansas Naturals Monday.

Both teams started the night on fire at the plate. The Drillers (29-39) took the lead in the first inning after the first two batters of the game walked, and Scott Beerer drove one of them home with a single.

The Naturals (41-28) immediately answered in the bottom of the inning. After Derrick Robinson led off with a double and stole third, Johnny Giavotella drove him home with a sacrifice fly to tie the game. Nick Van Stratten then added an RBI double and later scored on a single by Paulo Orlando to give NW Arkansas a 3-1 lead.

Tulsa took the lead back in the second inning, again sparked by back-to-back walks. Matt Repec and Warren Schaeffer each reached base on free passes, and Charles Blackmon cleared the bases with a three-run home run to put the Drillers back on top.

The Drillers’ hot start continued in the third, when back-to-back single were followed by a throwing error to load the bases with nobody out. Kiel Roling then grounded into a double play that scored a run, and Repec followed with an RBI single to extend Tulsa’s lead to 6-3.

The Naturals continued the torrid start to the game in the bottom of the third and erased Tulsa’s lead. Ernesto Mejia doubled home a run and scored on an RBI triple by Orlando to cut the lead to one.

Orlando scored on a groundout, and Chris McConnell later added an RBI single to give the advantage back to NW Arkansas at 7-6 after three innings. Only one more run would be scored for the rest of the night.

That run came in the bottom of the eighth, when Manuel Pina launched a home run over left-field fence. The Drillers then went down in order in the ninth inning, clinching their fourth loss in five games.

Keith Weiser (5-5) was credited the loss after giving up a whopping 11 hits and seven runs in the game’s first three innings. Aaron Crow (4-6) earned the win, but barely lasted the required five innings. He settled down after the third inning and finished surrendering six runs on seven hits.

The Naturals’ bullpen dominated from there, led by Louis Coleman. He earned his fifth save of the season by throwing 3.1 innings and giving up only one hit and one walk.

Monday’s contest began a four-game series between the two teams, which will continue at 7 p.m. Tuesday.