Fast Start Sends Drillers to Third Straight Win

Originally Published: May 23, 2010 6:20 PM CDT

Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

TULSA, Oklahoma – The Tulsa Drillers lit up the scoreboard early and won their third straight game 9-4 over the Springfield Cardinals Sunday.

The first five batters of the game reached base for the Drillers (18-24), and all of them scored to take an early 5-0 lead. Cleanup hitter Ryan Harvey came to the plate with the bases loaded, and responded with a two-run single to start the scoring. Daniel Mayora followed with a two-run triple, and Lars Davis completed the scoring with an RBI ground out.

The Drillers continued to pile on in the next inning, when they loaded the bases again for Harvey. He took advantage with a two-run double, and Mayora followed with an RBI single to push the lead to 8-0.

Tulsa’s offense went cold after that, and the Cardinals (23-20) slowly chipped away at the lead. They started the scoring with a two-run home run by Aaron Luna in the fourth inning, then added a run in each of the next two innings to cut the lead to four.

Bronson Sardinha added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, and the Tulsa pitchers held Springfield hitless in the final three innings to secure the win.

Ching Lu Lo (1-1) earned the win after giving up two earned runs on four hits in five innings of work. The three pitchers that relieved him combined to give up just two hits for the rest of the game. Gary Daley was credited with the loss, giving up seven runs on seven hits in five innings.

The Drillers have won the first three games of their series against Springfield, and will try to finish a four-game sweep at 12:05 p.m. Sunday.