Drillers Win With Walk-Off Hit in Extra Innings

Originally Published: Apr 25, 2010 6:24 PM CDT

Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

TULSA, Oklahoma – The Tulsa Drillers had to fight through extra innings to get it, but they finally earned their second win at ONEOK Field with a 4-3 victory over the Springfield Redbirds Sunday.

After being held scoreless through the first seven innings and falling behind 2-0, the Drillers (6-10) came up with clutch hits to stay in the game. Scott Beerer drove in Tulsa’s first run of the game with a single in the eighth, and Matt Repec added another run on a suicide squeeze to tie the game 2-2.

Springfield (11-5) responded by promptly loading the bases with one out in the top of the ninth. Aaron Luna gave the Redbirds the lead with a groundout that advanced all the runners and scored a run, but Nick Bierbrodt forced the next batter to ground out and avoided a big inning.

Radames Nazario led off the bottom of the ninth with a home run to tie the game again, while Jason Van Kooten and Kenny Perez connected on back-to-back singles to put the game-winning run in scoring position. However, Jeff Kindel grounded into a double play to end the threat and send the game into extra frames.

After the teams traded 1-2-3 innings in the 10th, Bierboldt hit the first batter of the 11th inning with a pitch. He then reached second on a sacrifice bunt, and an intentional walk gave Memphis runners on first and second. After a ground ball advanced both runners into scoring position, Craig Baker entered in relief. He responded by striking out the next batter to end the inning.

In the bottom of the 11th, the Redbirds sent Matt Meyer to the mound and he immediately walked Kiel Roling, the first batter he faced. He then balked to allow Roling to advance to second with nobody out.

After Nazario became Tulsa’s first out, Anthony Jackson singled to advance Roling to third. Meyer then intentionally walked Van Kooten to load the bases, allowing a possible force at home plate. But Kenny Perez stepped up with the walk-off game winner on a line drive to center field that scored Roling.

Baker (1-1) earned the win after getting the final out in top of the 11th, while Meyer (0-1) was credited with the loss.

The victory was just Tulsa’s second at home since moving in to the new ONEOK Field, and the first since April 11. The Drillers will begin a road trip against the Arkansas Travelers at 7:10 p.m. Monday.