Errors Help Drillers Earn Another Win

May 12, 2023 – Texas League (TL) – Tulsa Drillers News Release

Tulsa Drillers’ Emmet Sheehan in action
(Tulsa Drillers)

TULSA, OK – The Tulsa Drillers once again recorded a win on Thursday night by taking advantage of two errors that led to three unearned runs. The runs proved crucial as Tulsa defeated the Springfield Cardinals by a final of 5-3 at ONEOK Field.

The win gives the team its eighth win in nine games as the Drillers remain atop the Texas League North Division.

The Drillers were held hitless until the third inning when Eddys Leonard earned a lead-off double. Jonny DeLuca drew a two-out walk, and an error by Cardinals second baseman Noah Mendlinger allowed Leonard to score. One batter later, Andy Pages singled to plate DeLuca and put Tulsa ahead 2-0.

Emmet Sheehan delivered another strong outing from a Tulsa starting pitcher, but he had to work through some control issues. Sheehan did not allow a hit until the fifth inning but issued five walks in 4.2 innings while keeping the Redbirds scoreless.

Springfield brought the game to within one run in the sixth inning on Jacob Buchberger’s solo home run.

Leonard cushioned Tulsa’s lead with a two-run home run in the sixth inning to bring the score to 4-1.

In the seventh inning, Tulsa increased its lead to 5-1 when Diego Cartaya was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

The Cardinals scored two final runs on Chandler Redmond’s solo home run and Matt Koperniak’s RBI single. The final run was unearned and came in the ninth, but the newest Driller, Jake Pilarski, held the lead thanks to three groundouts to earn his first Double-A save.

TEXAS LEAGUE STANDINGS* TEXAS LEAGUE SCOREBOARD

HIGHLIGHTS AND HAPPENINGS:

*With Sheehan’s scoreless outing, the Drillers ERA from starting pitchers lowered to 1.74, the best by a starting staff in all of Minor League Baseball.

*John Rooney and Braydon Fisher each gave up one run as Rooney received his second win of the season, pitching 2.1 innings.

*Pilarski leads the minors in saves with ten saves across High-A and Double-A.

UP NEXT:

The Drillers and Cardinals will play the fourth game of their six-game series Friday night at ONEOK Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. in downtown Tulsa, and the starting pitchers are scheduled to be:

Springfield – RHP Logan Gragg (0-0, 6.43 ERA)

Tulsa – RHP Landon Knack (0-0, 1.50 ERA)

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