Cards Stop Drillers Streak

The Tulsa Drillers saw their 3-game winning streak come to an end Friday night with a 6-3 loss to Springfield at Hammons Field.  The Drillers took a first-inning lead, but the lead was short-lived as the Cardinals responded with the next five runs in posting the victory.
 
Tulsa's early lead came courtesy of Eider Torres as he tripled home Charlie Blackmon, who had singled, to make it 1-0.
 

Greg Reynolds, who was scheduled to work the first two innings in his second injury rehabilitation start for the Drillers, worked a scoreless first inning before running into trouble in the second, and it was Springfield pitcher Chuckie Fick who did part of the damage.  Fick's ground-rule double plated Tyler Henley, who had singled, to tie the score.  The hit ended Reynolds' night, and Daryl Jones greeted Cory Riordan with a run-scoring single that put the Redbirds in front 2-1.
 
It was a lead that they would not relinquish as Henley increased the margin to 3-1 with an RBI single in the third. 
 
Steven Hill doubled in front of another run-scoring hit by Henley in the sixth, and Owasso product Pete Kozma made it 5-1 with a single to left that plated Henley.
 
The Drillers cut into the margin with a pair of runs in the top of the eighth.  Matt Repec doubled and Blackmon walked in front of a two-run single by Daniel Mayora that pulled Tulsa to within two runs.
 
The Cards answered with another run in the bottom of the eighth as Hill belted his ninth home run of the season to make it 6-3.
 
Reynolds was tagged for his second loss of the year, allowing three hits and two runs in 1 2/3 innings.  Fick, making only his second start of the year, pitched the minimum five innings to pick up his first win of the year.
 
Henley, who was a perfect 4-4, was one hit short of matching the Drillers' team total of five. 
 
Tulsa will conclude its series in Springfield Saturday night.  Christian Friedrich (0-3, 4.73 ERA) will take the mound for the Drillers against David Kopp (7-1, 2.76 ERA) of the Cardinals.  First pitch is scheduled for 6:10PM at Hammons Field. 

The Tulsa Drillers will host the Northwest Arkansas Naturals and the Arkansas Travelers in a nine game homestand June 13-20 in Tulsa.