Tulsa -
Springfield blew open a close game with a four-run ninth inning as the Cardinals defeated the Tulsa Drillers 6-1 Wednesday night at ONEOK Field.
In their first home game since April 12th, the Drillers mustered only four hits, struck out eleven times and stranded every base runner they had.
The only Driller run came in the bottom of the seventh inning on Thomas Field's two-out solo home run that cut the Springfield lead to 2-1.
But, the Cardinals teed off against Drillers reliever Adam Jorgenson. Jorgenson issued a pair of walks to lead off the inning, then loaded the bases on Matthew Adams' single.
Alex Castellanos brought home one run on a sacrifice fly and after Jorgenson issued another walk to load the bases, Tulsa brought in Chris Malone to face Nick Derba.
Derba cleared the bases with a double to push the Cardinals' lead to 6-1 and Springfield reliever Jose Rada struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth to close it out.
Two of Tulsa's four hits came from Field, who raised his batting average to .176. It's his first multiple-hit game of the season.
The loss went to Drillers starter Cory Riordan, who allowed two runs on three hits in seven innings. He struck out seven and walked none.
With the loss, Tulsa fell into a tie with the Cardinals for the bottom of the Texas League North Division at 6-and-7, a game and a half behind division leading Northwest Arkansas.
Game two of the four-game series with Springfield is Thursday night at 7:05 p.m.
