TEXAS LEAGUE Drillers' ace keeps Naturals guessing

By The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Posted: July 29, 2009 at 4:30 a.m.

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TULSA — The leading candidate for the Texas League's pitcher of the year padded his statistics against Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday.

Right-hander Samuel Deduno allowed 1 run over 6 innings and struck out 8 to help Tulsa defeat the Naturals 3-2 before a crowd of 3,066 at Drillers Stadium.

The Drillers pulled to within two games of North Division-leading Northwest Arkansas as Deduno lowered his league-leading ERA to 2.36 and pulled into a tie with Springfield's Trey Hearne by winning his league-best 10th game.

Deduno (10-2) has allowed two earned runs or fewer in 15 of his 17 starts this year and has not given up more than two earned runs since April 27.

Tulsa (18-12) scored twice in the fourth inning and once in the fifth to take a 3-0 lead and held off a late-inning push by the Naturals (20-10).

Jeff Kindel walked with two outs in the fourth and advanced to third on a double to left by Drillers catcher Michael McKenry. Ryan Harvey doubled off the center-field wall to drive in both runners, giving Tulsa a 2-0 lead, but Naturals center fielder Jarrod Dyson nailed Harvey at third trying to stretch it into a triple.

Brad Corley led off the fifth with the Drillers' third consecutive extra-base hit off Naturals starter Blake Johnson. Dyson nearly caught the drive by Corley, but the ball was jarred loose after Dyson hit the wall. Dyson rose slowly but stayed in the game and went 4 for 5, including two bunt singles.

Anthony Jackson drove in Corley with a sacrifice fly to extend Tulsa's lead to 3-0.

The Naturals were aggressive on the basepaths, although that backfired on them eventually.

Dyson stole second after leading off the game with a single, but McKenry threw out Jeff Bianchi and David Lough at second on stolen base attempts over the next three innings. The Tulsa outfielders got in on the act, too, with left fielder Corley catching Kurt Mertins trying to stretch a base hit into a double and center fielder Jackson throwing out Dyson at third to end the fifth inning.

The Naturals finally broke through off Deduno in the sixth inning, when Lucas singled and scored on a double by Vance Wilson, cutting the deficit to 3-1.

Edgmer Escalona replaced Deduno to start the seventh inning and loaded the bases on two walks and Dyson's third single of the game. Lough grounded an infield single to short to score Marc Maddox, making it 3-2.

The Drillers recorded 13 strikeouts, including 8 by Deduno and 5 by Escalona. Johnson (6-7) had 7of the Naturals' 11 strikeouts, but 1 allowed 3 runs in 6/3 innings and took the loss.

Tulsa closer Anthony Johnston finished off the Naturals to earn his league-leading 26th save.

Sports, Pages 19 on 07/29/2009

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