TEXAS LEAGUE: Drillers get help, defeat Naturals

By The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Posted: July 31, 2009 at 5:07 a.m.

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TULSA — Tulsa closed within one game of Northwest Arkansas with plenty of help from the Naturals.

The Drillers took an 8-1 victory against Northwest Arkansas on Thursday at Drillers Stadium. Northwest Arkansas (21-12) gave up 12 hits, committed 4 errors and allowed 3 unearned runs.

Tulsa (20-13) scored first in the third inning against Naturals starter Matthew Kniginyzky. Rex Rundgren led off with a walk, and Kniginyzky hit Daniel Mayora with a pitch to put runners on first and second.

Darin Holcomb attempted to advance the runners with a sacrifice bunt, but Kniginyzky fielded the bunt and threw Rundgren out at third. Jeff Kindel followed with a single to drive in Mayora.

Kniginyzky got out of the inning when Mike Paulk flew out to left fielder Jose Duarte, who then threw to first to get Kindel.

Tulsa scored again in the fifth. Mayora led off with a single, and Holcomb singled to third baseman Ed Lucas. Lucas' wild throw to first allowed Mayora to score from first and give Tulsa a 2-0 lead. Right fielder David Lough threw Holcomb out trying to advance to third.

The Naturals got to Tulsa starter Chaz Roe in the seventh. After Cody Clark and Duarte opened the inning with strikeouts, Jarrod Dyson singled and stole second. Kurt Mertins singled to center to drive in Dyson, and the Drillers brought in reliever Matthew Reynolds to replace Roe, who allowed 6 hits, 4 walks and struck 2 out 5 in 6 /3 innings.

The Drillers chased Kniginyzky in the seventh, thanks to another error by the Naturals. Kniginyzky started the inning by retiring Brad Corley on a flyout and got Rundgren to ground to Lucas.

Lucas booted the ball for his second error of the game, but Kniginyzky got Mayora for the second out. Holcomb singled, and the Naturals replaced Kniginyzky with Gilbert De La Vara.

De La Vara hit Kindel with a pitch to load the bases, then walked Paulk to force in a run and give Tulsa a 3-1 lead. Michael McKenry followed with a single to score Holcomb and put the Drillers ahead 4-1.

Cole Garner singled to drive in Kindel and Paulk, but McKenry was thrown out at third to end the inning.

Kniginyzky gave up 4 runs, 1 earned, on 6 hits and 2 walks in 2 6 /3 innings.

The Drillers iced the game in the eighth with two more runs.Ryan Harvey led off with a single and moved to second on Corley's single. Rundgren loaded the bases with an infield single before Mayora singled to score Harvey. De La Vara got Holcomb to ground into a double play that scored Corley and gave Tulsa an 8-1 lead.

Sports, Pages 19 on 07/31/2009

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