Former Tulsa Drillers pitcher Chad Bettis picked up his first major league win on Monday night in the Colorado Rockies' 6-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.
Bettis gave up one run in one inning of relief to blow a 2-1 lead, but the Rockies then scored four in the bottom of the eighth to put him in position for the win that was preserved by former Drillers lefty Rex Brothers.
Bettis may have vultured the win, but that makes up for a few starts where he deserved to get a win but didn't due to lack of support. He pitched well enough to win in at least half of his eight starts before moving to the bullpen last week. It appears more and more that he's better suited for the bullpen at the major league level.
Collin McHugh, who pitched briefly for the Drillers this summer, had the best start of his major league career as he allowed one run in five innings against St. Louis. That leaves his major league career record at 0-6 with a 7.75 ERA in 13 appearances, seven starts over the past two seasons...
It appears that former Drillers first baseman Carlos Pena's stint with the Kansas City Royals is over after only four games. Pena, who will be a free agent after the season, underwent an appendectomy and was placed on the 60-day disabled list.
In 89 combined games this season with the Houston Astros and Royals, Pena batted only .207 with eight homers and 25 RBIs. At age 35 and his numbers trending down, this might have been the last major league chance for one of the most popular Drillers of all time...
Mike Shannon is set to return to the St. Louis Cardinals' radio booth next week. He has been sidelined for five weeks after undergoing a heart procedure. Shannon, 74, a former Tulsa Oilers outfielder, has been a player or broadcaster at the major league level for the Cardinals since 1962...
The Los Angeles Angels called up former Drillers infielder Tommy Field from Triple-A Salt Lake and activated Tulsa-born pitcher Tommy Hanson off the disabled list.
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