TULSA, OK- The Tulsa Drillers scored in each of the first four innings to top the Northwest Arkansas Naturals 6-4 on Wednesday night at ONEOK Field.
Brian Fletcher scored the first run of the night in the top of the first inning on a wild pitch in the top of first inning. Paulo Orlando delivered an RBI single to make it a 2-0 game in the first inning. Ben Paulsen answered with an RBI double in the bottom half of the inning for the Drillers to make it 2-1.
Mike Zuanich tied the game with a solo home run off of Naturals' starter Noel Arguelles in the bottom of the second inning. The Drillers grabbed a 3-2 lead getting back-to-back doubles from Jose Gonzalez and Corey Dickerson.
Mario Lisson brought the Naturals back even with an RBI single in the top of the third inning that brought home Kevin Kouzmanoff. Angelys Nina and Tim Torres each picked up RBI in the bottom half of the inning to put the Drillers back in front 5-3.
Yem Prades blasted a lead-off solo home run to start the fourth inning and bring the Naturals back within one. The home run was the eighth of the season for Prades. The Drillers again answered back in the bottom of the fourth inning when Mike Mitchell scored on a wild pitch by Arguelles.
Arguelles (2-12) went four innings allowing seven hits and six runs, five of which were earned. The left-hander issued five walks while striking out just one. His counterpart Josh Outman also lasted just four innings. The Drillers starter surrendered eight hits and four runs fanning six and walking just two.
Brendan Lafferty and Sam Runion combined to shut down the Drillers the rest of the way. Runion went a scoreless inning and a third allowing one hit in his Double-A debut. Joe Gardner (5-7) went three scoreless innings to pick up the win for the Drillers. Josh Sullivan worked around a lead-off walk in the ninth inning to earn his thirteenth save of the season.
The Naturals will wrap up their three-game series in Tulsa on Thursday night at 7:05 PM. The Naturals will send right-hander Michael Mariot (4-3, 3.26) against the Drillers right-hander Jhoulys Chacin (0-0, 0.0), who is on a major league rehabilitation assignment.. The game can be heard on ESPN 92.1 The Ticket.
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