Oaks and Calhoun Star in Win over Naturals

Tulsa Drillers pitcher Trevor Oaks did not make his last scheduled start for the club in order to help limit the number of innings he works this season. The extra time away from the mound seemed to pay dividends Monday morning in Northwest Arkansas as the right-hander allowed only one run in seven innings to help the Drillers to a 4-2 win at Springdale's Arvest Ballpark. The victory gave Tulsa a split of its four-game set with the Naturals and left the two teams in a second-place tie in the Texas League's North Division standings.

Oaks got plenty of offensive support Monday from Willie Calhoun. The second baseman finished a perfect 4-4 at the plate and just a few feet short of Tulsa's first cycle since the 2005 season. Needing a triple to complete the cycle, Calhoun split the gap in right-center field with a hit in the eighth inning, but he was thrown out at third base and had to settle for a four-hit day that included a single, two doubles and his fifth homer of the season.

Calhoun's first two-base hit came in the second inning and staked Oaks to an early lead. Jacob Scavuzzo, who had singled, scored on the hit to give the Drillers a 1-0 lead.

The Naturals got their only run off Oaks in the bottom half of the second when they perfectly executed a double steal with Orlando Calixte sliding safely into home to make it 1-1.

Tulsa went in front to stay with a pair of runs in the fourth. Singles by Calhoun and Adam Law put runners at first and second with two outs. Brandon Trinkown delivered another base hit that plated Calhoun, and when leftfielder Logan Moon misplayed the ball, Law came home to make it 3-1.

Calhoun gave Tulsa and Oaks a three-run cushion with a solo homer in the sixth inning.

The Naturals cut the lead to 4-2 with a run off reliever Rob Rogers in the eighth, but they would get no closer as Rogers pitched around a two-out double from Moon in the ninth to close out the win and collect his second save of the season.

Oaks allowed only five hits and the one run in his seven innings of work, matching the longest outing of the season for a Drillers hurler. He did not walk a batter and struck out only two as he used an effective sinkerball to record 17 groundball outs. 

The Riverside, California native is not listed among the Top 30 Minor League Prospects for the Los Angeles Dodgers by MLB.com, but that may soon change. Oaks began this season by going 1-1 in four starts for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga, while Monday's victory improved his Double-A record to 4-1 and his overall record to 5-2. He has allowed two runs or less in four of his five outings with the Drillers.

Tulsa now returns home for a six-game homestand that will open with three games against the league-leading Frisco RoughRiders. The Texas Rangers Double-A affiliate has a TL-best 30-13 record, including a 15-6 mark away from home. Chase De Jong (3-4, 3.14 ERA) will pitch the opener for the Drillers on Tuesday night with first pitch scheduled for 7:05PM.