Going into the final day of May, the Tulsa Drillers were ready to turn the calendar after a tough month that saw them enter the night with a 12-16 record. But Edwin Ríos helped make sure the club ended the month on a high note as he went 2-3 with
Going into the final day of May, the Tulsa Drillers were ready to turn the calendar after a tough month that saw them enter the night with a 12-16 record. But Edwin Ríos helped make sure the club ended the month on a high note as he went 2-3 with a clutch home run, 5 RBI's and 2 runs scored to help lead the Drillers to a 9-6 victory over the San Antonio Missions Wednesday night at ONEOK Field.
The Drillers jumped out in front early, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Rios began his big night at the plate with a one-out, RBI double into left-centerfield to plate Erick Mejia with the game's first run. Two batters later, Matt Beaty doubled the Tulsa lead with a base hit into center to score Rios and get the Drillers the early advantage.
But the Missions immediately stormed back to jump ahead as they took advantage of free bases from the Drillers.
Scott Barlow began the second inning by plunking Alberth Martinez, but appeared to settle down as he retired River Stevens on a sacrifice bunt and A.J. Kennedy on a pop out in foul territory. But Barlow then gave up a base hit to his counterpart, Michael Kelly, before walking Luis Urías to load the bases. José Rondón then hit a slow dribbler to third but Rios misfired on the throw to first to give San Antonio their first run of the frame.
That play was followed by back-to-back RBI base knocks from the Missions that temporarily gave the visitors a 4-2 lead.
Rios helped the Drillers get one of those runs back in the home half of the second after Tulsa loaded the bases on a walk to Johan Mieses, a base hit by Barlow and another walk issued to Mejia. With two outs, Rios stepped up to the plate and forced in a run with a hit-by-pitch to draw the Drillers to within 4-3.
After two scoreless innings, the Drillers tied the ballgame in the fifth. Jacob Scavuzzo began the inning reaching on a hit-by-pitch before eventually coming around to score on a Jose Miguel Fernandez sacrifice fly to knot the game at 4-4.
Ralston Cash came on for Barlow in the sixth and delivered a scoreless inning on the mound before sparking a Tulsa rally at the plate in the home half of the frame.
Cash led off the bottom of the sixth with a base hit which seemed to rattle San Antonio reliever Kyle McGrath as he then plunked Tim Locastro to put runners on first and second with no outs. Mejia advanced both runners up a base to bring Rios to the plate. With first base open, the Missions decided to pitch to Rios and he made them pay with a three-run shot into the Drillers bullpen to put Tulsa in front 8-4. The homer was Rios' ninth of the season.
San Antonio's Ty France hit a pinch-hit solo homer in the top half of the eighth to pull the Missions to within 8-5, but Fernandez answered the blast with one of his own in the home half of the frame to maintain the Tulsa four-run advantage.
Although the Missions added another solo home run in the ninth, Corey Copping kept the Drillers lead intact as he closed out the ninth for his third save of the season.
Cash earned the victory for Tulsa in relief to even his record at 2-2 while McGrath took the loss for San Antonio.
The Drillers and Missions will now play the rubber game of their three-game set tomorrow night. Taking the mound for Tulsa will be RHP Andrew Sopko (0-4, 4.81 ERA) while San Antonio will counter with RHP Enyel De Los Santos (2-3, 5.26 ERA). First pitch at ONEOK Field is scheduled for 7:05 PM.
