Drillers Drop Finale in Midland to Close First Half
MIDLAND, TX – An eighth-inning rally hurt the Tulsa Drillers as they dropped a series finale to the Midland RockHounds 5-3 on Sunday afternoon at Momentum Bank Ballpark. Tulsa carried a 3-2 lead into the eighth inning before two home runs gave the RockHounds all the runs they needed as
MIDLAND, TX – An eighth-inning rally hurt the Tulsa Drillers as they dropped a series finale to the Midland RockHounds 5-3 on Sunday afternoon at Momentum Bank Ballpark. Tulsa carried a 3-2 lead into the eighth inning before two home runs gave the RockHounds all the runs they needed as Tulsa dropped the final game of the first half.
Starting pitcher Landon Knack began the game by allowing just three hits through the first three innings. The Drillers offense could only manage three hits in the first three frames, but both teams broke through to score a run in the third inning.
Andy Pages put Tulsa on the board with his 12th home run of the season, giving the Drillers a 1-0 lead.
The RockHounds responded by hitting a double and two singles to score their run and bring the game to a 1-1 tie.
Following Devin Mann’s single in the sixth inning, Tulsa took a 3-1 lead on one swing with James Outman’s two-run homer.
Midland brought the score to within one run in the bottom of the sixth. Following a double and a single to put runners at first and third, Shane Selman hit a sacrifice fly as Tulsa’s lead was cut to 3-2.
Two big swings gave the RockHounds the lead in the eighth. Brett Harris tied the game with a solo home run on the second pitch of the at-bat. Following the home run, Midland had a runner reach first base on a fielding error from Leonel Valera. The error immediately hurt Tulsa as William Simoneit hit the second home run to bring the score to 5-3 to give Midland the final lead of the game.
HIGHLIGHTS AND HAPPENINGS:
*Knack finished the game with ten strikeouts. With his Tuesday start, Knack finished with 15 strikeouts against Midland this week.
*Nick Robertson recorded four outs in the seventh inning as Jeremy Eierman reached bases on a dropped third strike.
*Outman’s home run tied him for the second-most in the Texas League with 16 on the season.
*Tulsa’s pitching staff finished with the lowest ERA in the Texas League this week at 2.25.
*The game took just two hours and nine minutes to complete.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers return to ONEOK Field to face the Arkansas Travelers for the first time this season in a six-game series that will open the second half of the season. Game one is scheduled for Tuesday, June 28 at 7:05 p.m. and the pitching matchup is expected to be:
Tulsa – TBA
Midland – RHP Emerson Hancock (1-2, 2.10 ERA)