Drillers Fall to Frisco

FRISCO, TX - The Tulsa Drillers bats were quieted on Saturday night in a 5-1 loss to the Frisco RoughRiders at Dr Pepper Ballpark. The RoughRIders recorded five extra-base hits, while the Tulsa hitters were held to just five singles on the night. It was the final meeting of the regular season between the two teams.
After starting the season 6-0 against the RoughRiders, Frisco was victorious in four of its final six meetings against the Drillers. Tulsa took the season series 8-4.
The Drillers rallied for their only run of the game in the top of the sixth. With one out, Drew Avans got things started with a leadoff single, and Zach McKinstry drew a walk. After a wild pitch allowed the runners to move up to second and third, Cristian Santana knocked in a run with a groundout.
Tulsa once again elected to use an opener in the game, and Logan Salow was called upon to get the nod on the mound. Salow pitched well in his outing, striking out two while recording the first five outs of the game.
In his last three appearances following an opener, Parker Curry had allowed a combined two earned runs on six hits in 16.2 innings. Curry relieved Salow with two outs in the bottom of the second and retired the final batter of the inning. After a scoreless third, the RoughRiders were able to score five times against Curry.
Frisco scored its first runs of the night in the fourth. After a leadoff single, consecutive run-scoring doubles by Preston Beck and Eliezer Álvarez gave the RoughRiders a 2-0 lead.
The RoughRiders quickly doubled its lead an inning later. After a four-pitch leadoff walk to Yonny Hernandez, Isiah Kiner-Falefa followed with a two-run homer, doubling Frisco's lead to 4-0.
After Tulsa got on the board in the top of the sixth, Curry surrendered his fifth run of the night to the RoughRiders in the bottom half of the inning. Alvarez knocked in his second run of the game with a solo home run, giving Frisco a 5-1 lead.
The Drillers got a pair of base runners in the final three innings, but were unable to bring them around to score.
WHAT YOU MISSED
Drillers catcher Rocky Gale made a nice defensive play in the bottom of the fifth. After Leody Taveras led the inning off with a double, the Frisco outfielder took too much of a secondary lead on the first pitch of the next at bat. Errol Robinson snuck in behind Taveras, and Gale made a perfect throw to Robinson to get the out.
Jordan Sheffield did not allow a baserunner and struck out a batter in a scoreless inning of relief.
McKinstry stole his seventh base of the year in the top of the fourth.
The Drillers were 0-4 with runners in scoring position.
UP NEXT: Tulsa at Midland, Saturday, July 26, at 7:00 PM at Security Bank Ballpark in Midland, TX. Tulsa starter TBA vs. RHP Matt Milburn (5-7, 5.40 ERA).