Drillers Suffer Third Straight Loss
TULSA, OK – The Tulsa Drillers recent struggles continued on Saturday night at ONEOK Field. After beginning the season with a three-game winning streak, Tulsa lost its third straight game on Saturday with a 3-2 loss to the Arkansas Travelers. The defeat dropped the Drillers the record to 4-4 marking
TULSA, OK – The Tulsa Drillers recent struggles continued on Saturday night at ONEOK Field. After beginning the season with a three-game winning streak, Tulsa lost its third straight game on Saturday with a 3-2 loss to the Arkansas Travelers. The defeat dropped the Drillers the record to 4-4 marking the first time this season they have not been above .500.
Robbie Tenerowicz continued to be trouble for the Drillers, contributing to the Travelers first two runs of the night. In the second inning, Tenerowicz hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Cole Young. In his next at-bat, Tenerowicz hit a solo home run into the Budweiser Terrace to put Arkansas ahead 2-0.
A second solo home run in the fifth inning from Tyler Locklear increased the Travelers lead to three runs.
The Drillers ended a 19-inning scoreless streak in the seventh inning with a pair of runs that cut their deficit to one run. Two singles and a walk quickly loaded the bases with zero outs. A fielding error resulted in Tulsa scoring its first run and kept the bases loaded. After a pop out, another walk forced in the Drillers second run to make the score 3-2. With a chance to tie the score, a pair of strikeouts ended the threat and the inning.
It was still a one-run game entering the bottom of the ninth, and Griffin Lockwood-Powell gave Tulsa with a leadoff single. That hope was quickly dashed as Bubba Alleyne pinch ran for Lockwood-Powell and was thrown out attempting to steal second base. Diego Cartaya and Brendon Davis followed with back-to-back strikeouts to end the Drillers chances.
INSIDE THE GAME
*Dalton Rushing left the game in the bottom of the first inning after a collision at first base. With runners at first and second, Rushing hit a potential double-play grounder to second. On the return throw to first, Rushing collided with Arkansas first baseman Tyler Locklear and landed awkwardly on his shoulder. He remained on the ground for several minutes before being escorted to the locker room by athletic trainer Jesse Guffey, but the injury was not believed to be serious.
*Making his second start of the season, Orlando Ortiz-Mayr received the loss. The Puerto Rico native was charged with three runs on five hits in five innings pitched.
*Taylor Young increased his batting average to .417 with two hits in the game. He also stole two bases and now has three for the season.
*Jack Little and Braydon Fisher each tossed scoreless innings and Antonio Knowles worked two scoreless frames from the bullpen. Fisher is one of four Tulsa pitchers to not allow a run in the first eight games.
*Against the Travs this week, Tulsa has stranded 51 runners on base. For the season, the Drillers’ offense has stranded 79 baserunners, the most in Double A.
*Tulsa pitchers recorded ten strikeouts in the game, and they have now struck out ten or more batters in seven of the eight games this season. The staff is second in all of Double-A with 97 strikeouts on the season.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers will wrap up their first home stand of the season on Sunday afternoon with the sixth game against the Travelers. Starting time for the finale is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and the starting pitchers are scheduled to be:
ARK – RHP Juan Mercedes (0-0, 1.80 ERA)
TUL - RHP Kendall Williams (0-0, 2.25 ERA)