Drillers Take Opening Day Victory Over Missions
TULSA, Okla. (April 2, 2026) — Before an Opening Day crowd of 7,314 at ONEOK Field, the Tulsa Drillers made their fans happy with a 5-1 win over the San Antonio Missions to begin the 2026 season. Luis Verdugo homered to give the Missions their lone run, but Tulsa’s patience
TULSA, Okla. (April 2, 2026) — Before an Opening Day crowd of 7,314 at ONEOK Field, the Tulsa Drillers made their fans happy with a 5-1 win over the San Antonio Missions to begin the 2026 season. Luis Verdugo homered to give the Missions their lone run, but Tulsa’s patience paid off as 10 walks helped them score their five tallies.
Missions starter Victor Lizarraga flirted with trouble from the start. Despite allowing just two hits, the righty walked six Drillers, including three straight in the second inning. Joe Vetrano did Lizarraga a favor by swinging at the first pitch and grounding into a double play, but the Drillers did jump ahead 1-0.
The Drillers didn’t get their first hit until there were two out in the third, when Zyhir Hope laced a single into right field. Josue De Paula, who had reached base via a walk and then stole a bag, scored on the knock to make it 2-0.
That lead held firm for much of the night as Tulsa starter Luke Fox entered quite a rhythm. After Ethan Salas and Ryan Jackson each singled in the first, Fox went on to retire the next 13 Missions. As Fox began the sixth, however, Verdugo struck for a solo homer to left that gave the Missions their first run of the season.
With their lead cut in half, Tulsa struck back quickly. Andrew Thurman replaced Lizarraga in the sixth, making his first appearance in affiliated baseball since 2017. Thurman struck out Hope in an impressive beginning to his outing, but the Drillers then made things difficult. A single and walk set the table for Griffin Lockwood-Powell, whose lengthy at bat ended in an RBI single that gave Tulsa a 3-1 lead.
With trouble brewing, Harry Gustin entered for Thurman with two runners still on. He froze Jake Gelof to limit the damage, sending the game to the seventh. Fox finally left the game after six full innings, but while the Missions brought the tying-run to the plate, Evan Shaw and Roque Gutierrez combined to end the threat.
Gustin remained on to start the seventh, where the top of the order got to him. Kendall George scurried to second on a hustle double, and he came around to score on De Paula’s single. De Paula tried extending the hit into a double, but Braedon Karpathios gunned him down at second. Still, Tulsa’s lead grew to 4-1.
The Drillers added a run against Johan Moreno in the eighth off a pitch timer violation that gave George a bases-loaded walk to bring in a run. The 5-1 lead provided plenty of comfort for Tulsa, who used Christian Suarez in the ninth to seal the Opening Day win.
Up Next:
The Missions and Drillers continue their three-game series on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. Righty Miguel Mendez takes the bump for San Antonio while lefty Adam Serwinowski throws for Tulsa. Catch all the action on Country Legends KKYX, 680 AM, 104.9 FM and kkyx.com.
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The San Antonio Missions are the Double-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The Missions were established in 1888 and have brought affordable family fun to the Alamo City for more than 120 seasons. The 13-time Texas League champions play their home games at Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium. For more information and tickets, call 210-675-7275 or visit samissions.com.