Drillers Top First-Place Travelers

TULSA, OK - The Tulsa Drillers opened an important four-game series with first-place Arkansas Thursday night, and Justin De Fratus got the start on the mound. De Fratus came up big, putting together his best start of the season as he quieted the Travs' bats through six strong innings, helping the Drillers to an 8-2 victory at ONEOK Field.
The win moved the second-place Drillers to within 2.5 games of the first-place Travelers.
Keibert Ruiz had a big offensive night, finishing a perfect 4-4 that included a home run and two RBI. Cody Thomas was also perfect at the plate, going 3-3 with two walks and an RBI. The Drillers pounded out 15 hits in the win, and five different players knocked in a run.

GAME REPORT:
With a runner at second in the top of the first, Jared Walker came up with a clutch two-out single to give Tulsa a 1-0 lead.
The Travs evened things up in the top of the third with a solo-home run ninth-place hitter Aaron Knapp, but the Drillers regained the lead in the bottom half of the inning. With two outs and a runner at second, Thomas extended his hitting streak to eight games with a run-scoring single, giving the Drillers a 2-1 lead.
An inning later, Ruiz launched a low line drive that found its way over the left field wall and into the Busch Terrace for a solo-home run, his second of the season.
In the fifth inning, Tulsa Bishop Kelley and Oklahoma State product Donnie Walton knocked in a run for the Travs, but the Drillers got it right back in the bottom half of the fifth. With the bases loaded, Chris Parmelee drew a walk to extend the Drillers lead to 4-2.
The Drillers added three more in the seventh to secure the win. After three straight walks started the inning, Travs reliever Robinson Leyer uncorked a wild pitch that plated a run. Parmelee and Angelo Mora accounted for the other two runs with back-to-back RBI singles.
Ruiz extended the lead to 8-2 with an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth.

 
WHAT YOU MISSED
Thomas has been one of the Texas League's hottest hitters during his current eight-game hitting streak. Over the stretch, he is batting .452 with a pair of homers and eight RBI.
Mora extended his hitting streak to six games with his RBI single in the seventh.
*Outfielder Carlos Rincon made his Drillers debut in the win. Rincon started in left field and was 0-4 with a walk.
 
UP NEXT: Arkansas at Tulsa, Friday, May 17, 7:05 PM at ONEOK Field in Tulsa, OK. LHP Anthony Misiewicz (1-2, 2.14 ERA) vs. TBA.