Yarbrough's Heroics Fall Short In 4-3 Loss

TULSA, OK. - Cristhian Adames ended a thrilling game at ONEOK Field with a two-out single in the tenth inning to deliver the winning run handing the Tulsa Drillers a 4-3 victory over the Arkansas Travelers. With three base hits, Adames led the Drillers to their first playoff win over the Travs since 1998 and tied the best-of-five north division series at 1-1.

Kevin Johnson, the fourth pitcher used by the Travs, set down two in a row to begin the tenth inning when Chris O'Dowd grounded a single to center field. Delta Cleary followed with a fly ball that fell between Matt Long and Drew Heid in right-center field sending O'Dowd to third. Adames lined the second pitch over third base for the game-winning base hit.

The game would not have moved into extra innings would it not have been for a dramatic two-out home run by Travs second baseman Alex Yarbrough. Trailing 3-1 and facing Drillers closer Cole White, who had been successful in his last 16 save chances, the Texas League Player of the Year smacked a high fly over the right field fence to tie the game. White had entered with one out and nobody on base, but walked Maikol Gonzalez to bring the tying run to the plate.

For the first six innings Orangel Arenas and Tyler Anderson traded scoreless frames and has faced just one batter over the minimum heading to the seventh inning. Arenas, who retired 18 straight batters after a first-inning leadoff walk, carried a no-hitter into the seventh. Anderson, the Texas League Pitcher of the Year, gave up just an infield hit and a walk in six innings.

The first break through was a solo home run by Travs first baseman Brian Hernandez with two outs in the seventh inning, just the fourth home run allowed by Anderson this season and the first hit by a Traveler.

The lead did not last long because Adames led off the seventh inning by swatting the second pitch from Arenas over the right field wall. Arenas was pulled after hitting Ryan Casteel with one out. Buddy Boshers worked out of the bullpen and gave up a double to the right field fence by Brian Humphries to set up Trevor Story with runners at second and third. He singled to center field on a line drive scoring both for a 3-1 Tulsa lead.

Arenas was charged with two runs in 6.1 innings on just one hit and one walk with four strikeouts. Anderson finished seven innings with one run on two hits and a walk and six strikeouts.

Kraig Sitton replaced Anderson for the eighth and retired four batters in a row and handed the lead to White in the ninth inning.

The series moves to Dickey-Stephens Park on Friday night with Tyler DeLoach (4-0, 2.29) set to pitch for the Travs against Carlos Hernandez (5-7, 2.68). First pitch will come at 7:10 p.m. and the gates open at 6:10 p.m.