Rodriguez and Hope Back Bullpen in Drillers Win

Tulsa OK – One day after hitting 7 home runs and scoring 17 runs to record a victory over San Antonio, the Tulsa Drillers relied on their bullpen to gain another win on Wednesday afternoon at ONEOK Field. In what was dubbed a bullpen game, five Tulsa relievers combined to limit the Missions to just three runs as the Drillers again came from behind to post a 4-3 victory.

It was the second straight win for the Drillers, and it improved their season record to 16-7. In seven of those wins, they have trailed at some point in the game.

BOXSCORE

For one of the few times this season, the Drillers did not score first. The Missions jumped in front by plating the game’s first three runs.

The opening run came quickly when Kai Murphy doubled on Evan Shaw’s first pitch of the game. Romeo Sanabria followed with a soft liner to centerfield that fell in for a base hit that scored Murphy.

Consecutive homers in the top of the fourth upped the Missions lead to 3-0. Leandro Cedeno drove a pitch from Carson Hobbs over the centerfield fence for the first home, and Tirso Ornelas came next with a towering fly ball that cleared the fence just inside the right field foul pole.

The Drillers used a pair of home runs of their own to tie the score. In the bottom of the fourth, Zyhir Hope produced his fifth of the season, a two-run blast to right field that carried 426 feet and landed on Elgin Avenue.

Frank Rodriguez tied the score at 3-3 with a solo homer in the bottom of the fifth. It was the catcher’s first-ever home run at the Double-A level.

It would not be the last big hit for Rodriguez. The Drillers finally took the lead in the lead in the seventh, and Rodriguez was again involved. With one out, Jake Gelof singled and Chris Newell walked. The Tulsa catcher came through again when he lined a double into left-center field to bring Gelof home with the go-ahead run.

The bullpen continued its strong work to close out the game.

After Nick Robertson retired all five batters he faced, Cam Day took over. The right-hander completed the eighth by getting the final two outs, but the ninth inning was not as easy.

After getting the leadoff batter in the ninth, a hit batter and a double put runners at second and third with one out. With the potential tying run just 90 feet from home, Day enticed a pair of pop ups to complete the one-run victory.

It made a winner out of Robertson. The right-hander has not allowed a run in 8 games and 13.0 innings pitched this season. The decision improved his record to a perfect 4-0.

Day was credited with his second save of the year.

The Tulsa bullpen is now a combined 10-0 on the season.

GAME NOTES

*The game marked a rarity for the Drillers. It was just the sixth time in 23 games this season that they did not score first.

*For Shaw, it was the first start of his professional career after 53 relief appearances. The lefthander allowed just the first-inning run in two complete innings. He gave up three hits and zero walks while striking out two.

*Hobbs followed Shaw and was charged with two runs, on the two solo homers, in two innings of work. Maddux Bruns was next out of the bullpen, and he turned in one of his best outings of the season. Bruns gave up two hits and just one walk in 1.2 scoreless innings while striking out two.

*Tulsa leadoff hitter Kendall George was held without a hit. It marked just the third time in 20 games this season that he has not had at least one hit.

*Hope continues to shine in day games. In six day games this year, he is hitting .542 with 4 home runs and 12 runs batted in.

*The Drillers won despite being out-hit 9-4 in the game with Rodriguez accounting for half of the four.

UP NEXT

The Drillers will be back in action Thursday evening at ONEOK Field as they continue their series with the Missions. First pitch in downtown Tulsa is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and the starting pitchers are expected to be:

SA - LHP Fernando Sanchez (1-1, 7.59 ERA)
TUL – RHP Patrick Copen (3-0, 1.23 ERA)