Tulsa Drops Second Straight to Naturals
Springdale, AR – The Tulsa Drillers got 12 hits, including two long homers from Chris Newell, and scored 7 runs on Saturday night, but it was not enough to produce a win at Northwest Arkansas. The Naturals enjoyed an even bigger night at the plate with 15 hits and 9
Springdale, AR – The Tulsa Drillers got 12 hits, including two long homers from Chris Newell, and scored 7 runs on Saturday night, but it was not enough to produce a win at Northwest Arkansas. The Naturals enjoyed an even bigger night at the plate with 15 hits and 9 runs and handed the Drillers a 9-7 loss at Arvest Ballpark.
It was the second straight defeat for Tulsa and cut its lead for the second and final playoff spot from the Texas League’s North Division down to three games.
The scoring started early with each team plating two runs in the second inning. Taylor Young opened the scoring with a two-run single in the top half of the second, but Julio Rodriguez answered with a two-run double in the bottom of the inning.
Yeiner Fernandez put Tulsa back in front with an RBI single in the top of the third, but the Naturals again answered with a run of their own, tying the score at 3-3.
A two-run fifth inning from the Naturals left the Drillers trailing, and they would remain behind for the rest of the games.
Newell’s first homer, measured at 454 feet, pulled the Drillers to within 5-4 in the sixth inning, but they would get no closer.
Northwest Arkansas plated two runs in the bottom of the fifth and two more in the sixth to increase its lead to 9-4.
The Drillers tried to rally, scoring three runs in the top of the eighth. Kyle Nevin singled, and Newell followed with another long home run, his second of the night and his 17th of the season, to trim the deficit to 9-6.
After the homer, Fernandez singled and advanced to third on a double by Kole Myers. With runners at second and third and one out, Young singled home Fernandez, but the rally was thwarted when Myers was thrown out at the plate also attempting to score on the hit.
Trailing 9-7, Tulsa got a leadoff walk in the ninth inning, but Naturals reliever Christian Chamberlain recovered to retire the next three batters to end the game.
INSIDE THE GAME
*Newell finished the night with three hits, two homers, three runs scored and three runs driven in. He has now reached base safely in 34 straight games, the second longest on-base streak in the Texas League this season. The Drillers Griffin Lockwood-Powell reached safely in 36 consecutive games earlier this year.
*Newell also added a stolen base and is now a perfect 21 for 21 in steal attempts this season. Young stole his team-leading 36th bag.
*It was a tough night for Drillers pitchers. Starter Jackson Ferris lasted just four innings, giving up four runs on eight hits and three walks. The lefthander needed 96 pitches to record just 12 outs.
*Jacob Meador followed Ferris to the mound and recorded only two outs after giving up two hits and issuing four walks in the fifth inning. Meador was charged with the loss, dropping his record to 1-7.
*Kelvin Bautista was charged with the final two runs from the Naturals in 1.1 relief innings.
UP NEXT
The Drillers will close out their series in Northwest Arkansas on Sunday afternoon at Arvest Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. and the starting pitchers are expected to be:
Tulsa – LHP Luke Fox (0-1, 3.20 ERA)
NW Arkansas – LHP Frank Mozzicato (2-4, 9.28 ERA)