De Paula and Sirota Lead Tulsa to 10-3 Win
Wichita, KS – Earlier in the day on Wednesday, Tulsa Drillers outfielders and #1 and #2 prospects in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, Josue De Paula and Mike Sirota, were announced as participants for the National League in the MLB All-Star Futures Game. That evening, the teammates showed why they
Wichita, KS – Earlier in the day on Wednesday, Tulsa Drillers outfielders and #1 and #2 prospects in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, Josue De Paula and Mike Sirota, were announced as participants for the National League in the MLB All-Star Futures Game. That evening, the teammates showed why they were selected as they combined to hit three home runs, drive in six runs and score six runs, leading the Drillers to a big 10-3 win at Wichita’s Equity Bank Park.
The victory was Tulsa’s fourth straight against the Wind Surge in this season’s edition of the Coors Light Propeller Series. The Drillers now hold an 11-3 lead in the series and can win back the Propeller Trophy with 2 more victories, with 10 matchups remaining.
De Paula got the Drillers off to a quick start in their big victory, leading off the game with a double. After Sirota drew a walk, De Paula scored on Zyhir Hope’s RBI double. Sirota scored one batter later on Jake Gelof’s groundout to give the Drillers an early 2-0 advantage.
De Paula and Sirota made their presence felt again in the second inning as the pair put Tulsa ahead 5-0 with De Paula’s two-run homer and Sirota’s solo shot.
In the fourth, Taylor Young and Sean McLain each reached base on a double and single to set up De Paula, who singled to drive in his third run of the night. Sirota followed with a single that scored McLain for the Drillers seventh run. Later in the inning, Gelof doubled to score De Paula and put the Drillers ahead 8-0.
Tulsa starting pitcher Christian Zazueta took over from there as he was again dominant in his second Double-A start. His lone blemish came in the fourth when he gave up his first run with the Drillers when Andrew Cossetti led off the inning with a solo home run.
The Drillers added their final runs in the seventh and eighth innings when Young singled home Gelof and De Paula hit his second home run.
Wyatt Crowell replaced Zazueta on the mound in the fifth inning and pitched the next four innings, giving up two runs on two hits and two walks with two strikeouts.
Cam Day closed out the game by tossing a scoreless ninth inning with two strikeouts.
GAME NOTES
*Since Zazueta only worked four innings as the starter, Crowell was credited with the win to bring his record to 6-4.
*Tulsa now has 51 wins on the year, the most of any team in Double A.
*Zazueta’s night ended after he completed four innings and allowed just one run on four hits and one walk. He also struck out eight Wichita hitters and now has 16 punch outs in two starts with Tulsa.
*De Paula’s home runs were his 14th and 15th of the season, which is tied for the team lead. It was his first blast since June 18 and his second two-homer game this season. For Sirota, his homer was his sixth with Tulsa and his 13th overall.
*Sirota drew a walk in the first inning to extend his impressive on-base streak. He has now reached base safely in all 35 games he has played in with the Drillers. Before his promotion to Tulsa, the outfielder reached base in his final 30 games with High-A Great Lakes, giving him an overall 65-game, on-base streak. It is the longest on-base streak in professional baseball this season. The recent on-base record in Minor League Baseball is 74 straight games.
*Gelof doubled in the fourth inning to extend his on-base streak to 39 straight games, which marks the longest on-base streak this season in the Texas League, when just counting league games.
*De Paula finished a triple shy of the cycle as he recorded a single, a double and two home runs. It was his fourth four-hit game this season.
*Gelof finished with two runs driven in to bring his total to 40 for the season. He is now the sixth Tulsa hitter to record 40 or more RBI this season. De Paula leads the team with 64.
UP NEXT
The Drillers and Wind Surge will continue their series with game three of the six-game set on Thursday night at Equity Bank Park. Starting time is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. and the pitching matchup is expected to be:
Tulsa – LHP Adam Serwinowski (6-2, 4.78 ERA)
Wichita – RHP Preston Johnson (0-3, 4.71 ERA)