Drillers Complete Sweep, Return to ONEOK Field Undefeated at 3-0
SPRINGDALE, AR – The Tulsa Drillers are off to a hot start in the 2024 season. On Sunday afternoon, the Drillers completed a three-game series sweep against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals and left Arvest Ballpark with a perfect 3-0 record. The win was fueled by three home runs and 17
SPRINGDALE, AR – The Tulsa Drillers are off to a hot start in the 2024 season. On Sunday afternoon, the Drillers completed a three-game series sweep against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals and left Arvest Ballpark with a perfect 3-0 record.
The win was fueled by three home runs and 17 hits as Tulsa foiled a Naturals comeback to earn a 12-9 win. The Drillers have reached double figures in runs scored in consecutive games.
The sunny afternoon began with both sides trading solo home runs. Caden Wallace put the Naturals ahead in the bottom of the first inning, and Brendon Davis tied the game in the top of the second.
The Drillers took a lead they would not surrender with a second seven-run inning in as many games. In the third inning, Dalton Rushing, Jose Ramos, Brandon Lewis and a wild pitch plated four runs. Austin Beck capped the big inning with a three-run homer to put Tulsa ahead 8-1.
Ramos gave Tulsa its ninth run in the fourth with his first home run of the season.
Northwest Arkansas did not let the Drillers get comfortable with their seven-run lead. The Naturals made the score 10-7 with four runs in the fourth inning and two in the fifth.
Northwest Arkansas narrowed Tulsa's lead to one run in the seventh inning, but in the ninth, the Drillers scored two insurance runs on Lolo Sanchez’s fourth hit of the game, which proved enough to earn the three-game sweep.
INSIDE THE GAME
*The Drillers earned 17 hits in the game. The 17 hits surpassed the Drillers 2023 season high of 16 hits in a game.
*Reliever Ryan Sublette made his season debut on Sunday afternoon and was credited with the win. The Chicago native tossed two scoreless innings with three strikeouts.
*Rushing, Ramos, Brendon Davis, Beck, and Sanchez recorded multiple hits, with Sanchez leading the way with four.
*Sanchez finished the series with a .462 batting average, recording four RBI and three runs scored.
*Michael Flynn made his first appearance on the mound for the Drillers since joining the team from Oklahoma City on April 4. Flynn, who pitched for the Arkansas Travelers last season, earned his first save with the club, pitching two scoreless innings with three strikeouts.
*Tulsa pitchers allowed just one walk on the afternoon.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers will make their 2024 debut at ONEOK Field on Tuesday, April 9 when they begin a six-game series against the Arkansas Travelers. First pitch for the home opener is set for 7:00 p.m. and the starting pitchers are scheduled to be:
ARK- Juan Mercedes
TUL- Kendall Williams