Drillers Drop Final Game of Homestand to Midland

TULSA - The Tulsa Drillers concluded a seven-game homestand Monday night with a second straight loss to Midland. The RockHounds generated all their offense in the first five innings to take a lead they would not relinquish in sending the Drillers to a 7-3 loss. The loss was a missed opportunity for Tulsa who could have moved into a first-place tie in the North Division standing of the Texas League with a win.
The two teams traded runs in the first three innings. The RockHounds opened the scoring in the top of the second when Edwin Diaz singled and scored on a two-out hit from Brallan Perez.
Carlos Rincon got the run back for the Drillers in the bottom of the third with his fifth Double-A homer of the season. The opposite-field, solo liner tied the score at 1-1.
Midland used a homer to go back in front in the fourth, as Diaz doubled in front of Nate Mondou's fourth long ball of the season that gave the Hounds a two-run lead. The inning continued with Perez singling, stealing second and scoring on a base hit by Chase Calabuig that made it 4-1.
The offense continued in the bottom half of the fourth as Cristian Santana doubled and scored on a base hit by Angelo Mora. The Drillers cut the Midland lead to 4-3 on the following pitch when Connor Wong lined a double to the right-center field wall that plated Mora.
Midland responded with a two-out rally in the fifth. With two outs and the bases empty, Tulsa starting pitcher Justin De Fratus hit Dan Gamache with a pitch. It proved costly as Diaz followed with his third hit of the night to put runners at first and third. Mondou then reached safely when he beat out a soft chopper to the left of third base, as Gamache scored. The RockHounds lead swelled to 7-3 when former Oklahoma State University catcher Collin Theroux lined a double just inside the third base bag to score both Diaz and Mondou and cap their second consecutive three-run inning.
Midland used a group of five pitchers to cover the victory with no hurler working more than two innings.

WHAT YOU MISSED
With the defeat, Tulsa finished with a losing record in its final homestand of July. The Drillers were 3-4 after splitting the four games with Midland and losing two of three games with Frisco.
Monday's defeat leaves the Drillers one game behind Springfield and Arkansas who are tied atop the TL's North Division standings.
Midland manager Scott Steinmann was ejected by home plate umpire Jose Matamoros in the bottom of the fourth inning for apparently disagreeing on balls and strikes calls.
It was a tough night for De Fratus. The right-hander was charged with seven runs on ten hits in just five innings of work. The loss dropped his Drillers season record to 5-6.
The home run by Rincon was his first since June 18, the opening game of the second half of the season.
The Drillers will not be in action on Tuesday prior to opening an important seven-game road trip on Wednesday. The trip will begin with a three-game series in Frisco with the RoughRiders. That series will be followed by another four-game set with the RockHounds in Midland that will conclude the month of July.
    

UP NEXT:  Tulsa at Frisco, Wednesday, July 24, 7:05 PM at Dr Pepper Ballpark in Frisco, TX. RHP Jo Jo Gray (0-1, 5.06 ERA) versus RHP Jason Bahr (0-2, 5.92 ERA).