Drillers Drop Homestand Opener to Sod Dogs
Tulsa, OK- The Tulsa Drillers suffered their second shutout loss of the season Tuesday night in the opening game of a six-game homestand at ONEOK Field. The Drillers were limited to just three hits and were blanked 4-0 by the Amarillo Sod Dogs. The loss dropped the Drillers out of
Tulsa, OK- The Tulsa Drillers suffered their second shutout loss of the season Tuesday night in the opening game of a six-game homestand at ONEOK Field. The Drillers were limited to just three hits and were blanked 4-0 by the Amarillo Sod Dogs. The loss dropped the Drillers out of a first-place tie and one-game behind the Dogs in the North Division standings of the Texas Collegiate League.
The Sod Dogs went in front with a run in the top of the third inning. With two outs and the bases empty, Kurtis Byrne drew a walk, and Gene Wood singled. Enrique Porchas followed with a ground-rule double that brought Byrne home with the game’s first run.
The lead increased to 4-0 in the fifth as the Sod Dogs loaded the bases when the first three batters reached against reliever Zach Maxwell with a pair of walks and a base hit. Lefthander Shane Mejia replaced Maxwell and dropped a hit in front of a diving Alec Sanchez in shallow center field. The ball skipped by Sanchez as all three base runners raced home.
Amarillo starting pitcher Mathew Orozco was outstanding. The Cal Poly Pomona attendee allowed just one hit in 4.2 shutout innings in improving his season record to 2-0.
Three Sod Dogs relievesr combined to complete the shutout.
TULSA HITTERS: Sanchez finished 0-4, ending his season-high 8-game hitting streak.
ORU’s Ryan Cash accounted for two of Tulsa’s three hits in the game.
USC’s Ben Ramirez had the other hit for the Drillers, an eighth-inning single.
TULSA PITCHERS: Hunter Barco, who earlier in the day was named the TCL North Division’s Pitcher of the Week, made his third start of the season. The lefthander pitched three innings, surrendering one run on four hits. Barco has now allowed just 2 runs in 11 innings pitched this season.
Mejia worked 3.2 scoreless, relief innings. The Nicholls State attendee allowed four hits and one walk while striking out four.
Newcomer Paul Rector and lefthander Adam Tulloch each recorded two outs to finish the game.
UP NEXT: Tulsa and the Sod Dogs will play the second game of their three-game set on Wednesday night at ONEOK Field. First pitch in downtown Tulsa is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Tickets are available for purchase by clicking HERE. The game can also be viewed online with a subscription to TCL-TV.
The starting pitchers are scheduled to be:
Amarillo Sod Dogs – RHP Peyton Hutson (0-0, 5.14 ERA)
Victoria – LHP Garrett Crowley (1-0, 2.70 ERA)