Drillers Edge Travs

The Tulsa Drillers got a pair of home runs from Kiel Roling and Wilin Rosario and another strong outing from starting pitcher Cory Riordan to defeat Arkansas 6-5 Saturday night at ONEOK Field. It was the second straight victory for the Drillers and moved them to within ½ game of first-place Northwest Arkansas in the North Division standings, pending the outcome of the second game of a doubleheader for the Naturals.

Riordan continued his streak of impressive outings as he has allowed two runs or less for the fuorth time in his last five starts. The right-hander surrendered only two runs off five hits over seven innings of work.

Colorado Rockies shortstop and National League All-Star Troy Tulowitzki finished 1-4 with a double in the first game of what will be at least a two-game injury rehabilitation assignment with the Drillers.

The Drillers fell behind early when the Travelers plated a run in the top of the second inning as Charlton Jimerson singled and eventually scored on a base hit by Nick Gorneault.

Tulsa responded in the bottom of the inning with Kiel Roling belting a line-drive, two-run homer to straight-away center to put the Drillers in front 2-1.

After Charlie Blackmon singled in the sixth inning, Wilin Rosario drove a fly ball over the right field wall that landed in the Drillers bullpen. The catcher's team-leading 18th home run of the season and his fifth in his last five games pushed the Tulsa lead to 4-1.

Gorneault smashed a fly ball into the top tier of the Budweiser Terrace in the seventh inning to cut the Drillers advantage to 4-2.

Tulsa quickly responded and put two important insurance runs on the board in the bottom of the inning to extend its lead to four runs. Scott Beerer led off with a double and came around to score on a double by Roling. After Roling advanced to third on a wild pitch, he raced home on a base hit by Anthony Jackson.

Arkansas trimmed the Drillers lead to 6-4 in the top of the eighth. Carlos Colmenares and Alexi Amarista singled, and Jimerson followed with a base hit that plated Colmerares. Amarista eventually scored on a groundout by Jeremy Moore.

The Travs made things uncomfortable in the ninth when Ryan Mount led off with a solo home run against Tulsa closer Stu Pomeranz to trim the lead to a single run. Pomeranz was able to avoid further damage by setting down the next three batters to pick up his 11th save of the season.

Roling led the Driller offense going 2-3 with three runs batted in and two runs scored. His second inning homer was his 8th of the year.

The win for Riordan improved his record to 5-4.

Tulsa and Arkansas will play the third game of their four-game series Sunday night. Keith Weiser (7-6, 4.06 ERA) will take the mound for the Drillers against Ryan Brasier (5-8, 5.90 ERA) of the Travelers. Starting time is scheduled for 6:05PM at ONEOK Field.