Drillers Fall to Sod Poodles Again
Tulsa, OK – The Tulsa Drillers possessed two different leads Saturday night against Amarillo, but both disappeared due to three home runs from the Sod Poodles and five errors from the Drillers. The homers and the errors helped to provide Amarillo with a 6-4 win over the Drillers at ONEOK
Tulsa, OK – The Tulsa Drillers possessed two different leads Saturday night against Amarillo, but both disappeared due to three home runs from the Sod Poodles and five errors from the Drillers. The homers and the errors helped to provide Amarillo with a 6-4 win over the Drillers at ONEOK Field.
The five errors matched a season high for Tulsa.
In the current six-game series between the two teams, Amarillo now holds a 3-2 lead heading into Sunday afternoon’s series finale.
The Drillers opened Saturday’s game by scoring a run in the first inning. With two outs, Amarillo starter Jose Cabrera walked four straight Tulsa hitters to force in a run.
The Sod Poodles used two hits, a sacrifice bunt, and a force-out at second base to plate two runs in the second inning and take a 2-1 lead.
The Drillers answered with a run in the bottom of the second and two in the third to regain the lead. Kole Myers led off the bottom of the second with a double and later scored on Ezequiel Pagan’s single.
In the third, Taylor Young scored when John Rhodes grounded into a force out at second base, and two batters later, Sean McLain drove in Rhodes with his single to put the Drillers ahead 4-2.
At one point, it appeared as if the Drillers could overcome the errors, but the three home runs changed that. Kristian Robinson and Tommy Troy hit consecutive shots to score three runs and give Amarillo a 5-4 lead.
Jesus Valdez hit another homer in the seventh to increase the lead to 6-4.
Three Amarillo relievers held Tulsa silent over the final five innings. Landon Sims worked the last two innings to close the game and record the save.
INSIDE THE GAME
*It was Mickey Mantle Night at Saturday’s game with fans receiving special rings that commemorate Mantle’s 1962 Gold Glove Award. Mickey’s sons, David and Danny Mantle, were in attendance and met and visited with fans during the game.
*The Drillers offense was unable to take advantage of nine walks drawn, with just one coming in to score. Tulsa finished 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 runners on base.
*Tulsa starting pitcher Jared Karros set a new career high by pitching 6.1 innings, but he suffered the loss, dropping his record to 1-5. He was charged with five earned runs, but did not issue a walk and struck out six. Home runs have troubled Karros this season, as he has now surrendered 16.
*Griffin Lockwood-Powell reached base by drawing a walk to extend his on-base streak to 19 consecutive games. He is one game shy of matching the team high this season set by Jose Ramos from April 12-May 7.
*Chris Newell drew three more walks in the game to increase his total to 37 for the season, the second most in the Texas League.
*Myers' run in the second inning increased his scoring streak to six straight games, with eight runs scored in that span.
*Tulsa relievers Ronan Kopp and Lucas Wepf did not allow a run over the final 2.2 innings and they combined to strike out six.
UP NEXT
The Drillers and Sod Poodles will conclude their series on Sunday afternoon at ONEOK Field. Starting time for the final game of the six-game set will begin at 1:00 p.m. and the starting pitchers are expected to be:
Amarillo – RHP Cesar Gomez (1-1, 3.50 ERA)
Tulsa – RHP Peter Heubeck (1-3, 5.40 ERA)