Drillers Hot Streak Continues with Shutout Win
TULSA, OK – Just hours after celebrating a walk-off win over Arkansas, the Tulsa Drillers continued their winning ways Wednesday afternoon at ONEOK Field. Four Tulsa pitchers combined to shut out the Travelers, and the offense generated just enough support to post a 2-0 victory. The win keeps the Drillers
TULSA, OK – Just hours after celebrating a walk-off win over Arkansas, the Tulsa Drillers continued their winning ways Wednesday afternoon at ONEOK Field. Four Tulsa pitchers combined to shut out the Travelers, and the offense generated just enough support to post a 2-0 victory.
The win keeps the Drillers in the middle of the Texas League’s first-half title race. Their win, combined with Springfield’s loss to Northwest Arkansas, moved Tulsa to within 3.0 games of the first-place Cardinals in the TL’s North Division. The second-place Travs remained ½ game behind the Redbirds.
Wednesday’s win improved the Drillers season record to 30-29, marking the first time since April 27 that they have been above the .500 mark. They have now won 3 games in a row and 17 of their past 25.
Two of the heroes from Tuesday’s ninth-inning rally combined to produce Wednesday’s first run. Jose Ramos singled to open the Drillers’ half of the third inning and moved into scoring position with a steal of second base. After a strikeout, and with Bubba Alleyne at the plate, Ramos broke for third. On the pitch, Alleyne lined a double down the left field to easily score Ramos and give Tulsa a 1-0 lead.
The Drillers doubled the margin in the fourth, and again Ramos was involved. With two outs and the bases empty, Diego Cartaya singled. Ramos followed with a lined hit into left-center field, and when center fielder Blake Rambusch bobbled the ball, Cartaya never slowed down rounding third and scored to up the lead to 2-0.
Tulsa starting pitcher Orlando Ortiz-Mayr was outstanding, turning in his second scoreless outing of the season. The right-hander pitched 5.1 innings and allowed five walks but just two hits while recording three strikeouts.
The bullpen was just as impressive. Ronan Kopp worked 1.1 innings before departing with two outs and runners at second and third in the seventh inning. It set up an impressive Double-A debut for Edgardo Henriquez. The hard throwing right-hander had just been promoted from High A Great Lakes and adjusted to his new level quickly. Henriquez ended the seventh by striking out Ben Williamson on three pitches, all registering 101 m.p.h. on the stadium’s radar gun.
After Henriquez worked around a leadoff walk in a scoreless eighth, Logan Boyer came on for the ninth. Boyer worked a 1-2-3 frame to close out the shut-out win and pick up his fourth save of the season.
INSIDE THE GAME
*It marked the third shutout of the year for Tulsa. Two have taken place at ONEOK Field.
*The win for Ortiz-Mayr improved his record to 2-4.
*Arkansas totaled only three hits in the game, matching a season low for a Drillers opponent.
*The Drillers matched a season high with four stolen bases in the game. The third inning steal by Ramos was his third of the year and all three have come in the past three games.
*Taylor Young stole his team-leading 21st base, and he is now 21-24 in steal attempts this season.
*A trade by the Los Angeles Dodgers was made official just as Wednesday’s game was beginning. The Dodgers traded pitcher Braydon Fisher, who was on the Drillers roster, to the Toronto Blue Jays for infielder Cavan Biggio.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers and Travelers will resume their six-game series with game three on Thursday night in downtown Tulsa. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at ONEOK Field, and the starting pitchers are expected to be:
ARK – RHP Juan Mercedes (3-2, 2.50 ERA)
TUL – RHP Kendall Williams (2-6, 7.91 ERA)