Drillers Rally in Ninth, Fall in Extras

The Tulsa Drillers entered the bottom of the ninth down by a pair of runs against the Arkansas Travelers on Sunday afternoon, and rallied for a pair of runs to even things up at 6-6. After a scoreless 10^th inning, each team went back-and-fourth trading runs in each of the 11^th and 12^th innings. But the Travs broke through for three runs in the top of the 13^th, and the Drillers were unable to rally back as they were defeated 11-9 at ONEOK Field.
Michael Johnson was tasked with making the emergency start on the mound for the Drillers, and things did not go according to plan from the start. After recording two quick outs in the top of the first, the southpaw gave up a four-pitch walk, followed by Dario Pizzano hitting a towering fly-ball home run to right to give the Travs an early lead.
The Drillers picked their pitcher up in the bottom of the second. Tyler Goeddel and Keibert Ruiz singled to start the inning, and then Tyler Colvin roped a single to center that brought the first Drillers run home. Peter O'Brien also notched an RBI single to even things up at 2-2.
Shea Spitzbarth relieved Johnson, and got in some trouble in the fourth. After a leadoff double, a sharp grounder was hit to shortstop Mike Ahmed. The runner took off from second, and Ahmed made the short throw to third. But the attempt came to get the lead runner came up short. With runners at the corners, a sacrifice fly gave the Travs the lead. But Spitzbarth retired the last two batters and ended the threat.
Ruiz led the top of the sixth off by crushing a game-tying line drive homer that reached the grass berm in right. Angelo Mora and Colvin both singled to keep the rally going. Luke Raley then grounded to the first baseman and beat him to the bag for an RBI single, and gave the Drillers a 4-3 lead.
Chad Girodo relieved Spitzbarth and made it through the sixth unscathed. But in the seventh he allowed a single, a walk and the second Pizzano homer of the afternoon that put the Travs on top 6-4.
But the Drillers would not go down quietly. Down by two in the bottom of the ninth, Raley led the inning of with a blast to right that completely left the ballpark to cut the deficit to one. D.J. Peters then doubled and Joe singled to put runners at the corners. The next batter Tyler Goeddel grounded into a double play, but it plated the tying run.
After the Travs failed to score in the top of the tenth, Zach Reks started the bottom of the inning at second base for the Drillers. Colvin singled and Mora was intentionally walked to load the bases. The Drillers could not bring the winning run home after Peter O'Brien grounded into a double play, and Ahmed struck out.
Corey Copping came back for the 11^th inning after getting through the tenth and walked the leadoff batter. With runners at first and second, Joseph Odom delivered the go-ahead single for the Travs. After allowing another walk, Andrew Istler replaced Copping and quickly put an end to the Arkansas threat. With the infield in, Istler got the double play ball he was looking for and then got the next man to fly out to center.
Ahmed started the bottom of the 11^th on second for the Drillers, and was brought home on a clutch line-drive single by Peters to even things back up at 7-7.
The game continued on to the top of the 12^th, and Chuck Taylor led the inning off with a single to put runners at the corners. Pizzano added his sixth RBI of the day with a deep sacrifice fly to center to give the Travs an 8-7 advantage.
In the bottom of the 12^th, Cael Brockmeyer moved Goeddel to third with a single. Colvin once again evened up the game up at 8-8 with a sacrifice fly.
The Travs broke things open in the top of the 13^th. Chris Mariscal started the inning with a bunt with the intent to get the go-ahead runner to third. Istler fielded the ball and attempted to get the lead-runner, and overthrew Joe at third which allowed a run to score. Odom then delivered a single and Adam Law reached after getting hit by a pitch. Beau Amaral provided the big blow for the Travs with a line drive single to give Arkansas a 11-8 lead.
Ahmed started the bottom of the 13^th with a single to put runners at the corners. Peters hit a sacrifice fly to bring the Drillers within two, but it would not be enough as the Travs prevailed and won the contest 11-9.
WHAT YOU MISSED
The only other extra innings game the Drillers played in this season came on opening night at ONEOK Field when Tulsa beat Frisco 4-3 in 11 innings.
The Drillers had a season-high 18 hits on Sunday.
Sunday was only Johnson's third start in 215 professional appearances, and his first since 2015 when he was with Rancho Cucamonga.
Colvin notched his first RBI on Sunday since joining the Drillers. The infielder brings plenty of big league experience to Tulsa after spending parts of six seasons with the Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants.
The fourth inning run that Spitzbarth gave up was the first since May 3. The reliever had streak five scoreless appearances spanning 7.1 innings.
Raley's RBI single in the 4^th inning extended his hitting streak to 11 games. The season-high on the team was Jacob Scavuzzo's 12-game hitting streak from April 6-27.
*Ruiz extended his hitting streak to an impressive nine games after his two-hit afternoon.
NEXT UP
The Drillers will go for the series win on Monday afternoon as they will wrap up the four-game series against the Travelers. First pitch at ONEOK Field is scheduled for 12:05 PM, with the probable starters being:
ARK        Chase De Jong (3-3, 4.43 ERA)
TUL        Logan Bawcom (0-1, 3.18 ERA)