Drillers Suffer First Loss to Frisco

TULSA - The Tulsa Drillers opened a seven-game homestand Tuesday night at ONEOK Field with the first of three games against Frisco. In the opener, the RoughRiders were able to accomplish something they had not done all season, defeat the Drillers. The Riders scored four times in the fourth inning and never trailed in a 5-2 victory.
The loss snapped a ten-game winning streak the Drillers had against the Riders. Tulsa won the final four meetings between the two teams last season and had won all six games this year.
Former major league lefthander Rob Zastryzny made his Drillers debut on the mound Tuesday and breezed through the first three innings before running into trouble in that big fourth for the Riders. The big inning began thanks to an error when shortstop Omar Estevez misplayed Charles Leblanc's grounder. Following the error, two straight singles plated the first run of the game to put the RoughRiders in front.
After a strikeout from Zastryzny, two straight walks forced home a second run. A sacrifice fly from Leody Taveras plated a third run before a run-scoring hit from Yonny Hernandez made it a 4-0 Frisco lead.
The margin increased to five runs in the fifth when Leblanc walked and scored on a double by Andretty Cordero.
Tulsa cut into the deficit with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth. Walks to Drew Avans and Omar Estevez and a base hit by Zach McKinstry loaded the bases with no outs. Cristian Santana plated the first run with a sacrifice fly, and Cody Thomas brought home the second with an infield ground out.
The Drillers would get no closer as they would get only one base runner over the final three innings.
 
WHAT YOU MISSED
The Drillers announced a roster change Tuesday afternoon, placing catcher Jordan Procyshen on the Injured List, while catcher/infielder Connor Wong was promoted from Rancho Cucamonga to fill the roster spot. Wong, who is rated as the 13th-best prospect in the Los Angeles Dodgers minor league system, started at second base against the RoughRiders and finished 1-3 with a double in his Double-A debut.
Zastryzny joined the Drillers after spending all of this season with Triple-A Oklahoma City. The 27-year-old made 18 appearances with the Chicago Cubs from 2016-2018, going 2-0 with a 4.41 ERA. He worked six innings in his Drillers debut and was charged with the loss after surrendering five runs on six hits, but only two of the runs were earned. Zastryzny issued four walks while recording seven strikeouts.
Logan Salow pitched effectively in relief of Zastryzny. The Tulsa lefthander did not allow a hit and struck out four in three scoreless innings.
The two teams totaled only ten hits in the game with the Drillers offense held to only four.
 

UP NEXT:  Frisco at Tulsa, Wednesday, July 17, 7:05 PM at ONEOK Field. RHP Jason Bahr (0-2, 6.00 ERA) versus RHP Justin De Fratus (5-5, 4.36 ERA).