Drillers Win Streak Snapped by Cards
Tulsa, OK – The Tulsa Drillers saw their three-game losing streak come to an end Friday night in a 5-3 loss to Springfield before a sellout crowd at ONEOK Field. The Drillers never led in the game in suffering their first loss this season to the Cardinals. Despite the defeat,
Tulsa, OK – The Tulsa Drillers saw their three-game losing streak come to an end Friday night in a 5-3 loss to Springfield before a sellout crowd at ONEOK Field. The Drillers never led in the game in suffering their first loss this season to the Cardinals. Despite the defeat, Tulsa remained just ½-game behind first-place Wichita in the Double-A North Division standings.
Justin Toerner gave Springfield an initial lead with a solo home run in the top of the second inning. For Toerner, it was his second homer in the last two games and his third in the past five.
Jacob Amaya’s one-out base hit in the fourth inning scored Miguel Vargas, who had also singled, and tied the game at 1-1.
The two teams continued to trade runs in the fifth inning. Nick Dunn homered in the top half of the fifth to put the Cards back in front 2-1.
The Drillers turned to “small ball” for their second run. Jeren Kendall was gifted a leadoff double when he his 75-foot, infield popup was lost in the twilight sky. Hunter Feduccia reached safely on a fielder’s choice bunt, and Donovan Casey’s slow roller on the left side of the infield turned into a hit that loaded the bases. After a strikeout, Vargas drew a seven-pitch walk that forced in the tying run that crossed the plate without a ball ever leaving the infield.
The Redbirds went in front for a third time with a three-run sixth. A single and two walks from Drillers reliever Austin Drury loaded the bases with no outs. Toerner sliced a drive down the line that deflected off the tip of the glove of left fielder Ryan Noda and into the corner. The double plated two runs, and Dunn brought home another with a sacrifice fly that gave Springfield a 5-2 lead.
Tulsa got one run back in the bottom of the seventh when Feduccia led off with a triple and eventually scored on a base hit by Vargas.
The Drillers put two runners on base in the eighth and another on in the ninth from a hit by pitch, but they were held without a hit over the final two frames as their winning streak came to an end.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
*The sellout crowd of 8,361 was the largest at ONEOK Field since opening night of the 2018 season.
*Tulsa starting pitcher Gerardo Carrillo was effective, allowing just the one run on Toerner’s homer. Carrillo, who has struggled with his command at times this season, issued just two walks while striking out five in four innings.
*It was the Double-A debut for Drury, who was 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA in 11 games with Great Lakes. The lefthander worked 1.1 innings and gave up four runs on three hits and two walks.
*Amaya has now hit safely in three straight games, raising his season average by 18 points.
*Justin Hagenman worked two perfect innings out of the Tulsa bullpen. Hagenman has a 1.13 ERA in eight appearances during the month of June.
UP NEXT
Springfield at Tulsa on Saturday, June 26 at 7:05 PM at ONEOK Field. The pitching matchup will be LHP Domingo Robles (2-4, 4.62 ERA) vs. Tulsa RHP Andre Jackson (2-2, 3.00 ERA).