Drillers Win Third Straight
TULSA, OK – The Tulsa Drillers matched their longest winning streak of the season on Friday night by defeating the Northwest Arkansas Naturals 4-2 at ONEOK Field. Two swings of the bat made the difference for the Drillers as Austin Beck drove in two runs with a triple, and Griffin
TULSA, OK – The Tulsa Drillers matched their longest winning streak of the season on Friday night by defeating the Northwest Arkansas Naturals 4-2 at ONEOK Field. Two swings of the bat made the difference for the Drillers as Austin Beck drove in two runs with a triple, and Griffin Lockwood-Powell drove in two more with a home run to fuel the victory.
The win put the Drillers season record back over .500 at 10-9. They have now won six of seven meetings with the Naturals this season.
An error by Tulsa first baseman Brandon Lewis helped the Naturals take a 1-0 lead in the first inning. It was the only lead Northwest Arkansas held in the game.
The Drillers were held to just one hit through the first three innings, but they broke through to take the lead in the fourth. With runners at first and second, Beck delivered his two-RBI triple that gave Tulsa a 2-1 lead.
Lockwood-Powell increased Tulsa’s margin in the fifth inning with his two-run blast.
B5 | Locked & Loaded 😎
— Tulsa Drillers (@TulsaDrillers) April 27, 2024
Griffin Lockwood-Powell LAUNCHES this ball & the Drillers tack on ✌️
Naturals 1, #Drillers 4 pic.twitter.com/95zXFlm9sQ
The Drillers bullpen held the Naturals hitters in check over the final four innings. Juan Morillo, Sauryn Lao and Jack Little combined to allow only one run, with Little pitching the final frame to record his second save of the year.
INSIDE THE GAME
*Pitcher Kendall Williams delivered his best start of the season in the victory. The right-hander picked up his first win of the season by pitching five innings with two strikeouts. He did not allow an earned run.
*The loss was charged to the Naturals southpaw Tyson Guerrero. The loss to Guerrero marked the first Tulsa win in four tries this season against a left-handed starter at ONEOK Field.
*Austin Gauthier’s 17-game on-base streak ended on Friday as he finished 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. It marked the first game this season that he has not reached base. The streak was the longest in the Texas League.
*The home run by Lockwood-Powell was his second in as many days. He has now driven in five runs this week in the series against Northwest Arkansas.
*The Drillers continue to lead the Texas League with 23 home runs hit this season.
*The game featured south wind gusts of 17 mph throughout the night.
*All Drillers players wore jersey #42 to honor and celebrate the life and legacy of Jackie Robinson.
UP NEXT:
The series between the two teams will continue on Saturday night with game five of the six-game set. Starting time at ONEOK Field will take place at 7:00 p.m. and the starting pitchers are expected to be:
NWA – RHP Luinder Avila (0-2, 6.52 ERA)
TUL - TBA