Early Fireworks Lead to Drillers 14-8 Win
Tulsa, OK – A large crowd turned out to ONEOK Field on Monday for the Tulsa Drillers series opener with Northwest Arkansas and a postgame, Memorial Day Fireworks Show. If they were just watching the scoreboard, they might have thought they had stumbled into one of the NBA playoff games
Tulsa, OK – A large crowd turned out to ONEOK Field on Monday for the Tulsa Drillers series opener with Northwest Arkansas and a postgame, Memorial Day Fireworks Show. If they were just watching the scoreboard, they might have thought they had stumbled into one of the NBA playoff games that are currently taking place, as the contest began with scoring as frequent as one of those games.
The Drillers and Naturals scored a combined total of 20 runs in the first two innings of the game. The Drillers accounted for a majority of those runs, scoring seven runs in both the first and second innings, thanks in large part to big home runs from Sean McLain and Joe Vetrano.
The offenses eventually slowed down with the Drillers able to protect their early lead and posting a 14-8 win over the Naturals.
It was the seventh win for the Drillers in their last nine games.
The game’s fireworks started in the top of the first inning when big league veteran Jorge Alfaro hit a two-run home run to put the Naturals in front.
The Drillers responded with a seven-run bottom of the first. After leadoff batter Kendall George flew out to open the inning, the next six batters reached base safely, including five walks in a row. Sean McLain capped the big inning with a grand slam home run.
With Tulsa leading 7-2, the Naturals got right back into the game with four runs in the top of the second. Alfaro again delivered the big hit, belting his second home run, a three-run shot that made it 7-6.
The Drillers answered with their second straight seven-run inning in the bottom half of the second. Walks again played a role with the first two batters of the inning reaching on free passes. Three straight run-scoring singles from Elijah Hainline, Kyle Nevin and Griffin Lockwood-Powell produced the first three runs. Joe Vetrano accounted for the next three with a three-run homer off the hitter’s background in centerfield.
An RBI single by Josue De Paula brought home the inning’s seventh run and gave the Drillers a 14-6 lead.
Pitching finally settled in and quieted the offenses for three innings before Alfaro picked up his sixth RBI of the night with a run-scoring single in the top of the sixth for the Naturals.
Northwest Arkansas scored the game’s final run in the ninth inning.
GAME NOTES
*McLain’s grand slam was the third this season for a Tulsa batter. Vetrano and Zyhir Hope have also hit homers with the bases loaded.
*McLain’s home run extended his hitting streak to eight straight games. He has now homered in two straight games for the first time in his five professional seasons.
*Spots five through nine in the Tulsa lineup accounted for 13 total RBI with each spot having at least two runs driven in.
*In his ONEOK Field debut, Mike Sirota was held without a hit for just the second time since joining the Drillers last week. Sirota did walk three times in the big win.
*Tulsa reliever Kelvin Ramirez came on for starter Wyatt Crowell with two outs in the top of the second inning and delivered 2.1 scoreless innings. It set him up for his second win of the year, improving his record to 2-1.
*Four Tulsa relievers combined to work the final 7.1 innings of the victory, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out nine.
*The Drillers made another roster move on Monday afternoon. Catcher/infielder Bryan Gonzalez was returned to the Dodgers rookie league team in Arizona, while relief pitcher Antonio Knowles was added to the roster from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Knowles has pitched in just one game this season while dealing with injuries.
*The holiday game drew a paid crowd of 6,016. Through 21 openings at ONEOK Field this season, Drillers home attendance is up over 12 percent
UP NEXT
The two teams will take a one-day break on Tuesday before playing the second game of their six-game series on Wednesday evening. Starting time at ONEOK Field is set for 7:00 p.m. and the pitching matchup is expected to feature:
NW Arkansas - RHP Drew Beam (2-3, 5.87 ERA)
Tulsa – RHP Payton Martin (1-2, 5.46 ERA)