One Run Enough For Drillers
TULSA, OK – On an afternoon when Tulsa and Wichita played 8 ½ scoreless innings, it seemed only appropriate that the winning run scored on a 60-foot base hit. Romer Cuadrado beat out an infield chopper with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning to bring home
TULSA, OK – On an afternoon when Tulsa and Wichita played 8 ½ scoreless innings, it seemed only appropriate that the winning run scored on a 60-foot base hit. Romer Cuadrado beat out an infield chopper with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning to bring home the only run in a 1-0 Drillers victory over the Wind Surge Wednesday at ONEOK Field.
The dramatic win was the third straight for the Drillers and their tenth in the past 12 games. With the victory, they increased their first-place lead over the Wind Surge to 1½ games.
Pitching was the main story in Wednesday’s game that began at noon local time in extremely hot and humid conditions.
Wichita starting pitcher Cole Sands held the Drillers without a hit through the game’s first five innings, while Tulsa starting pitcher Andre Jackson delivered four scoreless innings, issuing five hits that were all singles, while walking one and striking out five.
The Drillers first hit of the game did not come until there was one out in the bottom of the sixth when Jeren Kendall singled off Sands. The hit set up the Drillers first scoring opportunity as Donovan Casey walked and Carlos Rincon singled to load the bases with two outs, but the threat ended when reliever Jovani Moran struck out Kody Hoese.
The Wind Surge also missed a chance to get on the scoreboard in the top of the seventh as they wasted a bases-loaded opportunity when Drillers reliever Andrew Schwaab worked out of trouble.
The walk-off rally for the Drillers began when Hoese and Devin Mann drew back-to-back walks with one out in the bottom of the ninth. After Jacob Amaya grounded into a force out that left runners at the corners, Wichita reliever Yennier Cano intentionally walked pinch-hitter Ryan Noda to load the bases.
Cuadrado worked a full count before hitting a chopper to the third base side of the pitcher’s mound. With Hoese running on the pitch, Cano’s only chance for an inning-ending out was to try to retire Cuadrado. The Surge hurler got to the ball quickly, but his hurried throw was wide of the bag and late as Hoese came home with the winning run.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
*Jackson has now pitched at least four innings in each of his seven starts this season. Wednesday’s game marked his second scoreless outing of the year as he lowered his season ERA to 2.76.
*Bryan Brickhouse and Schwaab each worked two scoreless innings out of the Tulsa bullpen.
*Justin Hagenman pitched a scoreless top of the ninth and picked up the win to improve his record to 4-1. The four wins are tied for the most on the team.
*Sands worked 5.1 innings for the Wind Surge and allowed one hit and three walks while striking out eight.
*Tulsa won despite having only four hits. Wichita finished with seven.
UP NEXT
Wichita at Tulsa, Thursday, June 10 at 7:05 PM at ONEOK Field. RHP Jordan Balazovic (0-0, 0.00 ERA) versus Tulsa RHP Michael Grove (0-2, 8.53 ERA).