Pair of Three-Run Innings Beat Miller and Drillers
TULSA, OK – For five innings of Tuesday night’s series opener with Midland, everything was going the Tulsa Drillers’ way. Tulsa had a two-run lead and starting pitcher Bobby Miller was turning in a dominant performance. Everything changed in the sixth inning when the RockHounds produced the first of two
TULSA, OK – For five innings of Tuesday night’s series opener with Midland, everything was going the Tulsa Drillers’ way. Tulsa had a two-run lead and starting pitcher Bobby Miller was turning in a dominant performance.
Everything changed in the sixth inning when the RockHounds produced the first of two consecutive three-run outbursts. The Drillers could not overcome the two big innings and dropped the opener 7-3 at ONEOK Field.
The Drillers took the game’s initial lead when they opened the scoring with a two-out rally in the bottom of the third inning. With the bases empty, Justin Yurchak walked and Andy Pages was hit by a pitch. Following a wild pitch, Brandon Lewis scored both runners with a bouncing single into centerfield to give Tulsa a 2-0 lead.
Miller held the lead until the sixth, when three straight hits turned the game around. Chase Calabuig led off the inning with an opposite-field double, and Michael Guldberg followed with a lined single that put runners at the corners. Zack Gelof promptly erased Tulsa’s lead when he hit a Miller delivery into the Budweiser Terrace for a three-run homer that put the RockHounds on top 3-2.
They followed with another three runs in the seventh against reliever Nick Robertson. Consecutive singles from Marty Bechina and Shane Selman put two runners on base before a ground out moved them both into scoring position. Guldberg plated both Bechina and Selman with a triple that caromed off the right field wall. Gelof drove in his fourth run of the game with a base hit to right, putting the Hounds in front 6-2.
Pages accounted for Tulsa’s third run with his 20th homer of the season in the bottom of the eighth before Midland scored the game’s final run in the ninth inning against reliever Cole Percival.
Miller was dominant through the first five innings, prior to Gelof’s sixth-inning homer. The Tulsa right-hander matched his longest outing of the season, working six complete innings. Miller allowed the three runs on five hits while matching his career high with 11 strikeouts. Just as impressively, he did not walk a batter.
HIGHLIGHTS AND HAPPENINGS:
*The Drillers announced several roster changes prior to Tuesday’s game. Kody Hoese, Ryan Ward and Guillermo Zuniga were all placed on the Injured List.
To fill the roster spots, pitcher Tanner Dodson was activated, infielder Kenneth Betancourt was added from Rancho Cucamonga and infielder Ty Kelly was added from Oklahoma City. Kelly has played parts of three seasons in the majors with the Mets and the Phillies.
*Midland starting pitcher Luis Medina picked up his first win with the RockHounds. Medina joined the Oakland A’s organization on August 1 in the trade that sent pitcher Frankie Montas and Lou Trivino to the New York Yankees. He allowed three hits and two runs in five innings to get the victory.
*The loss for Miller dropped his record to 5-6. For the second time in his last three outings, he struck out 11 hitters in a game. Miller did not walk a batter in either of those two games and now has 108 strikeouts on the season against just 29 walks.
*The well-pitched game took just 2 hours and 16 minutes to play.
*Colin Peluse worked the final four innings in relief of Medina to collect his first save of the season.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers and the RockHounds will continue their series on Wednesday night at ONEOK Field. Starting time is set for 7:05 p.m. and the pitching matchup is scheduled to be:
Midland – LHP Hogan Harris (1-0, 1.95 ERA)
Tulsa – LHP Alec Gamboa (9-0, 5.40 ERA)