September Struggles Continue for Drillers
TULSA, OK – A tough month of September got even tougher for the Tulsa Drillers on Tuesday night at ONEOK Field. In the opening game of a six-game series with Corpus Christi, the Drillers were on the wrong end of a nine-run inning that led to a 12-0 victory for
TULSA, OK – A tough month of September got even tougher for the Tulsa Drillers on Tuesday night at ONEOK Field. In the opening game of a six-game series with Corpus Christi, the Drillers were on the wrong end of a nine-run inning that led to a 12-0 victory for the Hooks.
The defeat extended the Drillers losing streak to ten straight games and kept them winless in the month of September at 0-10. The ten-game skid is the second longest in the 46-season history of the Drillers franchise.
The Hooks took control of Tuesday’s opener with an unearned run in the top of the second before a two-run homer from Zach Dezenzo in the third made it 3-0.
The lead ballooned to double figures in the top of the fourth with the nine-run outburst. A grand slam homer from Jacob Melton accounted for the first four runs, and second homer from Dezenzo made it 8-0.
Before the inning was over, the Hooks added four more runs with the nine total runs coming on eight hits and three walks from Tulsa pitchers.
The Hooks totaled 18 hits in the game, marking the most for a Tulsa opponent this season.
The Drillers were limited to five hits with Kody Hoese and Ismael Alcantara getting two hits each.
The result marked the eighth time that Tulsa has been shut out this season.
HIGHLIGHTS & HAPPENINGS
*Prior to Tuesday’s series opener, the Drillers announced a pair of changes to the pitching staff. Starter River Ryan and reliever Ricky Vanasco were transferred to Oklahoma City, while Trevor Bettencourt returned from OKC. The Drillers also added pitcher Sauryn Lao from Great Lakes. Lao is a converted infielder who is in his first year pitching, compiling a combined record of 4-0 with a 3.48 ERA with the Loons and the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes.
*The Drillers still have a ways to go to reach the longest losing streak in Tulsa professional baseball history. The record was set by the Drillers during the 1987 season when they lost 16 straight games from June 13-28.
*The Drillers need one victory over the final five games of the regular season to avoid the losingest second half in franchise history. The 1995 Drillers finished with a 22-45 second-half mark.
UP NEXT:
It will be a quick turnaround for the two teams as the series will continue on Wednesday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 12:05 p.m. at ONEOK Field for the final day game of the season, and the pitching matchup is slated to be:
Corpus Christi – A.J. Blubaugh (0-0, 1.74 ERA)
Tulsa – TBA