Sheehan, Vargas Lead Drillers to Another Win
WICHITA, KS – After a game that took over four hours to complete the night before, the Tulsa Drillers needed just two hours and 21 minutes to earn an 8-1 win over the Wichita Wind Surge at Riverfront Stadium on Saturday night. The Drillers win was led by another outstanding
WICHITA, KS – After a game that took over four hours to complete the night before, the Tulsa Drillers needed just two hours and 21 minutes to earn an 8-1 win over the Wichita Wind Surge at Riverfront Stadium on Saturday night. The Drillers win was led by another outstanding outing from Emmet Sheehan as he earned his fourth win after beginning the game with 4.2 perfect innings.
Imanol Vargas led the Drillers offense, going 2-3 with two walks, five RBI and two runs scored.
The Drillers used two home runs in the first inning to quickly gain a 5-0 lead. Tulsa's first three batters of the game reached on two singles and a walk to load the bases for Vargas, who cleared them with a grand slam home run. One batter later, Eddys Leonard went deep to add another run for the Drillers.
Following a leadoff walk and a groundout in the third inning, Diego Cartaya drove in the Drillers sixth run of the night with a single to center.
Tulsa reached its largest lead of the night when Jose Ramos and Vargas each drove in a run in the sixth inning to make it an eight-run margin.
Sheehan did not relinquish a hit until the fifth inning when Aaron Sabato earned a two-out single. With one out in the sixth, Sheehan allowed his only run of the night on Brooks Lee's RBI single that cut the lead to 8-1. Sheehan's night ended with one out in the sixth.
John Rooney entered the game and recorded the final two outs of the sixth and needed just one pitch to do so. Before throwing a pitch, Rooney picked off Lee from first base, and on the next offering, Pat Winkel hit a ground ball back to Rooney who tossed the ball to first to end the inning.
Jake Pilarski and Tanner Dodson combined to close the win by combining for three hitless innings that completed the Drillers 34th win of the season.
HIGHLIGHTS AND HAPPENINGS:
*Sheehan finished his 11th outing by allowing three hits and one run with seven strikeouts in 5.1 innings pitched.
*The Drillers bullpen did not allow a hit in the game. In the five games against Wichita this week, the Drillers bullpen has a 1.33 ERA.
*Tulsa pitching is averaging ten strikeouts per game in the series with 50 total strikeouts in the five games.
*Vargas' grand slam was just the second hit by Tulsa this season. Cartaya hit the other on April 13 against Midland.
*For the third consecutive night, Austin Gauthier led the game off with a hit. He has scored six runs in five games with the team.
*Gauthier and Jorbit Vivas both finished with two hits and two runs scored.
*The Drillers now lead the this year’s Coors Light Propeller Series between the two teams 8-3. The winner of the season series will be presented with the Propeller Trophy by Coors Light. There are now 13 games remaining in this year’s regular season series.
*The Drillers scored at least seven runs in the victory and that means fans can purchase a large, one-topping pizza from Mazzio's for just $7 on Sunday. The special offer is good throughout the day and is only available online at Mazzios.com when you use the code DRILLERS at checkout.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers and Wind Surge will play the final game of their six-game series on Sunday afternoon at Riverfront Stadium. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. and the starting pitchers are scheduled to be:
TUL – RHP Landon Knack (1-0, 2.20 ERA)
WCH – RHP David Festa (2-2, 5.08 ERA)