Thomas Blasts Walk-Off Homer to Complete Unlikely Drillers Comeback

TULSA - The Tulsa Drillers entered the bottom of the ninth down by three runs to the Springfield Cardinals on Thursday night at ONEOK Field. When two quick outs were recorded to start the inning, the Drillers chances of coming back to win the game were slim to none. After a home run cut the deficit to two runs, a double and a walk set up a game-winning, three-run homer by Cody Thomas to defy all the odds in a 5-4 Drillers victory.
With the game tied 1-1 in the top of the eighth, Zach Kirtley singled to set up two-run homer by Yariel Gonzalez, giving Springfield the lead. Former Driller Johan Mieses gave the Cards a 4-1 with a solo-home run an inning later.
Following the two outs that started the bottom of the ninth, Connor Wong brought Tulsa one run closer with an opposite field solo home run into the bullpen, his second homer in as many nights. Chris Parmelee followed with a double and Donovan Casey drew a walk to bring Thomas to the plate representing the potential winning run.
On a 2-2 count, the former University of Oklahoma quarterback crushed a towering home run to right field, out of the stadium and across Elgin Avenue to provide the dramatic, walk-off win for the Drillers.
Three consecutive singles by the Cardinals led to the game's first run. After Drillers pitcher JoJo Gray retired the first two batters in the top of the fourth, Elehuris Montero and Johan Mieses singled on back-to-back pitches. Rayer Ascanio followed with an RBI single to give Springfield the lead.
Gray came in out of the bullpen in the second inning for Logan Salow who got the start as an opener. Salow struck out two and walked a batter in a scoreless first inning, while Gray allowed the one run in three innings.
Tulsa evened things up in the bottom of the fifth. Drew Avans led the inning off with a line drive shot to right field that barely got over the short wall for a solo-home run. His fourth long-ball of the season tied the game at 1-1.
WHAT YOU MISSED
Errol Robinson notched two singles on Wednesday and has hit safely in eight out of his last nine games. He is hitting .433 during that stretch.
Michael Boyle retired all six batters he faced out of the Drillers bullpen in two innings of relief.
In the bottom of the second, Cardinals centerfielder Justin Toerner robbed what would have been extra bases for Casey. Casey crushed a deep blast to the left-centerfield gap. Toerner raced back and made a perfectly timed jump to catch the ball, crashing into the wall at full speed. Toerner robbed Thomas of what would have been a game-tying home run on Monday night.
Northwest Arkansas defeated Arkansas to allow the Drillers to pull within one game of the first-place Travelers.
UP NEXT: Springfield at Tulsa, Thursday, August 15, 7:05 PM at ONEOK Field. RHP Evan Kruczynski (2-7, 5.63 ERA) vs. RHP Edwin Uceta (5-2, 3.45 ERA).