Tulsa Holds off Late Rally to Defeat Midland
MIDLAND, TX- The race for the Double-A Central playoffs is in the final stretch, as the final week of the 2021 regular season beganon Tuesday night. The Tulsa Drillers began their last series facing The Midland RockHounds in their only visit to Momentum Bank Ballpark this season. The Drillers began
MIDLAND, TX- The race for the Double-A Central playoffs is in the final stretch, as the final week of the 2021 regular season beganon Tuesday night. The Tulsa Drillers began their last series facing The Midland RockHounds in their only visit to Momentum Bank Ballpark this season. The Drillers began the night 2.0 games back from a playoff berth in the Double-A Central.
The Drillers had the Los Angeles Dodgers #4 prospect Bobby Miller on the mound for his second start with the Drillers. Miller threw three scoreless innings, and Tulsa posted five runs and survived a ninth-inning rally from Midland to pick up a 5-3 win.
Tulsa took the lead in the second by taking advantage of Justin Yurchak’s lead-off walk. Ryan Noda moved Yurchak to third with a single, and Hunter Feduccia brought Yurchak to the plate with a sacrifice fly giving the Drillers a 1-0 lead.
The Drillers doubled their lead in the third when James Outman scored on an inside-the-park home run for a 2-0 lead.
Tulsa broke the game open, scoring three more runs in the eighth. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases for Noda, who drove in all three runs with a double to right-center for a 5-0 lead.
The game became dicey for Tulsa in the ninth, as Midland scored three runs off Aaron Ochsenbein. Jake Suddleson hit a two-run homer followed by a solo shot from Edwin Diaz, bring the score to 5-3. Manager Scott Hennessey then called on Justin Hagenman from the bullpen, as he recorded the final out, earning his fifth save of the season.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
*Outman’s homer is the first inside-the-park home run for the Drillers this season.
*With his hit tonight, Michael Busch extended his hitting streak to 10 games.
*Noda’s three-RBI double gave him sole possession of first for the most RBI in the Double-A Central with 76 for the season.
*Austin Drury earned his third win with the Drillers pitching three hitless innings.
*Busch left the game in the eighth after colliding with the railing in front of the seating bowl in foul territory.
UP NEXT
The Drillers and RockHounds will continue their six-game serieson Wednesday, September 15 at 6:30 p.m.at Momentum Bank Ballpark in Midland.
The pitching matchup will feature Tulsa RHP Clayton Beeter (0-2, 3.86 ERA) against Midland RHP Ty Damron (2-7, 6.06ERA).
Watch or listen live on MiLB.tv or AM 1430 The Buzz on the iHeartRadio app.