Tulsa Loses Late Lead as Losing Streak Hits Seven
Springfield, MO – The Tulsa Drillers longest losing streak of the season reached seven games after a tough loss at the hands of the Springfield Cardinals on Friday night. The Drillers entered the seventh inning trailing by three runs before they went in front by rallying for four runs in
Springfield, MO – The Tulsa Drillers longest losing streak of the season reached seven games after a tough loss at the hands of the Springfield Cardinals on Friday night. The Drillers entered the seventh inning trailing by three runs before they went in front by rallying for four runs in the inning. The lead did not last long, as Springfield answered with three, two-out runs in the bottom of the eighth to hand Tulsa a 6-4 loss at Hammons Field.
Pitching controlled the early innings of the game as each team struggled to produce a run against the opposing starter.
Jared Karros, making his 12th start of the season for the Drillers, easily had his best outing of the season. Karros kept Springfield off the board over his four innings pitched with three strikeouts.
The Tulsa offense again struggled against Cardinals starting pitchers, earning only two hits against Springfield starter Pete Hansen through the first five innings.
The scoreless stretch was broken in the sixth inning, but not in Tulsa’s favor. The Drillers turned to reliever Jacob Meador to begin the fifth inning. After he retired the side in the fifth, Meador issued a walk to start the sixth and gave up a single before Leonardo Bernal belted a three-run homer to put Springfield up 3-0.
The Drillers moved in front with their four-run seventh inning, and they needed only two hits to do so. Edwin Nunez took the mound for the Cardinals in place of Hansen, and he quickly loaded the bases by hitting the first two batters and walking the third.
The Drillers were gifted their first run on a balk from Nunez, and Kole Myers followed with a walk to again load the bases. Taylor Young singled home one run, and Noah Miller singled in two more to give Tulsa a 4-3 lead.
The Redbirds were not finished scoring as they struck for three more runs to take the final lead of the game. A two-out hit from Jeremy Rivas plated Bernal to tie the game before Trey Paige doubled home Rivas to put the Cards back in front.
A wild throw from catcher Yeiner Fernandez on a pickoff attempt at second allowed Paige to race home with the third run of the inning.
The Drillers did not have a second rally as they were retired in order in the ninth to end the game.
INSIDE THE GAME
*Tulsa continues to struggle against Springfield’s starting pitchers and has scored just 2 runs in 23.2 innings against starters this week.
*Jerming Rosario was charged with the loss after allowing the three runs in the eighth inning, with two being earned. Tonight’s loss was his second in his last three appearances.
*The loss was the Drillers 19th when holding a lead in the game.
*Although Taylor Young’s hitting streak was snapped last night, he has put together an impressive on-base streak. Young has reached base in 16 consecutive games after finishing 1-3 with two walks.
*Rain showers in the Springfield area delayed the start of the game by 1 hour and 3 minutes.
*The Drillers made another roster move prior to Friday’s game. Catcher Griffin Lockwood-Powell was placed on the Temporarily Inactive List, and catcher Carlos Avila was transferred to the Drillers from the Dodgers Arizona complex. Last season, Avila appeared in six games for Tulsa.
UP NEXT
The Drillers will hope to end their losing streak on Saturday night with the fifth game of their six-game series with the Cardinals. First pitch at Hammons Field is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. and the starting pitchers are set to be:
Tulsa – RHP Peter Heubeck (1-3, 4.61 ERA)
Springfield – RHP Max Rajcic (2-3, 4.24 ERA)