Tulsa Strikes Late to Top Amarillo
Amarillo, TX – On an unusually chilly night in Amarillo, it took a while for the Tulsa Drillers offense to get going on Wednesday. In the first game of a six-game series, the Drillers spotted the Sod Poodles an early two-run lead and were held scoreless through the game’s first
Amarillo, TX – On an unusually chilly night in Amarillo, it took a while for the Tulsa Drillers offense to get going on Wednesday. In the first game of a six-game series, the Drillers spotted the Sod Poodles an early two-run lead and were held scoreless through the game’s first five innings at the usually hitter-friendly HODGETOWN. From there, Tulsa’s bats came to life and produced eight straight runs as the Drillers posted an 8-2 victory.
The Drillers have now won six of their past seven games
Amarillo’s lead came quickly with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first off Tulsa starter Chris Campos. Leadoff batter Kristian Robinson hit Campos’ third pitch over the left field fence for his sixth homer of the season. Later in the first, LuJames Groover doubled home a second run.
It would be all that Campos would allow as he kept the Sod Poodles on two runs until departing with two outs in the sixth.
The outing allowed the Drillers to stage a comeback, and it began in the top of the sixth when the Drillers plated two runs of their own. John Rhodes walked and scored the first run on a base hit from Damon Keith. Following an error, a single from Aaron Bracho brought Keith home to tie the game at 2-2.
Tulsa took the lead in the eighth when Rhodes walked, stole second and scored on a single from Jose Ramos. It would not be the last hit from the Tulsa outfielder.
Amarillo threatened in the bottom of the eighth when reliever Christian Suarez walked the bases loaded, but a 6-4-3 double play ended the inning allowed Suarez to keep the lead in place.
The Drillers put the game out of reach with a five-run ninth. The final two runs came on homer from Ramos, the Texas League home run leader. It was his tenth round tripper of the season.
Kelvin Ramirez pitched around a two-out walk in the ninth to close out the win.
INSIDE THE GAME
*The wind chill temperature was dropping into the upper 40s when the game ended.
*Ramos finished 2-5 with the homer and three runs driven in. He has now reached base safely in 20 straight games. He also had an assist from left field, cutting down Tommy Troy at second trying to stretch a single into a double.
*It was a positive night for Campos and the Tulsa pitching staff, holding Amarillo to just the two runs. The Sod Poodles entered the game as the Texas League’s highest scoring team at home, and since joining the TL in 2019, they have led the league in scoring at home in every season but one.
*Reliever Lucas Wepf worked 1.1 innings with three strikeouts to pick up the win, his first of the season.
*Rhodes filled the box score for the Drillers. The first baseman was officially 1-2 but he walked three times and scored three runs. In addition, he swiped two bases and scored from second base on a passed ball.
*The Sod Poodles are managed by former Drillers catcher Javier Colina. Colina played for the Drillers in 2003 when they were affiliated with the Colorado Rockies.
Jordan Procyshen, who has played and coached for the Drillers, is on the Amarillo coaching staff.
*The Drillers made a roster move on Tuesday. Yeiner Fernandez, who was struck on his glove hand by a swinging bat in Sunday’s game, was placed on the Temporarily Inactive List and Griffin Lockwood-Powell was activated from the Injured List.
UP NEXT
Tulsa and Amarillo will play a doubleheader on Thursday. The doubleheader became necessary when Tuesday’s game was postponed by rain. Game one of Thursday’s twin-bill will start at 4:30 and the second game will begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of the opener. The pitching matchups are expected to be:
Tulsa – RHP Jared Karros (1-1, 8.41 ERA) & RHP Jerming Rosario (1-3, 6.10 ERA)
Amarillo – RHP Roman Angelo (0-2, 7.99 ERA) & RHP Jose Cabrera (2-1, 4.76 ERA)