Wichita Delivers Offensive Fireworks to Beat Drillers
Wichita, KS – The Tulsa Drillers continued their series with the Wichita Wind Surge on Friday night at Wichita’s Equity Bank Park, and the Wind Surge fans were treated to a pair of fireworks shows, one after the game and one during the game. Wichita bats exploded for 14 runs
Wichita, KS – The Tulsa Drillers continued their series with the Wichita Wind Surge on Friday night at Wichita’s Equity Bank Park, and the Wind Surge fans were treated to a pair of fireworks shows, one after the game and one during the game. Wichita bats exploded for 14 runs in the first six innings of the game and coasted to a 14-2 victory over the Drillers.
Every batter in the Wichita lineup had at least one hit in the blowout win, while the Drillers were limited to the two runs on five hits.
The win for the Wind Surge gave them a 3 games to 1 lead in the six-game series that began with the first three games at ONEOK Field. The final three games are scheduled to be played in Wichita.
The result also evened this season’s Coors Light Propeller Series at 8-8 with eight games still to be played between the two teams. All eight will be played at Equity Bank Park.
The onslaught from the Wind Surge began with a four-run second inning that included four singles and a pair of walks issued by Tulsa starter Chris Campos.
It only got worse in the third when Wichita topped its four-run frame with five more runs. The big blow was a three-run homer from Walker Jenkins.
The runs kept coming for the Wind Surge with two in the fourth and two more in the fifth, followed by a single run in the sixth.
It was a rare off night for Campos who had given up just one run in his last three starts, a stretch that covered 16 innings. The right-hander surrendered nine runs on ten hits and three walks in 2.2 innings.
Kelvin Bautista gave up two runs in one inning, and Jacob Meador was charged with three runs, only one earned, in 1.1 innings of work.
Wichita totaled 16 hits in the blowout victory.
The Drillers avoided a shutout with a two runs in the top of the eighth inning. Chris Newell drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly, and Sean McLain plated the second with a run-scoring single.
INSIDE THE GAME
*Griffin Lockwood-Powell did not play in the game, keeping his on-base streak intact at 33 straight games
*The Drillers announced a roster change prior to Friday’s game. Infielder Noah Miller was transferred to Oklahoma City, while infielder Kyle Nevin joined the Drillers from High-A Great Lakes. Nevin started at third base in Friday’s game and had one hit in three at-bats in his Double-A debut. He is the son of former major leaguer Phil Nevin.
*Tulsa’s Chris Newell stole his ninth base in the game. Newell is now a perfect 9-9 in stolen base attempts this season.
*Drillers reliever Livan Reinosa quieted the Wichita offense with 1.2 scoreless innings, getting strikeouts on four of the five outs he recorded.
*Christian Suarez bounced back from a tough outing on Thursday with a scoreless inning of work.
*Taylor Young singled in the sixth inning to extend his hitting streak to seven straight games.
*Kole Myers was 0-4, ending his seven-game streak.
*A crowd of 8,626 watched the game at Equity Bank Park.
UP NEXT
The Drillers and the Wind Surge will continue their split series with game five on Saturday night in Wichita. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. and the starting pitchers are expected to be:
Tulsa - RHP Patrick Copen (0-1, 2.31 ERA)
Wichita - LHP Christian MacLeod (0-1, 2.10 ERA)