Wichita Snaps Drillers Win Streak
Tulsa, OK – After a successful road trip in Frisco, Texas, the Tulsa Drillers returned to ONEOK Field with a four-game winning streak, which matched their longest of the season. Unfortunately for the Drillers, the streak was snapped by the Wichita Wind Surge on Tuesday night. The Drillers were held
Tulsa, OK – After a successful road trip in Frisco, Texas, the Tulsa Drillers returned to ONEOK Field with a four-game winning streak, which matched their longest of the season. Unfortunately for the Drillers, the streak was snapped by the Wichita Wind Surge on Tuesday night. The Drillers were held to only four hits, and two costly errors led to four unearned runs in a 7-1 loss to the Wind Surge.
The result tightened the race for in this year’s Coors Light Propeller Series with Tulsa now holding a 7-6 in this year’s edition.
Tuesday’s series opener started positively for the Drillers as starting pitcher Brandon Neeck held Wichita scoreless in the top of the first, and Tulsa took the lead in the bottom of the inning. With one out, a walk, and a single put runners at first and third base. Damon Keith followed with a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Noah Miller and gave the Drillers a 1-0 lead.
Tulsa’s lead did not last long as the Wind Surge responded with four runs in the second. The inning began with two singles against Neeck. A rundown between first and second base allowed Kyler Fedko to slide home safely on the back of a double steal, tying the game at 1-1. Two walks, a single, and Kendall Simmons’ fielding error produced three more runs to give the Wind Surge a 4-1 lead.
A fifth run scored for Wichita in the fourth inning when Jorel Ortega hit a solo home run over the right-field fence.
In the seventh inning, an error and a walk put two runners on base for the Wind Surge. Both runners stole a base to reach scoring position, and Ricardo Olivar drove in both with his single to left for the final runs of the game.
INSIDE THE GAME
*The loss was the Drillers 23rd when holding the lead at any point of a game.
*Lockwood-Powell finished 1-4 to extend his on-base streak to 31 consecutive games. It is the longest on-base streak in the Texas League this season, and only Yeiner Fernandez has a longer on-base streak by a Tulsa player in the last 17 seasons.
*The series opener was a bullpen game for Tulsa, with five pitchers appearing. Neeck was credited with the loss after pitching the first 1.2 innings and being charged with four runs, but just two were earned. The loss dropped his record to 2-5.
*Roque Gutierrez rejoined the Drillers on Tuesday and was impressive in his return. The Mexico native allowed only one earned run in 4.2 innings with six strikeouts in his second game at the Double-A level.
*A pair of former Drillers relievers made appearances for the Wind Surge on Tuesday. Cole Percival, who pitched for Tulsa in 2022-2023, tossed two scoreless innings and struck out three. Michael Martinez followed Percival and also held the Drillers scoreless over the final two innings. Martinez pitched two games for the Drillers during the 2024 season.
*Kelvin Bautista and Livan Reinoso combined to hold the Wind Surge scoreless over the final 2.1 innings.
*The Drillers made two roster moves before the start of Tuesday’s opener. Outfielder Jose Ramos was placed on the Injured List, and Guiterrez was added to the roster from Great Lakes.
UP NEXT
The Drillers will continue their brief three-game home series on Wednesday night with a large Fireworks Spectacular to follow the game in celebration of the Independence Day holiday. First pitch for game two of the three-game series is set for 7:00 p.m. and the starting pitchers are scheduled to be:
Wichita- RHP Mike Paredes (8-0, 2.15 ERA)
Tulsa- RHP Peter Heubeck (2-4, 4.61 ERA)