Amarillo Tops Drillers in Second-Half Opener
Tulsa, OK – The Tulsa Drillers opened the second half of the 2024 season Tuesday night by hosting the Amarillo Sod Poodles at ONEOK Field. Unfortunately, the second half began as the first one ended, with a loss. After scoring two first-inning runs, Tulsa’s offense was quieted until the bottom
Tulsa, OK – The Tulsa Drillers opened the second half of the 2024 season Tuesday night by hosting the Amarillo Sod Poodles at ONEOK Field. Unfortunately, the second half began as the first one ended, with a loss. After scoring two first-inning runs, Tulsa’s offense was quieted until the bottom of the ninth when things got interesting. It was too little, too late as the Sod Poodles posted a 7-4 victory.
It was the fifth straight defeat for the Drillers, just one loss from matching their longest losing streak of the season.
The night and the half got off to a promising start for the Drillers as they took a quick lead with their two first-inning runs. A pair of walks to open the inning set up a sacrifice fly from Austin Beck and an RBI single from Taylor Young.
After an unearned run got the Sod Poodles on the scoreboard in the second inning, one swing of the bat from Ivan Melendez in the third gave them the lead. Former Driller Matt Beaty singled with two outs, and Melendez followed with his Texas League leading 14th home run of the season to put Amarillo in front 3-2.
The Poodles padded to their lead with single runs in both the fifth and sixth innings before making it 7-2 in the eighth on a two-run double from Tim Tawa.
Held scoreless after scoring their two-first inning runs, the Drillers attempted a rally in the bottom of the ninth. Damon Keith led off the inning by tripling into the left field corner, and then came home on Dalton Rushing’s ground out.
A walk to Beck and a base hit from Taylor Young kept the inning alive and put runners at the corners with two outs before a passed ball gave Tulsa its second run of the inning. Following another walk, the Drillers got the potential game-tying run to the plate, but Amarillo reliever Kyle Amendt struck out Jose Ramos to end the game.
INSIDE THE GAME
*The Drillers roster underwent several changes prior to the series opener with Amarillo. Catcher Diego Cartaya was moved to Oklahoma City by the Los Angeles Dodgers, and pitcher Hyun-il Choi was placed on the Injured List, retroactive to June 23.
Pitcher Jake Pilarski was activated from the Injured List, and pitcher Chris Campos was added to the roster from Great Lakes.
*Hard-throwing reliever Edgardo Henriquez worked the top of the eighth and gave up his first hit and run since joining the Drillers. Henriquez gave up two runs in the frame on three hits and one walk despite hitting 103 m.ph. on the stadium radar. He had not allowed a run in his first four games with Tulsa.
*Tulsa starting pitcher Kendall Williams took the loss, allowing three runs on three hits and four walks.
*The Drillers had chances in the game thanks to six hits and ten walks from Amarillo pitchers, but they were just 1-9 at the plate with runners in scoring position. They stranded 13 runners on base, one short of equaling their season high.
*Beaty, who won the Texas League batting title in 2017 as member of the Drillers and was named the TL’s Player of the Year, finished 2-5 with one run scored in his return to ONEOK Field.
*Temperature in downtown Tulsa at first pitch was 96 degrees. Later in the game, a light rain fell for a few minutes.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers and Sod Poodles will resume their series on Wednesday night at ONEOK Field. Starting time is again scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and the starting pitchers are expected to be:
AMA – LHP Yu-Min Lin (1-1, 6.27 ERA)
TUL – RHP Jerming Rosario (0-0, 2.79 ERA)