Daniel Leads Drillers in Shutout Win
TULSA - It was the Clayton Daniel show Wednesday night at ONEOK Field for the Tulsa Drillers. Making just his second start in the past five games, Daniel delivered two big hits in the first four innings to lead the Drillers to a 7-0 win over the Northwest Arkansas Naturals.
TULSA - It was the Clayton Daniel show Wednesday night at ONEOK Field for the Tulsa Drillers. Making just his second start in the past five games, Daniel delivered two big hits in the first four innings to lead the Drillers to a 7-0 win over the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. For Tulsa, it was its fifth win in the past six games.
Daniel’s first hit came in the second inning and opened the game’s scoring. With two outs and the bases empty, Romer Cuardrado singled. Daniel followed with a drive that just cleared the fence in front of the right field bullpens for a two-run homer, his second of the season.
Daniel struck again in the fourth. Jacob Amaya led off the inning with a single and moved to third on a double by Kody Hoese before Cuadrado drew a walk to load the bases for Daniel. The Tulsa designated hitter came through once again when he lined a double into the left field corner, clearing the bases and giving the Drillers a five-run lead. The margin increased to 6-0 when Devin Mann plated Daniel with a base hit.
The Drillers upped the lead to seven runs in the seventh when Miguel Vargas singled and scored on a base hit by Amaya.
It was a team effort on the mound for Tulsa in protecting the lead. It began with starting pitcher Michael Grove delivering three shutout innings while allowing only one hit with four strikeouts.
Andrew Schwaab followed and did not allow a hit in three scoreless frames while also striking out four.
Zach Willeman worked 1.2 innings, and Aaron Ochsenbein closed it out by getting the final four outs, pitching around three walks in the top of the ninth.
The Naturals were limited to just two hits in the game as the Drillers pitching staff recorded its fourth shutout of the season.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
*Daniel finished 2-4 with a season-high five runs batted in.
*Vargas, Amaya, Devin Mann and Hunter Feduccia also finished with two hits each.
*Tulsa had 13 hits and has totaled 28 hits in the last two games.
*With the win, the Drillers stayed just three games behind Wichita in the race for a spot in the Double-A Central playoff.
*The four Tulsa pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts in the game.
UP NEXT
Northwest Arkansas at Tulsa on Thursday, August 19 at 7:05 PM at ONEOK Field.
Right-hander Jon Heasley (5-2, 3.65 ERA) will start on the mound for the Naturals, while the Drillers have yet to announce a starting pitcher.