Drillers Claim Series with Fourth Straight Win
TULSA, OK – It was a familiar scene on Friday night at ONEOK Field as the Tulsa Drillers won their fourth consecutive game over the Springfield Cardinals. The Drillers earned a 10-5 win, giving Tulsa its fourth consecutive win against the Cardinals and the team's ninth win in ten games
TULSA, OK – It was a familiar scene on Friday night at ONEOK Field as the Tulsa Drillers won their fourth consecutive game over the Springfield Cardinals. The Drillers earned a 10-5 win, giving Tulsa its fourth consecutive win against the Cardinals and the team's ninth win in ten games on the current home stand.
The big offensive night was led by Andy Pages and Imanol Vargas, who each earned three hits and combined to drive in four runs in front of a sellout crowd in downtown Tulsa.
The game was even after the first inning as both teams plated a run, but the Drillers plated five runs in the second inning against Springfield starting pitcher and former Oklahoma State Cowboy Logan Gragg to take a 6-1 lead. Carson Taylor led off the inning with a solo home run. Vargas drove in the second run, and Diego Cartaya added three more with a home run into the Budweiser Terrace in left field.
Vargas plated the Drillers seventh run in the fourth inning with his second RBI single of the game.
After allowing one run in the first inning, Tulsa starting pitcher Landon Knack settled in to earn his first win of 2023 as he completed five innings, allowing four hits and no walks with four strikeouts.
Tulsa added three more runs in the eighth inning on a groundout out, Pages' RBI triple, and Vargas' third RBI, upping the lead to 10-1.
The Redbirds had a small rally in the top of the ninth inning that was prolonged by two Tulsa errors. In the end, Springfield scored four runs before the Drillers earned three outs to close out the game.
HIGHLIGHTS AND HAPPENINGS:
*In four games against Springfield, Tulsa has outscored the Redbirds 32-9.
*The win clinched the series win and Tulsa has now won five out of six series this season.
*Cartaya earned just one hit but recorded four RBI with his bases-loaded walk and three-run homer.
*Tanner Dodson and Ben Harris each tossed a scoreless inning in relief.
*The Drillers now have a season run differential of +73, the second highest in all the minors.
*The Los Angeles Dodgers and all four of their affiliates are in first place in their respective divisions. The Dodgers lead the National League West, the Oklahoma City Dodgers lead the Pacific Coast League East, Tulsa leads the Texas League North, Great Lakes leads the Midwest League East and Rancho Cucamonga leads the California League South.
*Since the Drillers scored at least seven runs in the game, fans can purchase a large, one-topping pizza from Mazzio's for just $7 all day Saturday. The offer is only good online at Mazzios.com and when you use the code DRILLERS at checkout.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers and Cardinals will play the fifth game of their six-game series Friday night at ONEOK Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. in downtown Tulsa, and the starting pitchers are scheduled to be:
Springfield – RHP Brandon Komar (1-2, 5.11 ERA)
Tulsa – RHP Kyle Hurt (2-1, 1.69 ERA)