Drillers Top Wichita to Take Propeller Series
TULSA, OK – The Tulsa Drillers not only won a game on Sunday afternoon, they also won a trophy. The Drillers defeated Wichita 3-0 Sunday afternoon behind a pair of home runs and strong performances on the mound from four different hurlers. With the victory, the Drillers clinched the regular
TULSA, OK – The Tulsa Drillers not only won a game on Sunday afternoon, they also won a trophy. The Drillers defeated Wichita 3-0 Sunday afternoon behind a pair of home runs and strong performances on the mound from four different hurlers.
With the victory, the Drillers clinched the regular season series with Wichita and the Coors Light Propeller Series competition between the two teams. The Propeller Trophy is presented to the team that wins the season series, and it is put on display at the winning team’s stadium. It is the second year of the series with Wichita winning the Propeller in 2021.
The Drillers took the lead in the second inning on a solo home run from Carson Taylor, his third of the season.
They used another homer in the bottom of the fifth to add two more runs. Taylor led off with a base hit, and one out later, Jonny DeLuca hit his fourth Double-A home run to increase the lead to 3-0.
Tulsa starting pitcher Kyle Hurt fell one inning short of qualifying for the win, but he set the tone early by delivering his best performance since his promotion to Double A. Hurt scattered four hits over his four innings and walked just one batter while striking out seven.
Wichita came close to getting on the scoreboard in the seventh inning. With the two outs, Leobaldo Cabrera walked and stole second base. When Ernie Yake lined a base hit into right field, Cabrera attempted to score but was thrown out on a strike to the plate by Tulsa right fielder Andy Pages.
The single from Yake was the Wind Surge’s only hit after the third inning.
Keegan Curtis followed Hurt to the hill and picked up the win with 1.2 scoreless innings. It was his first victory with the Drillers.
Jose Hernandez recorded four outs before Nick Robertson closed it out with two hitless and shutout innings. For Robertson, it was his sixth save of the year.
HIGHLIGHTS AND HAPPENINGS:
*It was the sixth shutout of the season for the Drillers, with four coming at ONEOK Field.
*Temperature at first pitch was a season high 100 degrees.
*Justin Yurchak was hitless in four at-bats, snapping his season high 14-game hitting streak.
*DeLuca finished with two hits and has now hit safely in 13 of the 14 games he has played in since joining the Tulsa roster.
*The Drillers hit a combined eight home runs over the last two game, both victories. They now have hit a total of 133 homers on the season, the most in Double A and the fourth most in all of Minor League Baseball.
*The Propeller Trophy was developed by Coors Light due to Wichita and Tulsa’s place in the airline industry. The Propeller is always on display in the stadium of the winning team.
UP NEXT: The Drillers will have an off day on Monday before beginning a six-game series with the Arkansas Travelers on Tuesday night at ONEOK Field. Starting time for the opener is scheduled to be:
Arkansas – RHP Levi Stoudt (6-6, 5.56 ERA)
Tulsa – RHP Gavin Stone (5-3, 1.53 ERA)