Big Inning Gives Drillers Second Straight Win
Wichita, KS – The Tulsa Drillers made it two for two in Wichita Wednesday night in the second game of their season-ending series with the Wind Surge. The Drillers used a big, five-run fourth inning to take a lead they would not lose and defeated the Wind Surge 5-3. The
Wichita, KS – The Tulsa Drillers made it two for two in Wichita Wednesday night in the second game of their season-ending series with the Wind Surge. The Drillers used a big, five-run fourth inning to take a lead they would not lose and defeated the Wind Surge 5-3.
The Drillers have now won each of the first two games of the six-game series. They also have now taken a 12-8 lead in this season’s edition of the Coors Light Propeller Series. Tulsa will need just one win over the final four games of the series to claim its third straight Propeller Series victory and maintain possession of the Propeller Trophy.
Wednesday’s game was decided in the fourth inning when the Drillers scored five times. The big inning began with a leadoff base hit from Cristian Santana, and he scored the game’s first run when Jose Ramos followed with a double. After a walk, Noah Miller doubled home Ramos, and Chris Newell followed with the fourth hit of the inning, an RBI single that made it 3-0.
Donovan Casey singled in the fourth run, leaving runners at first and third. With Taylor Young at the plate, Casey broke for second, and when the catcher threw down, Miller broke from third and stole home to up the lead to 5-0.
Wichita got its first run in the bottom half of the fourth when Kala’i Rosario hit his eighth home run of the season, a solo shot off reliever Chris Campos.
It was the only damage off Campos who took over for starter Jared Karros to begin the fourth inning. The right-hander delivered four relief innings, with Rosario’s homer accounting for the only run he allowed. Campos allowed just three hits and one walk while striking out seven.
Christian Suarez worked a scoreless eighth inning before the Drillers called on Antonio Knowles for the bottom of the ninth.
With a four-run lead, Knowles made the crucial mistake of walking the inning’s leadoff batter, and it made for an uncomfortable ending for the Drillers. After a hard hit liner to center that turned into the first out, the Wind Surge got consecutive run-scoring hits to trim the lead to just two runs.
With the potential game-tying run at the plate, Knowles avoided disaster by getting a strikeout and a ground out to end the game.
Tulsa out-hit Wichita in the victory 10-5 with Ramos, Santana and Miller each recording two-hit games.
INSIDE THE GAME
*Starting pitcher Karros did not work long enough to qualify for the win, but he had an impressive outing. The son of former major leaguer Eric Karros retired all nine batters he faced in three perfect innings while striking out three.
*Campos was credited with the victory in what was likely his final appearance of the season. The win improved his Double-A record to 2-4.
*Young, hitting in the leadoff spot, was 0-4, ending his six-game hitting streak.
*Tulsa batters have now set a franchise record for most strikeouts in a season. As a team, they have struck out a total of 1,298 times, breaking the previous mark of 1,288 set during the 2019 season. This year marks the 47th season of Drillers baseball.
*The Drillers’ roster was juggled slightly prior to Wednesday’s game. Outfielder Damon Keith was placed on the Development List to make room for Santana who was activated from the Injured List.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers and the Wind Surge will play the third game of their season ending six-game series. Starting time is again scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Riverfront Stadium and the starting pitchers are expected to be:
Tulsa – LHP Jackson Ferris (0-3, 3.09 ERA)
Wichita – RHP Cory Lewis (2-5, 2.70 ERA)