Drillers Defeats Wind Surge in Extras
WICHITA, KS – The Tulsa Drillers entered Sunday afternoon's game with four wins in five games over the Wichita Wind Surge and a three–game lead in the Texas League North Division. The Drillers earned a 6-5 extra-innings win to claim their fifth win at Riverfront Stadium and maintain their lead
WICHITA, KS – The Tulsa Drillers entered Sunday afternoon's game with four wins in five games over the Wichita Wind Surge and a three–game lead in the Texas League North Division. The Drillers earned a 6-5 extra-innings win to claim their fifth win at Riverfront Stadium and maintain their lead over Arkansas in the standings.
Tulsa has now won 11 of its last 12 games.
The Drillers jumped out to a four-run lead in Sunday’s series finale, but Wichita rallied to tie the game and send it into extras. In the tenth, a single and an error allowed the Drillers to score the two runs they needed as they escaped a bases-loaded jam in the bottom half to earn the win.
For the third consecutive game, the Drillers scored a run in the first inning to take an early lead as Jorbit Vivas hit a solo homer.
The Drillers took a 2-0 lead in the third inning when Vivas drove in Austin Gauthier from second base.
Tulsa earned its largest lead of the afternoon when a walk, a hit batter and a balk put two runners in scoring position. Gauthier then singled to left field to score two and give the Drillers a 4-0 lead.
Landon Knack was working another great start through the first four innings, but a costly error began Wichita's rally in the fifth. After a leadoff walk in Wichita's half of the fifth inning, Anthony Prato dropped a bunt, but Carson Taylor overthrew the first base bag, which allowed one run to score. An RBI double and RBI single followed to plate two more Wichita runs to make the score 4-3, ending Knack's day.
Ryan Sublette entered and recorded the next six outs, but Dashawn Keirsey, the last batter Sublette faced, tied the game with a solo home run.
John Rooney and Jordan Leasure held the Surge scoreless for the next 2.1 innings to send the game into extras.
In the tenth, Vivas singled to score the placed runner from second base, and a throwing error by Prato allowed another run to score as Tulsa took a 6-4 lead.
In the bottom half, a single and two walks allowed Wichita to score the placed runner and make the score 6-5. Reliever Ben Harris worked around the two walks when he struck out Aaron Sabato to end the game and record his second save.
HIGHLIGHTS AND HAPPENINGS:
*Tulsa is now 5-1 in extra-inning games this season.
*Knack allowed three runs in his start, but only one run was earned. He allowed six hits and one walk with four strikeouts in 4.2 innings.
*Tulsa's bullpen finished with a 1.40 ERA in the six games against Wichita. On Sunday, four pitchers allowed just one run in 5.1 innings.
*Gauthier finished with one hit, two RBI, two walks, two runs scored and two stolen bases. He has scored eight runs and stole four bases in his first six games with the Drillers.
*Vivas accounted for half of Tulsa's hits, earning three in the win.
*Former Driller Michael Boyle was on the mound when the Drillers scored their two runs in the tenth. The 2018 and 2019 Driller allowed a hit and a walk in a third of an inning pitched. Both runs scored were charged to Andrew Cabezas.
*The Drillers now lead the Coors Light Propeller Series between the two teams 9-3. The winner of the season series will be presented with the Propeller Trophy by Coors Light. There are now 12 games remaining in this year's regular season series.
UP NEXT:
Following an off day, the Drillers return to ONEOK Field to begin an important six-game series against the Arkansas Travelers on Tuesday, June 6. Tulsa will begin the series with a three-game lead on the Travelers for first place in the Texas League North Division. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. and neither starting pitcher has been announced.