Drillers Drop Game Five to Naturals
SPRINGDALE, AR – The Tulsa Drillers quickly took a 3-0 lead in the first inning on Saturday night against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. However, following the first inning, the Drillers were held scoreless for the remainder of the ballgame as the Naturals scored six runs over the next seven innings
SPRINGDALE, AR – The Tulsa Drillers quickly took a 3-0 lead in the first inning on Saturday night against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. However, following the first inning, the Drillers were held scoreless for the remainder of the ballgame as the Naturals scored six runs over the next seven innings to defeat the Drillers 6-3 at Arvest Ballpark.
The Drillers were hurt by four stolen bases from the Naturals and by four wild pitches in the loss.
The Drillers have scored in the first inning in each of the first four games of the series, and that trend continued on Saturday night as Tulsa scored three runs in the top of the first. Jonny DeLuca began the game with a single, and following a throwing error on a pickoff attempt from pitcher Anthony Veneziano, Andy Pages singled to bring DeLuca home with the game’s first run. Pages scored when Ryan Ward hit his 18th home run to put Tulsa ahead 3-0.
Nick Robertson made his first start of the season as he worked one inning as an opener, giving up just one hit with one strikeout.
Scheduled starter Clayton Beeter took the mound in the second inning but failed to finish the inning as the Naturals scored two runs. The inning began with a walk to John Rave, and two wild pitches from Beeter. Logan Porter then singled to bring Rave home. Next, Seuly Matias reached base on a walk, and a third wild pitch put runners at second at third. A fourth wild pitch of the inning brought Porter to the plate to make the score to 3-2.
Alec Gamboa replaced Beeter and surrendered a third Northwest Arkansas run in the third inning. With a runner at second base, Porter doubled to left field to tie the game at 3-3. Gamboa went on to pitch three innings to keep the game tied.
Kevin Malisheski entered the game in the sixth inning and retired the side in order, but the Naturals took the lead by scoring two runs in the seventh. Robbie Glendinning led off with a solo home run to take the lead. One batter later, Rave singled to reach first base, then stole second and advanced to third base on a throwing error from catcher Ryan January. Sebastian Rivero doubled to right to score Rave for a 5-3 lead.
Northwest Arkansas added a sixth run in the eighth inning. After Tucker Bradley was hit by a pitch, he stole second and third bases. Tyler Gentry brought him home with a sacrifice fly.
HIGHLIGHTS AND HAPPENINGS:
*The Naturals finished with four stolen bases in the game as Bradley had three. The Drillers have now allowed 125 stolen bases this season.
*For the fifth time this season, the Drillers matched a season-high by committing three errors in the game.
*Pages is on a six-game hitting streak and has reached base in ten consecutive games.
*DeLuca has now recorded seven hits in his first four games with the Drillers for a .368 batting average.
*Tulsa used five pitchers in the game and Northwest Arkansas used just three.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers and Naturals will conclude their six-game series on Sunday afternoon at Arvest Ballpark. Starting time for the final game of the series is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. and the pitching matchup is expected to be:
Tulsa – RHP Bobby Miller (3-3, 4.45 ERA)
NWA – RHP Alec Marsh (1-7, 7.06 ERA)