Drillers Drop Sunday’s Series Finale
Midland, TX – The Tulsa Drillers tried to follow the same script Sunday afternoon as from the night when they held a two-run lead going into the fifth inning. Unlike the previous night, the. Midland RockHounds scored three runs in the fifth to take a lead that the Drillers never
*Midland, TX – *The Tulsa Drillers tried to follow the same script Sunday afternoon as from the night when they held a two-run lead going into the fifth inning. Unlike the previous night, the. Midland RockHounds scored three runs in the fifth to take a lead that the Drillers never overtook and fell 6-3.
With the loss, Tulsa lost the three-game series at Momentum Bank Ballpark, but the Drillers still won the season series between the two teams, finishing with a 5-4 record against the RockHounds.
Like the night before, the Drillers scored single runs in the second and third innings to take a 2-0 lead. Imanol Vargas led off the second inning with the first home run of the series by either team. In the third, Jose Ramos dove in Tulsa’s second run with a double to left field.
The Drillers saw another solid start from their starting pitcher in the series. Through the first four innings, River Ryan held the RockHounds to almost no offense as he held them scoreless on just two hits.
Ryan’s scoreless outing ended in the fifth inning when Midland scored three runs to take the lead. A leadoff walk began the inning before a single, a sacrifice fly and a second single plated two runs and tied the game at 2-2. Cooper Bowman scored the inning’s final run with a solo home run to put Midland ahead 3-2.
In the seventh, Bowman added a fourth with a sacrifice fly to increase Midland’s lead to 4-2.
Kody Hoese brought the Drillers back to within one run with a solo home run.
Jack Little made his first appearance since May 12 and his first since being activated from the Injured List. Little’s return did not go as planned, as he lasted just a third of an inning. He gave up two walks and a double which allowed two more runs to score and give Midland a 6-3 lead.
The Drillers earned one hit in the ninth inning, but failed to do anything else as Calvin Coker retired the side to end the game and record the save.
HIGHLIGHTS AND HAPPENINGS:
*Eddys Leonard was hit by a pitch in the sixth inning, which increased his on-base streak to 17 straight games. During the streak, he is hitting .338 with a .427 OBP, a .477 SLG and a .904 OPS.
*Vargas increased his hitting streak to five games and is hitting .389 during the streak.
*For the fifth time this series, the Drillers were thrown out on the bases as Ramos was tagged out at third trying to stretch a double to a triple.
*The Drillers struck out 13 times for the second straight game and recorded 36 total in the three-game series.
*Tulsa has committed an error in four consecutive games and six total during that span.
UP NEXT:
After an off day on Monday, the Drillers will continue their nine-game road trip on Tuesday, July 16 by traveling to Springdale, Arkansas to take on the Northwest Arkansas Naturals in a six-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Arvest Ballpark and neither team has announced a starting pitcher.