Drillers Erupt to End Streak
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – The Tulsa Drillers snapped a four-game losing streak in a big way Friday night. The Drillers, who had totaled just six runs in their four straight defeats, matched that total in the their first two at-bats and eventually reached double figures in a 10-1 win over
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – The Tulsa Drillers snapped a four-game losing streak in a big way Friday night. The Drillers, who had totaled just six runs in their four straight defeats, matched that total in the their first two at-bats and eventually reached double figures in a 10-1 win over Corpus Christi at Whataburger Field.
Offensively, the Drillers were led by Jorbit Vivas, who finished a perfect 3-3 with three runs scored, and Carson Taylor who had two hits, including his third home run.
Tulsa pitchers combined for a season-high 19 strikeouts in the game and came within one out of getting the team’s sixth shutout of the year.
Since scoring three runs in the first inning of the first game of the series with the Hooks, the Drillers entered Friday’s game with just one run over their last 26 innings. They broke out of their offensive slump quickly, scoring in each of the first three innings.
In the top of the first, Tulsa look a 1-0 lead when Vivas led off with a base hit and later scored on an error.
The Drillers padded their lead with five more runs in the second inning. With two outs and the bases loaded, a wild pitch brought home a run. Following a walk, Imanol Vargas singled home two runs, and left fielder Quincy Hamilton’s fielding error on the play plated another. Yusniel Diaz capped the big inning with a run-scoring double that increased the lead to 6-0.
Tulsa’s offensive fireworks continued into the top of the third. Taylor’s 378-foot blast over the right-center field fence made it 7-0 before a pair of balks delivered another to make it an eight-run lead.
Vivas doubled and scored in the sixth, and Eddys Leonard did the same in the seventh inning to make the lead 10-0.
Starting pitcher Kyle Hurt delivered a dominant performance, blanking the Hooks through four innings while allowing just two hits and striking out ten.
Newcomer Kevin Gowdy followed Hurt to the mound in his Drillers debut and worked a scoreless fifth inning.
The only run for the Hooks came with two outs in the bottom of the ninth on Shay Whitcomb’s ninth home run of the year.
HIGHLIGHTS AND HAPPENINGS:
*Tulsa’s pitching staff is currently tied with three other teams to lead Minor League Baseball with five shutouts. The Drillers came within one out of taking the lead alone.
*The 19 strikeouts were the most for Tulsa pitchers since striking out 20 on May 27, 2021 in a 13-inning win over Arkansas. The franchise record for a nine-inning game is 21 when Dave Righetti reached that figure himself in a complete game performance during the 1978 season.
*Alec Gamboa followed Gowdy to the mound and did not allow a hit in three shutout innings.
*The game was an ugly end for the Hooks’ four-game winning streak. Corpus Christi committed three errors and two balks while throwing five wild pitches.
*Since the Drillers scored at least seven runs, fans can purchase a large, one-topping pizza from Mazzio's for just $7 all day Saturday. The offer is only good online at Mazzios.com and when you use the code DRILLERS at checkout.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers and Hooks have two games remaining in their six-game series with game five set for 7:05 p.m. on Saturday night at Whataburger Field. The starting pitchers are scheduled to be:
TUL – RHP Nick Nastrini (1-1, 2.70 ERA)
CC – RHP Franny Cobos (0-1, 4.50 ERA)