Drillers Playoff Chances Hurt After Loss to Naturals
SPRINGDALE, AR – The Tulsa Drillers chances for a first-half title in the Texas League North Division became much tougher after a 5-4 loss to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Thursday night. The Drillers led two different times but failed to hold both leads as the Naturals used a game-winning
SPRINGDALE, AR – The Tulsa Drillers chances for a first-half title in the Texas League North Division became much tougher after a 5-4 loss to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Thursday night. The Drillers led two different times but failed to hold both leads as the Naturals used a game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat Tulsa at Arvest Ballpark.
The loss dropped the Drillers into third place, 2.5 behind first-place Arkansas, who defeated Wichita on Thursday. Springfield swept a doubleheader at Corpus Christi and moved into second place.
With only three games left in the half, Tulsa must win its three remaining games and hope for three losses from Arkansas to have a chance for the first-half title.
For the first time in the series, the Drillers scored the first run of the game on Thursday when Alex Freeland hit a solo home run in the third inning.
The Naturals took the lead in the next half-inning and only needed one hit to do so. A single and a walk put two runners on, and Javier Vaz advanced both with a sacrifice bunt. A wild pitch from Tulsa starting pitcher Jerming Rosario that bounced over to the Drillers dugout allowed both base runners to score.
Brandon Lewis evened the game in the fifth inning at 2-2 with his eighth home run of the year.
The Drillers regained the lead in the top of the sixth when Diego Cartaya drove in two runs with a double.
In the bottom half of the inning, Northwest Arkansas used a pair of sacrifice flies from Gavin Cross and Josh Lester to tie the game at 4-4.
It remained tied until the ninth inning. In the top half of the inning, the Drillers earned a leadoff walk, but a force out and double play ended the threat.
In the bottom half, Dillan Shrum earned a leadoff double for the Naturals, and a sacrifice bunt advanced pinch-runner Leonel Valera to third base. Tulsa followed by intentionally walking Javier Vaz to set up the double play. Manager Scott Hennessey turned to Juan Morillo to get out of the jam, but Tyler Tolbert singled to center field on the first pitch thrown by Morillo to score the winning run from third.
INSIDE THE GAME
*Rosario made another strong start in just his second Double A outing. The 22-year-old earned a no decision by pitching 5.0+ innings and giving up three runs on three hits and three walks with five strikeouts.
*For the third consecutive game, Tulsa hitters struck out over ten times, finishing with 14. It was the 33rd time that Tulsa has struck out at least ten times in a game this season.
*Freeland’s home run was his first against left-handed pitching since joining the Drillers.
*Ben Harris received the loss, pitching 1.1 innings and giving up one run on one hit and two walks. He was responsible for the winning run on third base before he exited the game.
*Cartaya finished with three hits. It was his third game with three hits this season.
*Earlier today, the Drillers announced that pitcher Sauryn Lao has been transferred to Triple A Oklahoma City and pitcher Lucas Wepf had been added from Great Lakes.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers and Naturals will continue their six-game series Friday night with game four. First pitch at Springdale’s Arvest Ballpark is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. and the starting pitchers are expected to be:
TUL – RHP Hyun-il Choi (1-2, 6.75 ERA)
NWA – RHP Luinder Avila (5-3, 4.44 ERA)