Drillers Salvage Series Finale Win in Arkansas
North Little Rock, AR – Since Minor League Baseball switched to six-game series formats, the Tulsa Drillers have been swept in a series just once. The Drillers were in a position to be swept again on Sunday afternoon with the offense struggling all week, they entered the finale with the
North Little Rock, AR – Since Minor League Baseball switched to six-game series formats, the Tulsa Drillers have been swept in a series just once. The Drillers were in a position to be swept again on Sunday afternoon with the offense struggling all week, they entered the finale with the Arkansas Travelers having scored just 5 runs on 20 hits. Tulsa was able to salvage a win in the series finale with their biggest offensive game of the six-game series and avoid the sweep with a comeback 4-3 victory at Dickey-Stephens Park.
The win kept the Drillers in the hunt for the second-half title, as Tulsa is 5.0 games back of first place in the Texas League North Division with just over a month left in the season.
The Drillers fell behind Sunday after giving a run to the Travelers in the second inning. Two walks began the inning, and two stolen bases followed to put runners in scoring position, with the run scoring on a wild pitch from Jerming Rosario.
Another leadoff walk led to Arkansas scoring its second run in the third inning. Harry Ford drew the walk and promptly stole his 25th base of the season. Blake Rambusch drove in Ford with a single to right that put the Travs ahead 2-0.
The Drillers benefited from a walk to score their first run in the fourth. After Brendon Davis drew a one-out pass, Jose Ramos doubled to center to score Davis from first base.
The Drillers trailed until the sixth inning, when they took just their third lead of the series. The inning began with three consecutive singles before a double play groundout allowed the inning's first run to score. A wild pitch followed and gave Tulsa a 3-2 lead. Brandon Lewis and Bubba Alleyne continued the inning by each drawing two-out walks. Noah Miller gave Tulsa its fourth run with an RBI single.
The Travs answered with a run in the bottom of the sixth on Victor Labrada's RBI single that made the score 4-3.
Pitching from the bullpen for just the second time this season, Orlando Oritz-Mayr was crucial in the Drillers earning the Sunday win. The right-hander worked five relief innings and allowed just one run on two hits and a walk while recording four strikeouts.
Lucas Wepf bounced back from his tough outing on Wednesday by securing the win with a scoreless ninth inning to earn his fifth save.
INSIDE THE GAME
*Ortiz-Mayr received his seventh win with his impressive outing from the bullpen.
*Tulsa starting pitcher Jerming Rosario was in an opener role on Sunday afternoon as he used 57 pitches to complete two innings. In his tenth start with Tulsa, he allowed one run on two hits and two walks with four strikeouts.
*Taylor Young stole his 36th base of the season and has surpassed Cooper Bowman for the most in the Texas League.
*The game was delayed 31 minutes due to rain showers entering the Little Rock area just before the game's scheduled start.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers will return to ONEOK Field on Tuesday, August 13 to open a six-game series with the Midland RockHounds. Game one's start time is 7:00 p.m., and the starting pitchers have not been announced.