Drillers Strand Opportunities in Loss
San Antonio, TX – The Tulsa Drillers failed to take advantage of three late-inning scoring opportunities in a 4-3 extra-innings loss to the San Antonio Missions on Wednesday night. The Drillers loaded the bases in the ninth, tenth and eleventh innings but could not produce a run in their second
San Antonio, TX – The Tulsa Drillers failed to take advantage of three late-inning scoring opportunities in a 4-3 extra-innings loss to the San Antonio Missions on Wednesday night. The Drillers loaded the bases in the ninth, tenth and eleventh innings but could not produce a run in their second consecutive loss at Nelson Wolff Stadium.
The loss is the third straight for the Drillers, matching their longest of the season, as they dropped to second place in the Texas League North Division standings.
The Drillers scored first in the game as the newest addition to the roster, Leonel Valera, singled in Devin Mann for a 1-0 lead.
San Antonio did not take long to take the lead, as Connor Kaiser and Esteury Ruiz each hit solo home runs, and Domingo Leyba hit an inside-the-park homer for a 3-1 lead.
The Drillers cut the two-run deficit in half in the fourth inning when Brandon Lewis plated Justin Yurchak from second base with a single to make the score 3-2.
Ruiz drew a lead-off walk to open the fifth inning and then stole second and third bases. Yorman Rodriguez brought Ruiz to the plate with a sacrifice fly, increasing San Antonio's lead to 4-2.
The Drillers continued to battle as James Outman began the eighth inning with a single followed by Ryan Ward's double off the wall that would have scored Outman, but he slipped rounding third and was out in a rundown. That out proved to be significant as Andy Pages then hit a two-run homer to tie the game at 4-4.
The Drillers failed to score a run after loading the bases in the ninth. Tulsa retired San Antonio in the bottom half to send the game to extra innings.
The Drillers again loaded the bases but had nothing to show for it in the tenth after Yurchak ended the inning when he grounded out to first.
Gus Varland entered and sent the game to the eleventh inning by retiring the Missions on a popped-up bunt, a strikeout and a pop out in foul territory.
The Drillers loaded the bases for the third consecutive inning but could not capitalize on the opportunity. With the placed runner at second, Outman was intentionally walked and Jacob Amaya drew a walk with two outs. Ward then hit into a 4-3 groundout to end the threat.
Jose Hernandez was called upon to keep the game tied, but Thomas Malone singled up the middle to bring home the winning run from second on the first pitch in the bottom of the eleventh.
HIGHLIGHTS AND HAPPENINGS:
*The Drillers outhit the Missions 10-8 in the loss.
*One night after the fastest nine-inning game of the season at 2:05, Wednesday night's game took 3:12 to decide a winner.
*In his first game with Tulsa, Valera finished 2-5 with one RBI.
*With the sacrifice fly in the fifth, Jose Adames allowed his first earned run in seven appearances with the Drillers.
*The Drillers began the night in a first-place tie in the Texas League North with the Wichita Wind Surge, but the loss moved Tulsa to second place as Wichita split a doubleheader on Wednesday.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers and Missions will meet in game three of their six-game series on Thursday night in San Antonio. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Nelson Wolff Stadium. The starting pitchers are slated to be:
Tulsa – RHP Landon Knack (1-2, 2.81 ERA)
San Antonio – LHP Jason Blanchard (0-0, 3.60 ERA)