Drillers Top Frisco for Season High Fourth Straight Win
TULSA, OK – The Tulsa Drillers ran their winning streak to a season high four straight games before a large, sun-drenched crowd at ONEOK Field Wednesday afternoon. The Drillers got big games at the plate from Michael Busch, Chris Betts and James Outman in support of a strong effort from
TULSA, OK – The Tulsa Drillers ran their winning streak to a season high four straight games before a large, sun-drenched crowd at ONEOK Field Wednesday afternoon. The Drillers got big games at the plate from Michael Busch, Chris Betts and James Outman in support of a strong effort from the bullpen to defeat Frisco 7-2. The result keeps Tulsa in first place in the Texas League’s North Division standings.
The RoughRiders were limited to just two hits in the game and were held without a hit over the final five innings.
Busch helped the Drillers take a quick lead, doubling with one out in the bottom of the first inning. After a ground out, he scored the game’s first run on Outman’s infield hit.
Frisco did not get its first hit until Jonathan Ornelas hit Gus Varland’s first pitch in the top of the third inning into the Budweiser Terrace in left field for his third home run of the season. The solo shot tied the score at 1-1.
After the homer, the next batter, Dustin Harris, walked and Ezequiel Duran singled. A two-out walk loaded the bases before a wild pitch from Varland allowed Harris to come home and give the RoughRiders a temporary lead.
The Drillers used a two-out rally in the bottom of the fifth inning to go in front to stay. After the first two batters in the fifth were retired, catcher Betts doubled for his first hit of the season. He scored to tie the game on the very next pitch when Jacob Amaya also doubled. Following a wild pitch, Busch singled home Amaya to put the Drillers in front to stay.
Outman made it a 4-2 margin with a solo homer in the sixth, his seventh of the year.
The home run theme continued into the seventh inning. Betts matched Outman with his first of the season, a towering drive that carried 415 feet onto the grass berm well beyond the right field fence.
Later in the seventh, Busch homered for his third hit of the game. His team-leading tenth home run gave the Drillers a 6-2 cushion.
An RBI single from Brandon Lewis in the eighth inning completed the scoring.
The Tulsa bullpen was outstanding and kept the lead safe. Austin Drury followed Varland to the mound and did not allow a hit in two shutout innings.
Jose Adames was next in his ONEOK Field debut, and he retired all four batters that he faced, three on strikeouts.
Jordan Leasure finished the game with two perfect innings with three of the six outs coming via strikeouts.
HIGHLIGHTS AND HAPPENINGS:
*For Betts, it was also his ONEOK Field debut, and he made it a memorable one. The former second-round pick of the Tampa Bay Rays went 2-3 with a homer, a run batted in and two runs scored.
*The Drillers finished with 11 hits with six of them going for extra bases.
*Busch finished 3-4 with a single, a double and a homer. It was his second three-hit game of the season.
*Outman also enjoyed his second three-hit game of the year with a pair of singles and a homer.
*Tulsa was 3-4 with runners in scoring position, while Frisco was 0-10.
*It was an up-and-down outing for Varland as he allowed just two hits in 3.2 innings. However, he battled control issues, walking four batters and hitting three others with pitches. He was charged with two runs.
*Drury picked up the win to improve his record to a perfect 3-0. The lefthander has only allowed one run in his last seven appearances and lowered his ERA to 1.50. He has two wins and one save in his last three outings.
*Attendance for the game that started at 11:05 a.m. was 6,916.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers and RoughRiders will play the third game of their six-game set on Thursday night. First pitch at ONEOK Field is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. The starting pitchers are slated to be:
Frisco- RHP Justin Slaten (0-0, 2.12 ERA)
Tulsa- RHP Clatyon Beeter (0-1, 3.45 ERA)