Drillers Fall to Frisco in 14 Innings
August 19, 2015 - Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
Tulsa Drillers Left Fielder Brandon Dixon
(Tulsa Drillers, Credit: Rich Crimi)
Tuesday night, the Tulsa Drillers looked like a team that wants a berth in the Texas League playoffs. They battled the Frisco RoughRiders for over 4 hours and 14 innings at ONEOK Field, but they could not produce a win as Minor League Baseball Top 100 Prospect Lewis Brinson struck twice in extra innings. Brinson's final blow came on a two-run single in the top of the 14th to send the RoughRiders to a hard-fought 5-3 win over the Drillers.
The loss dropped Tulsa two games behind first-place Springfield in the North Division standings of the Texas League. There are 19 games remaining in the second-half of the season.
The Riders winning rally began with three straight one-out singles that loaded the bases. Ramon Benjamin recovered to strike out Ryan Cordell for the second out before Brinson lined a single into left field that plated a pair of runners to give Frisco the lead.
Tulsa could not respond in the bottom half of the 13th, going down in order.
The game began promisingly for the Driller as they scored first with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning. Lars Anderson led off with a double. With two outs, Kyle Farmer drew a walk to extend the inning, before Erisbel Arruebarrena bounced a single off the glove of third baseman Luis Mendez to bring home Anderson with the game's first run.
Yadir Drake reached base safely on an infield hit before Ronald Torreyes dropped a base hit into left-center field that scored Farmer to make it 2-0. It appeared that the Drillers would add a third run on the hit, but Drake was tagged out before Arruebarrena crossed the plate after rounding too far past second base.
Tulsa starting pitcher Jose De Leon blanked the RoughRiders on only one hit through the first four innings to keep the lead in place. De Leon struck out 7 of the 12 batters he faced to increase his season strikeout total to 153, the most in Minor League Baseball this year.
The RoughRiders tied the score in the fifth off reliever Jharel Cotton. After Mendez singled, Preston Beck belted his fourth home run of the season to make it 2-2.
The score would remain the same through the next seven innings before Brinson appeared to end the marathon when he led off the top of the 13th with a line drive homer off Jacob Rhame to give Frisco a 3-2 lead.
But, the Drillers answered in the bottom of the 13th off Texas League saves leader David Martinez. Drake and Webster Rivas opened the inning with consecutive base hits. After a sacrifice bunt and a walk, Anderson brought Drake home with a sacrifice fly to again tie the game and send it into one more inning.
The home run from Beck in the fifth was the only mistake Cotton made in six superb innings, the longest outing of the season for a Tulsa reliever. The right-hander allowed only the two runs on five hits while matching De Leon's seven strikeouts.
Drillers pitchers combined to match a season high with 19 total strikeouts in the contest.
Tulsa and Frisco will continue their series Wednesday night at ONEOK Field. The Drillers will send Julio Urias (2-4, 3.20 ERA) to the mound, while the Riders will counter with former Drillers' hurler Edwar Cabrera (4-1, 4.01 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05PM.
Images from this story
 Tulsa Drillers Left Fielder Brandon Dixon (Rich Crimi) |
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Texas League Stories from August 19, 2015
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- Bats Erupt to Even Series in 12-2 Win at San Antonio - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Midland Takes Middle Game to Even Series on Wednesday - Springfield Cardinals
- Urias, Drillers Top RoughRiders 2-1 - Tulsa Drillers
- Cabrera Tosses Complete Game, But Riders Fall 2-1 - Frisco RoughRiders
- Bring Your Dog to the RoughRiders' August 26 Game - Frisco RoughRiders
- Walk-Off Walk ... this Game Will Keep You Humble - Midland RockHounds
- Drillers Fall to Frisco in 14 Innings - Tulsa Drillers
- Brinson's Clutch Night Sends Frisco to Win in 14th Inning - Frisco RoughRiders
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