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Tulsa Drillers

Bellinger's 2 Homers Lead Drillers to Series Sweep

May 26, 2016 - Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release


Cody Bellinger's 2016 season got a late start because of a strained hip, but the Tulsa Drillers first baseman in quickly making up for lost time. Bellinger hit two home runs Thursday night to lead the Drillers to a 3-1 win over Frisco and three-game sweep of the RoughRiders. The victory was the fifth straight for Tulsa, setting a new season high.

It is the second time this month that the Drillers have swept a home series. From May 11-14, they won all four games in a set with Arkansas at ONEOK Field. Impressively, Thursday's sweep came against a RoughRiders team that owns the best record in the Texas League.

The two-homer performance continued an impressive power month for Bellinger. The lefthander, who hit 30 home runs in the California League last season, now has six homers in May.

The RoughRiders had taken an early lead in the game with a run in the top of the second inning, as Ronald Guzman led off with a base hit and scored on Preston Beck's one-out triple.

It remained 1-0 until Bellinger struck for the first time in the fifth inning. His solo homer on the first pitch of the inning from Frisco starter Sam Wolff evened the score.

It didn't take the 20-year-old slugger long to strike again. Following a leadoff double from Alex Verdugo in the sixth, Bellinger drove a pitch from Wolff just over the right field fence for a two-run homer that put Tulsa in front 3-1.

The heroics gave reliever Caleb Dirks his first win of the season. Dirks allowed only one hit in two scoreless innings in relief of starter Jeremy Kehrt.

Michael Johnson worked a 1-2-3 eighth before turning the final inning over to Scott Griggs. In his second outing with the Drillers, Griggs picked up his second save with a scoreless ninth inning.

Kehrt did not factor in the decision, but he surrendered just the second-inning run in his five innings of work.

Bellinger is no stranger to game-winning homers this season. On May 14, his walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth completed the four-game sweep of the Travelers. Eight days later, his two-run shot in the 11th inning produced a two-run win in Northwest Arkansas.

His final line on Thursday was three hits in four-at bats with the two homers and three runs batted in.

Preston Beck enjoyed a big night for Frisco, going a perfect 4-4 and finishing just a home run short of a cycle.

The Drillers will look to extend their winning streak as they continue their homestand Friday night, opening a three-game series with the Midland RockHounds. Brock Stewart (1-2, 1.25 ERA) will pitch the opener for Tulsa against Joey Wagman (0-0, 5.00 ERA) of Midland. First pitch at ONEOK Field is scheduled for 7:05PM.

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Texas League Stories from May 26, 2016


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