TL1 Tulsa Drillers

Drillers Battle But Fall to the Naturals 7-5

Published on May 1, 2016 under Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release


Sunday brought a new game between the Drillers and the Naturals, but the end result was the same as the young talent in the Kansas City Royals farm system was on full display. Raul Mondesi and Bubba Starling took center stage for the Naturals as the Drillers fell for the second straight game to their North Division rivals 7-5.

One night after hitting a tie-breaking, three-run homer for the visitors from Arkansas, Mondesi was back in the middle of the action Sunday afternoon. The Royals number one overall prospect was a thorn in the Drillers side again as the shortstop finished his day 3-4 with a double, two singles, two RBI and two runs scored.

His teammate Starling likewise had a big day at the plate as the centerfielder also went 3-4 with a home run, a double and two singles to help pace NW Arkansas. Starling came into the season ranked by MLB.com as the Royals number seven prospect.

The Naturals got on the board right away as Mondesi singled, stole second and promptly came around to score on a Hunter Dozier RBI single to put NW Arkansas on top 1-0. The stolen base was Mondesi's 10th of the season.

The third inning brought more of the same. Tulsa starter Brock Stewart retired the leadoff man before giving up back-to-back hits. Mondesi stepped up to the plate again and delivered a two-run double into the left-center field alley to put the visitors up 3-0. Stewart then compounded his troubles as he threw a pickoff attempt into center field to move Mondesi over to third. That would come back to bite him as Orlando Calixte extended the Naturals lead to 4-0 with a sacrifice fly to right field.

Tulsa's bats woke up in the home half of the third as Drew Maggi smacked a double down the left field line, followed by an RBI single off the bat of Brandon Trinkwon to cut the Drillers deficit to 4-1.

Steward buckled down from there as the right-hander tossed three scoreless innings to keep the game close for Tulsa. Overall, Stewart finished having allowed just three earned runs over his six innings of work while collecting seven strikeouts.

Unfortunately, NW Arkansas starter Matt Strahm was dealing as well. The Royals number ten overall prospect hurled five innings of one-run ball, striking out eight Tulsa batters to lead the visitors.

Facing Tulsa reliever Dustin Richardson in the top of the seventh, Starling broke up the scoreless streak Stewart had begun with a towering drive into the left field Budweiser Terrace to push the Naturals lead to 5-1. The blast was Starling's 4th of the year.

Cuban shortstop Erisbel Arruebarrena made it a ballgame again following the seventh inning stretch though as the Drillers shortstop hit a two-run homer to pull Tulsa to within two runs.

After Michael Johnson contained the Naturals bats in the eighth, Rob Rogers came on for the top of the ninth. But he did not fare as well as RBI base hits from Mauricio Ramos and Frank Schwindel pushed the NW Arkansas advantage back up to 7-3.

Those runs proved critical as the Drillers did not roll over in their last at-bat.

Lars Anderson led off the ninth with a double off the right field fence, and came around to score two batters later as newcomer Paul Hoenecke blasted a two-run homer of his own over the right field fence to pull the Drillers to within two runs yet again at 7-5. But Naturals reliever Kevin McCarthy settled down from there and got Arruebarrena to pop out in foul territory to end the Tulsa rally hopes.

Following a short stint with the Drillers last season, Hoenecke made a positive first impression for Tulsa as he played in his first Double-A game of the year. The catcher finished the day 3-4 with the homer and two singles to lead the Drillers at the plate.

Strahm earned his first win of the season for the Naturals while Stewart suffered his first loss. McCarthy was credited with his fourth save of the year following his two innings of relief work.

The Drillers and Naturals will wrap up their three-game series with another matinee affair on Monday. RHP Chris Anderson (2-1, 5.50 ERA) gets the start for Tulsa while NW Arkansas will counter with RHP Christian Binford (2-2, 7.29 ERA.) First pitch at ONEOK Field is scheduled for 11:05 AM.

Check out the Tulsa Drillers Statistics

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Texas League Stories from May 1, 2016


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