Drillers Beat Naturals for Fourth Straight Win
August 7, 2015 - Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
On hot night in downtown Tulsa when game time temperature was officially 98 degrees, the Tulsa Drillers kept their own hot streak going. The Drillers scored in each of the first three innings Friday night and posted a 4-1 victory over Northwest Arkansas. It was the fourth straight win for the Drillers matching their second-longest streak of the season.
Julio Urias allowed one run in five innings to pick up his second Double-A victory Saturday night. (Rich Crimi)
All of the game's offense took place in the first three innings, and it was the Naturals who opened the scoring. Julio Urias, making his third start for the Drillers since returning from eye surgery, labored through the top of the first.
The first two batters reached safely on a base hit and a walk before Hunter Dozier lined out. With runners at first and second, Urias benefited from a failed double steal attempt as the lead runner was thrown out at third base for the second out. It proved big when Alex Liddi singled home the game's first run, and Bubba Starling followed with another hit. Urias kept the damage to a single run when he retired Jorge Bonifacio on a fly out that ended the inning.
The Drillers erased the deficit with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the first off highly-ranked Kansas City Royals pitching prospect Kyle Farmer. Ronald Torreyes led off with a base hit and Peter Lavin reached on catcher's interference. Lars Anderson singled home Torreyes before Lavin scored on a double play grounder from Kyle Farmer.
Tulsa added to its lead with single runs in both the second and third innings. In the second, three straight singles to open the inning from Brandon Trinkwon, Erisbel Arruebarrena and Yadir Drake made it 3-1.
Farmer extended his hitting streak to 12 straight games when he led off the third with a double. He later came around to score on first baseman Frank Schwindel's throwing error to up the lead to 4-1.
The first-inning run from the Naturals would be their only offensive output of the night. Urias settled in and worked scoreless innings to pick up his second Double-A win of the season. The lefthander surrendered eight hits and one walk while recording two strikeouts in his five innings of work.
Deck McGuire followed Urias to the mound and did not allow a hit in three shutout innings, and Ramon Benjamin pitched around a two-out hit in the ninth to pick up his first Double-A save.
Zimmer pitched 4 2/3 innings and was charged with four runs, but only one was earned. The right-hander allowed eight hits and one walk and struck out three.
The Naturals out-hit the Drillers 9-8 but were undone by their three errors.
Farmer's 12-game hitting streak is the longest this season for a Tulsa player. During the streak, he is hitting at a .354 clip.
The Drillers will look to extend their winning streak to five straight in another meeting with the Naturals Saturday night at ONEOK Field. The pitching matchup will feature Ross Stripling (2-3, 4.54 ERA) and Jonathan Dziedzic (7-6, 3.45 ERA). Starting time is scheduled for 7:05PM.
Texas League Stories from August 7, 2015
- Kemmer Caps Wild Finish - Corpus Christi Hooks
- O'Neill and Cardinals Walk off against Travs, 2-1 - Springfield Cardinals
- Drillers Beat Naturals for Fourth Straight Win - Tulsa Drillers
- Hancock Stifles Riders Offense in 5-1 Loss - Frisco RoughRiders
- Naturals Drop Game Two, 4-1 in Tulsa - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Derek Holland to Rehab with RoughRiders on Sunday - Frisco RoughRiders
- Attack of the Beach Balls - Midland RockHounds
- Jensen, Pinder Push Hounds - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Cardinals Out-Slug Travelers, 10-8 - Springfield Cardinals
- Cards Come Back Twice in Seesaw Slugfest - Arkansas Travelers
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