TL1 Tulsa Drillers

Drillers Begin Dodgers Era with Victory

Published on April 10, 2015 under Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release


Ali Solis of the Tulsa Drillers Rounds the Bases
Ali Solis of the Tulsa Drillers Rounds the Bases
(Tulsa Drillers, Credit: Rich Crimi)

The Tulsa Drillers new affiliation with the Los Angeles Dodgers got off to a successful start Thursday night in the 2015 season opener. In their first-ever game as a member of the Dodgers' organization, the Drillers got a big game from top prospect Corey Seager and a strong outing from starting pitcher Chris Anderson to post a 10-4 victory before a sellout crowd of 8,376 at ONEOK Field.

Seager, rated the seventh-best prospect in all of Minor League Baseball, finished 2-4 with three runs batted in, while Anderson surrendered only four hits and two runs in five solid innings of work.

The Drillers wasted little time in opening the game's scoring. After Anderson worked a 1-2-3 top of the first, Seager singled with one out in the bottom of the first. After Daniel Mayora was retired on strikes, Lars Anderson drew a walk before Brandon Dixon split the gap in right-center field with a drive that one-hopped the fence. Both Seager and Anderson scored on the double to give the Drillers a quick 2-0 lead.

It was short-lived as the Missions answered in the top of the second. Top San Diego Padres prospect Hunter Renfroe drew a leadoff walk. Anderson retired the next two hitters before he made his lone mistake of the night, surrendering a two-run home run to Yeison Asencio that tied the score.

But, Tulsa used a long ball of its own to promptly retake the lead in the bottom of the second. With one out and the bases empty, former San Antonio catcher Ali Solis hit a towering drive into the terrace section in left field to put the Drillers back in front.

After the homer, pitcher Anderson and Peter Lavin drew consecutive walks. Following a wild pitch, Seager plated Anderson with a sacrifice fly to give the Drillers a 4-2 lead.

In the fifth, the Drillers used their third two-run inning of the night to increase their lead to four runs. Brandon Dixon reached on an error and scored on a ground out by Jeremy Hazelbaker for the first run. Consecutive doubles from Jon Garcia and Solis produced the second.

Lars Anderson walked and scored on a base hit by Hazelbaker in the seventh to make it 7-2.

The Missions crept closer thanks to a two-run homer from Casey McElroy in the top of the eighth off reliever Chin-hui Tsao, but three more runs from the Drillers in the bottom of the inning put the game away.

Seager plated two with a double, then scored himself on a ground out by Lars Anderson.

Reliever Blake Smith closed out the victory with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

Like Seager, Dixon and Solis each collected two hits as the Drillers totaled nine hits in the opening night contest.

Anderson picked up his first Double-A victory with his outing, recording six strikeouts in his five innings of work. Jeremy Horst worked 1.2 scoreless innings in relief of the right-hander.

Asencio enjoyed a big night at the plate for the Missions, finishing with three hits, including his second-inning homer.

The Drillers will feature another top prospect Friday night in the second game of their three-game series with San Antonio. Julio Urias, rated the eighth-best prospect in Minor League Baseball, will take the mound for Tulsa in what will be the Double-A debut for the 18-year-old lefthander.

It will be the first News On 6 Friday Night Fireworks promotion of the season, presented by Saint Francis Health System and 98.5 FM. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05PM in downtown Tulsa with the Fireworks Show immediately after the game.

Check out the Tulsa Drillers Statistics

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Images from this story

Ali Solis of the Tulsa Drillers Rounds the Bases
Ali Solis of the Tulsa Drillers Rounds the Bases
(Rich Crimi)		   



Texas League Stories from April 10, 2015


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