TL Tulsa Drillers

Drillers' Big Inning Fuels 5-2 Victory

Published on April 8, 2023 under Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release


Tulsa Drillers' Andy Pages at bat
Tulsa Drillers' Andy Pages at bat
(Tulsa Drillers)

Tulsa, OK- The Tulsa Drillers ended a 14-inning scoreless streak Saturday night with their biggest inning of the young season, and it was enough for them to claim their second win of the year. Tulsa broke a scoreless tie with a five-run fifth inning and then held on for a 5-2 win over San Antonio at ONEOK Field. The result gave the Drillers a season-opening series win and left them with a 2-1 record.

Andy Pages recorded two hits and drove in two runs as the Drillers took the series win. (Tim Campbell)

The big fifth inning began with the first five batters reaching base safely against San Antonio reliever Jose Quezeda, starting with a leadoff walk to Jose Ramos. After a base hit by Yusniel Diaz, Jonny DeLuca was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Jorbit Vivas lined a double into the right field corner to plate two runs, and Andy Pages followed with a two-run single.

With Pages at first base, the final run of the inning was set up when he alertly advanced to second on a fly out before stealing third base. The good base running proved beneficial when Pages was able to score the fifth run on an infield single from Imanol Vargas.

The Missions responded with their first run of the night in the top of the sixth inning, and it came with help from the Drillers. Daniel Johnson drew a two-out walk from reliever Kyle Hurt and advanced to third on a wild pitch and an error. He scored an unearned run when Evan Johnson singled, cutting the Drillers lead to 5-1.

San Antonio added the final run of the night in the eighth. Juan Fernandez greeted reliever Carlo Reyes with a leadoff double, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a throwing error by third baseman Brandon Lewis.

The Missions threatened to make it a bigger inning when Reyes hit a batter to put runners at first and second and bring the potential tying run to the plate. Tulsa manager Scott Hennessey summoned Jordan Leasure from the bullpen, and the right-hander quickly ended the threat with a strikeout and a ground out.

With the three-run lead, Leasure needed just 11 pitches to strike out the side in the ninth to close out the victory.

HIGHLIGHTS AND HAPPENINGS:

*River Ryan, who is rated as the Los Angeles Dodgers 13th best prospect, made the start on the mound for the Drillers, and he was impressive in his Double-A debut. Ryan worked the first four innings and did not allow a run and just one hit. He did not walk a batter and struck out two.

*Kyle Hurt followed Ryan to the mound and was credited with the win. Hurt worked two innings and allowed one run and two hits. Three of his six outs came on strikeouts.

*John Rooney worked a scoreless seventh inning. Rooney, who led all minor league pitchers in pickoffs last season, allowed a two-single to Brantley Bell and promptly picked him off first base.

*Tulsa pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts and have now struck out 33 batters in 27 innings this season. They have held opposing batters to a .128 batting average.

*In addition to his fifth-inning double, Vivas also singled in the third and has now hit safely in all three games this season.

*Pages' two-run single increased his RBI total to three on the season, tops on the team.

UP NEXT:

The Drillers will have Easter Sunday off, followed by the normal off day on Monday. Following the two-day break, they will open their first road series of the year in Midland, Texas on Tuesday night. It will be a six game series against the RockHounds with the opener on Tuesday slated to start 6:30 p.m.

Check out the Tulsa Drillers Statistics

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Images from this story

Tulsa Drillers' Andy Pages at bat
Tulsa Drillers' Andy Pages at bat
   



Texas League Stories from April 8, 2023


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