Drillers Can't Overcome 3-Run First Inning
June 25, 2025 - Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
Frisco, TX - The Tulsa Drillers continued their road series in Frisco, Texas Wednesday night, and they continued to struggle to generate much in the way of offense. For the second straight game, the Drillers scored just one run, wasting an impressive night from the Tulsa bullpen in a 3-1 loss to the RoughRiders at Riders Field.
It was the third straight loss for the Drillers, and they have scored a total of two runs in the three games. They are 0-2 through two games of their six-game series in Frisco.
The RoughRiders got all the offense they needed with a three-run first inning. Cameron Cauley led off with a base hit and stole second base. After a fly out, a single by Abimelec Ortiz put runners at the corners. Ortiz also stole second base, and when catcher Griffin Lockwood-Powell's throw ended up in shallow centerfield, Cauley came home with the game's first run.
Following another fly out, Luis Mieses delivered the third hit of the inning when he belted his 11th home run of the season to cap the Riders three-run inning.
Frisco starting pitcher Kohl Drake blanked the Drillers through the first six innings, surrendering just two hits.
Tulsa finally got on the scoreboard in the top of the seventh against reliever Avery Weems. Singles from Kendall Simmons and Ezequiel Pagan, followed by a walk to Sean McLain, loaded the bases with two outs.
Kole Myers hit a sharp grounder that second baseman Keyber Rodriguez could not handle cleanly, allowing Myers to reach safely with an infield single and Simmons to cross the plate with the Drillers lone run of the game.
INSIDE THE GAME
*Lockwood-Powell singled to lead off the top of the second inning to reach base in his 27th straight game. It matches the longest on-base streak in the Texas League this season. Wichita's Aaron Sabato also reached base in 27 straight games prior to his promotion to Triple A.
*Brandon Neeck made his second straight start for the Drillers and just the second start of his professional career. Neeck worked 2/3 of an inning and was charged with the three first-inning runs on three hits and one walk.
*Kelvin Bautista relieved Neeck and got the final out in the first inning and began an impressive night for Tulsa's bullpen. Bautista struck out two in 2.1 shutout innings.
*Christian Suarez topped Bautista's effort with 3.0 scoreless frames, allowing just one hit with two strikeouts. The lefthander needed just 30 pitches, 21 of which were strikes, to complete his three innings.
*Ronan Kopp was even more impressive, allowing just one hit in his 2.0 scoreless innings and recording strikeouts on all six outs that he recorded. Kopp has not allowed a run in his last 11 appearances, accumulating a 14.1 innings scoreless streak.
*Suarez has a 10.0 inning scoreless streak over his last four games.
*The three Tulsa relievers combined for 8.1 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits while striking out ten. The most impressive stat might have been that the trio allowed just one walk.
*Tulsa has lost 15 of its last 17 games. The only two wins in the stretch came when Tulsa pitchers shut out the opposition. Offensively, the Drillers have averaged just 2.3 runs in the 15 losses.
UP NEXT
The Drillers and RoughRiders will be back in action Thursday night with the third game of their six-game series at Rider Field. Starting time is set for 7:05 p.m. and the starting pitchers are slated to be:
TUL -RHP Peter Heubeck (1-4, 4.34 ERA)
FRI - RHP Josh Stephan (5-2, 4.75 ERA)
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