Drillers Can't Overcome Early Deficit in Loss to Travs
Published on May 5, 2026 under Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
North Little Rock, AR - The Tulsa Drillers opened a six-game road trip Tuesday at Dickey-Stephens Park against the Arkansas Travelers.
Tulsa put itself in an early hole by spotting the Travs a nine-run lead after only three innings, but the resilient Drillers did not go away. They scored seven straight runs to pull within two of Arkansas, but the comeback was not to be. The Travelers ended the Drillers' momentum with two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and posted an 11-7 win in the series opener.
The Travelers appeared to put the game away early, opening the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the second, followed by seven more in the third.
Still short a starting pitcher, the Drillers were relying on their bullpen to cover the game, and Myles Caba was tasked with the start, the first of his professional career. Caba worked a 1-2-3 first inning, but the lefthander surrendered the game's first two runs in the bottom of the second.
Arkansas erupted for seven more runs in the third. Evan Shaw came on for Caba and all five batters he faced eventually scored. Roque Gutierrez replaced Shaw and surrendered a run-scoring single, followed by a three-run homer from Jared Sundstrom.
The Drillers began to chip away at their nine-deficit in the top of the fourth. Kendall George led off with a double and scored on a base hit from Kyle Nevin. Following an error and a balk, Elijah Hainline's check-swing single brought in two more runs.
Tulsa matched its three-run fourth with three more runs in the top of the fifth. Joe Vetrano started the inning with a leadoff double, and he came home when Frank Rodriguez followed with a single. After a fielder's choice ground out, Josue De Paula hit his fourth home run of the season. The two-run shot pulled the Drillers to within 9-6.
They crept even closer in the seventh. Rodriguez started the inning with his second hit of the night, a triple. After George walked, Rodriguez was thrown out at the plate attempting to score on De Paula's infield grounder. George eventually scored when Nevin was retired on a fielder's choice grounder, pulling Tulsa to within 9-7.
Arkansas dashed the Drillers comeback hopes by scoring twice in the bottom of the eighth inning.
It was the seventh meeting this season between the two teams and the Drillers hold the current series edge with four wins.
Josue De Paula hit his fourth home run of the year in Tulsa's loss in North Little Rock on Tuesday night.Braeden Botts
GAME NOTES
*Seattle Mariners infielder Brendan Donovan was in the Travelers lineup, batting in the leadoff spot while on an injury rehabilitation assignment with Travs. Donovan was 1-3 with two walks, an RBI and a run scored.
*Rodriguez finished 2-4 hitting in the ninth spot of the Tulsa lineup. The catcher has now hit safely in all four games that he has played in this season and has a .400 batting average.
*George had one hit and walked twice. He has now hit safely in 21 of the 25 games he has played in.
*De Paula's home run extended his hitting streak to four straight games.
*Zyhir Hope was 1-4 and has hit safely in seven of his past eight games.
*Caba was in an unusual position, making the very first start of his professional career. He is the second Tulsa pitcher this year to make his first professional start, joining Evan Shaw. Caba opened with the scoreless first inning but was charged with the loss after surrendering the two runs in the second frame.
*It marked the fourth game this season that the Drillers have used a bullpen member to start a game on the mound. The bullpen starters have combined for a 10.00 ERA and the Drillers have a 1-3 record those four games.
*Tulsa pitcher Patrick Copen was named the Texas League's Pitcher of the Month for April earlier on Tuesday. Copen was a perfect 3-0 with an ERA under 1.00 for the month.
UP NEXT
The two teams will have a quick turnaround with game two of their six-game set scheduled for Wednesday morning at Dickey-Stephens Park. The game is scheduled for an 11:05 a.m. first pitch, and the starting pitchers expected to be:
TUL - RHP Patrick Copen (3-0, 0.96 ERA)
ARK - RHP Ryan Hawks (2-2, 3.24 ERA)
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- Patrick Copen Named Texas League Pitcher of the Month - Tulsa Drillers
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