Drillers Come from Behind to Win Seventh Straight
Published on August 15, 2025 under Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
San Antonio Missions' Eli Wilson and Tulsa Drillers' Chris Newell in action
(Tulsa Drillers, Credit: Tim Campbell)
Tulsa, OK - During their current winning streak, the Tulsa Drillers have played mostly from in front. But for the second game in a row, the Drillers staged a sixth-inning comeback Friday to defeat the San Antonio Missions 8-5 and earn their season high seventh straight win.
The star on Friday night was the Drillers bullpen. Tulsa was forced to turn to the bullpen in the first inning and used five relievers to pitch the final 8.1 innings to secure the victory at ONEOK Field.
The seventh straight win moved the Drillers one game closer to the first-place Springfield Cardinals in the Texas League's second half North Divisions standings. Tulsa currently trails by three games, but if the Redbirds win the second-half title, a second-place finish by the Drillers will secure a playoff berth.
The night began with each team having a big first inning that resulted in the opposing starting pitcher exiting the game. The Missions led the game off with a walk, and after a pop out, San Antonio used three straight singles to score three runs. A two-out single produced the Missions fourth run before the innings' second walk ended Tulsa's starting pitcher Roque Gutierrez's night.
The Drillers answered San Antonio's four-run first with three of their own. With one out, Zach Ehrhard tripled, and two walks followed to load the bases. Yeiner Fernandez plated all three runners with a double to left-center field, cutting the deficit to 4-3 and forcing San Antonio to remove its starting pitcher Jagger Haynes.
Neither team's bullpen did not allow the other side to score for the next four innings.
The Missions increased their lead to two runs in the sixth inning after hitting three consecutive singles.
Similar to the previous night when the Drillers scored five runs, their offense exploded to take the lead in the sixth inning. With one out, Damon Keith got things started with a single, and Fernandez reached base with a walk. Griffin Lockwood-Powell drove in both runners when he doubled to left center field. One pitch later, Taylor Young drove in Lockwood-Powell with another double to give Tulsa a 6-5 lead.
The Drillers scored two insurance runs in the seventh on a wild pitch and a throwing error to take an 8-5 lead.
Christian Suarez kept the lead intact by holding the Missions scoreless over the next 1.2 innings.
Pitching in back-to-back nights, Carson Hobbs took over on the mound in the ninth inning and retired the side to record his first Double-A save.
INSIDE THE GAME
*Tulsa's victory was the team's 24th comeback win this season.
*Jorge Benitez and Livan Reinoso were the first relievers used from the bullpen. The hurlers combined to hold San Antonio scoreless across 4.1 innings.
*The Drillers victory secured the club's fourth consecutive series win.
*Jacob Meador was credited with his first win of 2025. It was his first win since August 16, 2024, when he was pitching for Great Lakes.
*Oklahoma State product Zach Ehrhard earned two hits and drew two walks to reach base safely in all ten games he has played with the Drillers.
*Keith increased his on-base streak to 16 games by earning two hits and a walk. His two hits were his 19th multi-hit game of the season.
*Hobbs' save was his ninth in 11 opportunities this season. He recorded eight with Great Lakes before he joined the Drillers.
*Chris Newell extended the Texas League's longest active on-base streak to 28 straight games by drawing a walk. Newell did not earn a hit, snapping his hitting streak at 14 games, matching Taylor Young for the longest hitting streak this season for a Drillers batter.
*Starting pitchers Gutierrez and Haynes both recorded just two outs in the first inning.
*Added to the Drillers roster yesterday, Eduardo Guerrero made his Double-A debut. Guerrero started at second base and was part of three of the Drillers' season-high four double plays.
UP NEXT
The Drillers will look to earn their eighth consecutive win on Saturday night in the fifth game of their six-game series with the Missions. Starting time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at ONEOK Field, and the starting pitchers are expected to be:
San Antonio - RHP Enmanuel Pinales (6-5, 5.85 ERA)
Tulsa - LHP Jackson Ferris (7-6, 4.05 ERA)
Images from this story
 San Antonio Missions' Eli Wilson and Tulsa Drillers' Chris Newell in action (Tim Campbell) |
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