Drillers Drop Game and Series to Amarillo
August 13, 2023 - Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
TULSA, OK - The Tulsa Drillers closed a six-game series with Amarillo Sunday afternoon at ONEOK Field, and it was all Sod Poodles. Amarillo scored the game's first seven runs and coasted to an easy 9-3 win, out-hitting the Drillers 16-7. The result gave the Sod Poodles the series victory with four wins in the six-game set.
Neither team had a base runner through the first two innings of the game before Amarillo ended that streak in the top of the third and produced the first run. Jesus Valdez singled with one out, but he was eventually thrown out at the plate trying to score on an infield grounder from Nick Dalesandro.
Dalesandro reached safely on the play and promptly stole second base before scoring on a base hit by Kevin Vicuna.
The Sod Poodles doubled their lead to 2-0 in the fourth inning. With one out, Tulsa starter Orlando Ortiz-Mayr hit Deyvison De Los Santos with a pitch. De Los Santos advanced to second on a ground out and then scored on a double by J.J. D'Orazio that deflected off the glove of left fielder Josh Stowers who nearly made a diving catch of the liner near the left field.
A similar script gave Amarillo its third run in the fifth. This time, Dalesandro was hit by Ortiz-Mayr and stole second base and advanced to third on a bunt. From there, he scored on Tim Tawa's base hit.
The lead doubled to 6-0 in the fifth inning, with two runs coming on a home run from Valdez. It was his first-ever hit at the Double-A level.
The Sod Poodles added one run in the seventh before De Los Santos completed the big day with a two-run homer in the ninth.
Tulsa's first run of the game came without a hit in the bottom of the seventh when Amarillo reliever Raffi Vizcaino walked four batters.
Singles from Ismael Alcantara and Austin Gauthier in the bottom of the ninth set up a two-run single from Imanol Vargas that completed the game's scoring.
Following Vargas' hit, a scary moment took place when Kody Hoese was hit in the batting helmet on a pitch from Michel Otanez. The pitch registered 99 m.p.h. on the stadium's radar gun. Hoese showed no effects from the HBP and remained in the game.
HIGHLIGHTS AND HAPPENINGS:
*The series defeat for the Drillers marked the first time since the 2019 season that Tulsa has lost consecutive series at ONEOK Field.
*The loss also leaves Tulsa with a .500 season record for the first time since April 11. The Drillers are now 54-54 with 30 games remaining in the regular season.
*The 16 hits for Amarillo were the most the Drillers have given up in a game this season.
*The ninth-inning hit by Vargas capped a big series for the Tulsa first baseman. He had 12 RBI in the six-game series.
*Ortiz-Mayr pitched effectively, but he was hampered by two walks and the two hit batters. The right-hander was charged with three runs on five hits in five complete innings. The defeat dropped his Double-A record to 1-4.
*Amarillo starting pitcher Jamison Hill allowed just three hits in six shutout innings to pick up the win. Hill was the loser in Tuesday's series opener after Tulsa scored seven runs in five innings against the right-hander.
*Yusniel Diaz picked up an RBI with a bases-loaded walk, but he did not have a hit in four official at-bats, putting an end to his 12-game hitting streak. It tied Diaz with Gauthier for the second longest streak of the season for a Tulsa batter.
*In the final two games of the series, the Tulsa bullpen surrendered 14 runs in 10 innings.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers will now embark on a 12-game, 2-week road trip that will take them to Frisco and Northwest Arkansas. The trip will begin Tuesday night in Frisco with the first meeting of the season with the RoughRiders. Starting time for the opener at Riders Field is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Neither team has yet to announce a starting pitcher.
Texas League Stories from August 13, 2023
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- Amarillo Leaves Tulsa with Series Win After 9-3 Sunday Victory - Amarillo Sod Poodles
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- Former Sod Poodle Bryce Jarvis to Make MLB Debut - Amarillo Sod Poodles
- Tawa Sparks Comeback with a Pair of Home Runs in 10-9 Win - Amarillo Sod Poodles
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