
Drillers Drop Series to Naturals with Tenth-Inning Loss
July 21, 2025 - Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
Tulsa, OK - The Tulsa Drillers had only one lead in Sunday night's matchup with Northwest Arkansas, but it came at the right time.
The Tulsa Drillers suffered their second straight one-run loss to Northwest Arkansas on Sunday night at ONEOK Field, falling 5-4 to the Naturals. Northwest Arkansas scored what proved to be the winning run in the top of the tenth inning when the Drillers could not score the placed runner in the bottom half of the inning.
The victory, combined with a 3-2 win on Saturday night, gave the Naturals a win in the three-game series between the two teams, two games to one.
After nine innings, the two teams were tied at 4-4. In the top of the tenth, Tulsa reliever Christian Suarez struck out the first two batters of the inning, but Brett Squires came through with the clutch two-out hit when dropped a base hit off the end of the bat into shallow left field to score placed runner Rudy Martin.
The Drillers could not answer in the bottom of the tenth. After Kyle Nevin struck out, placed runner Yeiner Fernandez advanced to third on a passed ball. He would remain at third base as Chris Newell was retired on a pop up and Ezequiel Pagan went down on a game-ending ground out.
The game started as if it would be a high-scoring contest with each team plating two runs in the first inning. In the top of the first, the Naturals leadoff hitter Martin singled on the second pitch from Tulsa starter Chris Campos. He stole second base and scored on a base hit from Gavin Cross. After a ground-rule double from Brett Squires put runners at second and third, Isan Diaz followed with a single that scored Cross and gave Northwest Arkansas a quick 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the first, Naturals starter Henry Williams hit leadoff batter Taylor Young with a pitch and walked the second batter, Kole Myers. A balk moved both runners into scoring position, setting up a two-run single from Fernandez that tied the game at 2-2.
The scoring continued in the second as Javier Vaz led off the top of the second with a base hit off Campos. Following a walk and a sacrifice bunt, Vaz scored on a ground out from Martin to put the Naturals back in front, 3-2.
From there, the starting pitchers settled in and kept the score the same until the Naturals added a fourth run in the sixth inning. Cross opened the inning with a leadoff double and eventually scored on a ground out from Diaz.
Tulsa cut the deficit to just 4-3 with a run in the bottom of the seventh. John Rhodes drew a one-out walk and scored on Sean McLain's two-out double down the left field line.
The Drillers made a bid to take the lead in the bottom of the eighth, but they had to settle for a tie the game.
With one out, Fernandez singled and Nevin worked a walk. After a fly out, Pagan lined a double down the right field line that scored Fernandez and left runners at second and third. After another walk loaded the bases, Nelson Quiroz flied out to end the threat with the game tied at 4-4.
INSIDE THE GAME
*Fernandez accounted for nearly half of Tulsa's seven hits, finishing 3-5. It was his team leading 22nd multi-hit game of the season.
*McLain's double extended his hitting streak to six straight games.
*Newell finished 0-4, ending his six-game streak.
*Reliever Jerming Rosario extended his scoreless streak to five straight games by holding the Naturals scoreless in the eighth inning.
*Antonio Knowles worked a scoreless ninth inning. It marked the first time in seven games that he has not picked up a win or a save in an outing.
*The game featured a pair of major leaguers. Michael Massey and Hunter Harvey were on injury rehabilitation assignments with the Naturals from the Kansas City Royals. Massey played left field and was 0-5 with two strikeouts. Reliever Harvey came out of the bullpen and worked a scoreless sixth inning in relief of Williams. The right-hander allowed one hit and struck out two batters in his inning of work.
*Campos worked seven complete innings and was charged with four runs on eight hits. He walked two batters and struck out five. It marked the third time this season that Campos has worked at least seven innings in an outing.
UP NEXT
The Drillers will have Monday off before opening a six-game series with the Springfield Cardinals on Tuesday night at ONEOK Field. First pitch for the opener is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and the starting pitchers are slated to be:
Springfield - LHP Brycen Mautz (3-2, 3.62 ERA)
Tulsa - RHP Patrick Copen (0-2, 2.36 ERA)
Images from this story
![]() Ezequiel Pagan of the Tulsa Drillers at bat (Tim Campbell) |
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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
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