TL1 Tulsa Drillers

Drillers Drop Third Straight to Travs

Published on April 6, 2019 under Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release


TULSA, OK - The Tulsa Drillers had a big opportunity to turn in their first win of the 2019 season, but came up just short in an 8-5 loss to the Arkansas Travelers on Saturday night at ONEOK Field. Josh Thole and Zach McKinstry each had a pair of RBIs in the loss.

In the bottom of the sixth, trailing 6-3, Tulsa was in prime position to have a big inning. After wild pitch plated a run and McKinstry delivered a run-scoring hit to pull the Drillers to within a run, Gavin Lux and DJ Peters each singled to load the bases with no outs. But the Arkansas bullpen came up big and forced a strikeout and a double play to end the threat and Tulsa's best chance at a comeback.

The Drillers are still looking for their first victory of the 2019 season after the Travelers have taken each of the first three games of the season-opening series.

Arkansas got the scoring started in the top of the second inning. Starting pitcher J.D. Martin allowed a leadoff single to Chris Marical, then threw six-straight strikes to record a pair of punch outs. But Jordan Cowan followed with a homer into the Drillers bullpen to put the Travs on top 2-0.

A couple of innings later, the Drillers took the lead with a pair of big doubles. With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Zach Reks and Jared Walker hit back-to-back singles to set things up for Thole. The former major leaguer ripped a double to left-center that plated a pair of runs. On the very next pitch, McKinstry doubled to bring home Thole, giving the Drillers a 3-2 lead.

The Travelers retook the lead after scoring two in the fifth, then added two more in the sixth to up the margin to 6-3.

Tulsa closed the gap in the pivotal bottom of the sixth. With runners at the corners and McKinstry at the plate, Travs reliever Jorgan Cavanerio uncorked a wild pitch that brought home Jared Walker. McKinstry came through with his clutch single to narrow the deficit to 6-5. A pair of singles then loaded the bases for the Drillers, but they were unable to cash in anymore runs.

Arkansas added two more in the top of the ninth to cap the scoring.

WHAT YOU MISSED

*The Drillers have opened the season with three-straight losses for the first time since 2010, the first year of ONEOK Field.

*Omar Estevez has started the year with three-straight multi-hit games. He now has seven hits on the young season and is batting .538. Estevez is the 20th ranked prospect in the Dodgers system according to MLB Pipeline.

*The starting battery for the Drillers included a pair of former major leaguers. Martin started 24 major league games with Washington from 2009-10 and Thole played in 478 games with New York (NL) and Toronto over eight seasons.

*After a shaky outing on Thursday night, Shea Spitzbarth did not allow a baserunner in 1.2 relief innings. He struck out four out of five batters he faced.

UP NEXT: Arkansas at Tulsa, Sunday, April 7, 1:05 p.m. at ONEOK Field. LHP Anthony Misiewicz (First Appearance) versus RHP Mitchell White (First Appearance).

Check out the Tulsa Drillers Statistics

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Texas League Stories from April 6, 2019


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