Drillers Fall on Wichita's Fifth Inning Rally
Published on August 5, 2023 under Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
WICHITA, KS - After scoring 24 runs in the previous two games, the Tulsa Drillers could only score five runs in their 9-5 loss to the Wichita Wind Surge on Saturday. The Drillers took an early 3-1 lead, but Wichita rallied for a six-run fifth inning to hand Tulsa the loss at Riverfront Stadium.
The result gave Wichita a 3-2 series lead over the Drillers.
Pitching prospect Kendall Williams made his Double A debut for the Drillers on Saturday night after being transferred from High A Great Lakes. He pitched a scoreless first inning before giving up his only run in the second inning.
Dalton Shuffield scored the game's first run with a solo home run in the second inning.
Tulsa took the lead in the third inning thanks to two throwing errors by Wind Surge pitcher Jaylen Nowlin. The first error allowed Jorbit Vivas to reach first base as Nowlin overthrew the bag. With the bases loaded, Nowlin fielded a ground ball and sailed the throw home, which allowed Tulsa to score its first run. Yusniel Diaz plated the second run with a sacrifice fly to give the Drillers a 2-1 lead.
The Drillers increased their lead to 3-1 in the fifth inning on Diego Cartaya's 14th home run of the season.
Williams' night ended after he completed the fourth inning. He gave up one run on three hits and three walks with seven strikeouts in his debut.
Carlo Reyes took over on the mound for Tulsa in the fifth, and Wichita rallied to score five runs and take the lead. A single and a double scored the first run of the inning. Two consecutive walks followed to load the bases and Willie Jo Garry Jr. hit a grand slam to give the Wind Surge the lead. Shuffield followed with his second home run of the night to make the score 7-3.
Diaz blasted a solo home run to give Tulsa its fourth run of the night in the seventh.
Each team added one final run on RBI doubles.
HIGHLIGHTS & HAPPENINGS
*Williams was originally drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2019 and was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers along with former Driller Ryan Noda for former Driller Ross Stripling.
*Tulsa's offense left 12 runners stranded on base and was 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position.
*Gauthier extended his hitting streak to ten straight games and has reached base safely in 20 consecutive games.
*Diaz's home run was his fourth blast in the last three games.
*The Drillers were forced to play shorthanded after two players exited the game. Outfielder Jose Ramos left the game in the first inning after throwing a ball from centerfield to home plate. First baseman Hamlet Marte was ejected in the eighth inning, which brought in Carson Taylor, Tulsa's final bench player, to play first base.
UP NEXT:
The two teams will meet for the final game of their six-game series on Sunday afternoon at Riverfront Stadium in Wichita. The game will begin at 1:05 p.m. and the starting pitchers are scheduled to be:
Tulsa - RHP Ben Casparius (0-5, 8.01 ERA)
Wichita - RHP Chad Donato (1-7, 10.62 ERA)
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