Drillers Fall One Run Short Against Naturals
TL Tulsa Drillers

Drillers Fall One Run Short Against Naturals

Published on July 19, 2025 under Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release


Tulsa Drillers' Christian Suarez in action
Tulsa Drillers' Christian Suarez in action
(Tulsa Drillers, Credit: Tim Campbell)

Tulsa, OK - The Tulsa Drillers' three-game winning streak came to end Saturday night with a tough 3-2 loss to Northwest Arkansas at ONEOK Field. The Drillers had a chance to extend the winning streak, loading the bases in the bottom of the ninth inning, but the Naturals turned a double play to end the contest.

The defeat dropped Tulsa back to .500 in the second half of the season with a 10-10 record.

The game was difficult from the start for the Drillers as Tulsa pitchers flirted with disaster for much of the night, issuing a total of 11 walks.

Starting pitcher Peter Heubeck faced the minimum three batters in the top of the first inning and set down the first two in the second, but after issuing a two-out walk, he called for trainer Ike Kato. Heubeck promptly exited with an apparent injury, as Christian Suarez came on from the bullpen. Suarez gave up a hit and walk to load the bases before getting an inning-ending strikeout.

After Suarez worked a 1-2-3 third inning, Kelvin Bautista gave up a hit, walked two batters and hit another, but the Naturals could not push across the game's first run thanks to Jordan Groshans getting trapped in a rundown between third base and home on a pitch that caromed off the backstop.

The top of the fifth began with more of the same as Brandon Neeck came on for Bautista and walked the inning's leadoff batter, Rudy Martin. A steal and a fly out put Martin at third with one out, but he was thrown out at the plate when trying to score on a groundball to second baseman Yeiner Fernandez.

Tulsa's luck finally ran out later in the fifth. After Martin's failed attempt to score, the Naturals loaded the bases on a base hit and a walk. Another walk forced home the game's first run before a single with the bases loaded by Javier Vaz plated two more to give the Naturals a 3-0 lead.

Naturals starting pitcher Ryan Ramsey kept the Tulsa offense quiet, holding the Drillers without a hit through the first five innings. His only trouble came in the bottom of the first inning when he walked the leadoff hitter, Taylor Young, on five pitches. He then fell behind 3-0 to Kole Myers, resulting in a mound visit from Naturals pitching coach Larry Carter. Carter's words worked as Ramsey recovered to retire Myers on a fly out before picking Young off first base. He ended the inning by getting another fly out from Fernandez.

Ramsey eventually retired 15 straight batters before John Rhodes ended the streak with the Drillers first hit of the game, a one-out single in the bottom of the sixth.

Ramsey came back out for the seventh inning and gave up a single to Fernandez before a walking Kyle Nevin and Kendall Simmons to load the bases. The Naturals brought in Oscar Rayo from the bullpen and his walk to Chris Newell gave Tulsa its first run, trimming the deficit to 3-1. After Griffin Lockwood-Powell struck out, the Drillers were gifted a second run when Rhodes lined out to centerfield. It looked as if Simmons would be doubled off second on the play, but shortstop Isan Diaz dropped second baseman Gavin Cross' to the bag, allowing Simmons to return safely to second and Nevin to come home to make it 3-2.

The Drillers remained in the game, thanks to escaping another bases-loaded situation in the eighth and a homer-saving catch from Newell.

The catch from Newell ended the top of the ninth. With a runner and first and two outs, Rudy Martin lofted a fly to deep right field. Newell raced to the fence and made a leaping catch, robbing Martin of a two-run homer.

Still trailing just 3-2, the Drillers loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth. Rhodes, looking for his second hit of the game, bounced into a 6-4-3 double play that the left the Drillers one-run short.

INSIDE THE GAME

*Heubeck officially worked 1.2 innings in his brief start. He was a scratch in his last scheduled start that was supposed to take place last Sunday in Arkansas.

*Tulsa used seven pitchers in the game. The 11 walks that they issued were just two short of matching the season high.

*The Naturals left the bases loaded on five occasions and stranded a total of 16 runners in the game.

*Tulsa was 0-6 at the plate with runners in scoring position, and Northwest Arkansas was just 1-10. The one hit was the two-run single from Vaz that determined the outcome.

*Ramsey was credited with the win, evening his record at 5-5.

*Tulsa pitcher Jacob Meador was placed on the Injured List prior to Saturday's game. There was no corresponding move to fill the roster spot.

UP NEXT

The Drillers and Naturals will close out their quick three-game series on Sunday evening at ONEOK Field. The series finale will start at 7:00 p.m. and the team's starting pitchers are expected to be:

NW Arkansas - RHP Henry Williams (4-3, 4.18 ERA)

Tulsa - RHP Chris Campos (5-4, 4.77 ERA)

Check out the Tulsa Drillers Statistics

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Images from this story

Tulsa Drillers' Christian Suarez in action
Tulsa Drillers' Christian Suarez in action
(Tim Campbell)		   



Texas League Stories from July 19, 2025


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