Drillers Fall to Travelers Again
Published on September 3, 2023 under Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
TULSA, OK - The Tulsa Drillers were held to just one run in the final game of a six-game series with Arkansas Sunday night. The limited offensive production resulted in a 4-1 loss to the Travelers at ONEOK Field.
The game was the final meeting of the season between the two teams with the Drillers winning only 5 of the 18 matchups.
Sunday's finale began with a scoreless first inning before the Travelers put two runs on the scoreboard in the top of the second. The rally began when Tulsa starter Ben Casparius walked the inning's leadoff batter. The Travelers followed with three straight singles to produce the first run. A sacrifice fly made it 2-0.
Imanol Vargas produced the Drillers only run of the game in the fourth inning with his 19th home run of the season. The blast landed on the concourse beyond the right field wall and bounced out of the stadium.
Three straight, two-out singles in the top of the seventh against reliever Jake Pilarski produced the third run for the Travelers, and a balk in the ninth from Tulsa reliever Carlo Reyes made it 4-1.
Casparuis suffered the loss, dropping his Double-A record to 2-6.
Arkansas starting pitcher Blas Castano picked up the victory, improving his record to 1-1 since joining the Travelers in early August from the New York Yankees minor league system.
HIGHLIGHTS AND HAPPENINGS:
*The Drillers lost three runners on the base paths in the game. Two runners were picked off first base by Castano, and another runner was thrown out attempting to steal second base.
*Tulsa pitchers issued six walks in the game, giving the staff 604 walks for the season. It marks just the third time in the 46-season history of the Drillers franchise that a staff has given up 600 walks. Last season's staff, set the franchise record with 662 walks issued.
*The Drillers staff has already broken two franchise record. Casparius threw the 131st wild pitch of the season by a Tulsa pitcher on Sunday night. The total has broken the previous record of 125 wild pitches thrown by Tulsa pitchers last season. Drillers pitchers have also hit 89 batters this year, breaking the previous record of 85 HBP set in 2007.
*Reyes was called for the balk in the ninth inning because he disengaged from the pitching rubber three times in one a-bat, resulting in the automatic call.
*Both teams finished with seven hits in the game. Yusniel Diaz and Jose Ramos led the Drillers with two hits each. Diaz has not hit safely in seven straight games.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers will now embark on their final road trip of the season. The trip will be a six-game series in Springfield against the Cardinals with the opener set for Tuesday night at Hammons Field. First pitch for game one is set for 6:35 p.m. and the starting pitchers are expected to be:
Tulsa - RHP Kendall Williams (2-2, 4.43 ERA)
Springfield - RHP Brandon Komar (3-6, 5.02 ERA)
Texas League Stories from September 3, 2023
- Taveras & Corona Set Pace for Series Win - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Frisco's Comeback Stymied - Frisco RoughRiders
- Pitching Leads Travs to Another W - Arkansas Travelers
- Cards Take Series Win with 6-4 Victory in NW Arkansas - Springfield Cardinals
- Drillers Fall to Travelers Again - Tulsa Drillers
- Sod Poodles Explode for 17 Runs in Series Finale against Midland - Amarillo Sod Poodles
- Castanon Homers, Missions Drop Series Finale in Wichita - San Antonio Missions
- Wind Surge Win in Walk-Off Fashion - Wichita Wind Surge
- Wind Surge Announce 2024 Schedule - Wichita Wind Surge
- Arkansas Takes Series with One-Run Victory - Arkansas Travelers
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