June 22, 2025 - 133 Games Today

Drillers Get Second Shutout Victory of the Week

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Drillers Get Second Shutout Victory of the Week

June 21, 2025 - Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release

Tulsa Drillers' Chris Newell in action
(Tulsa Drillers, Credit: Tim Campbell)

Tulsa, OK - Saturday night, the Tulsa Drillers claimed their second win in their series with Midland, and it came exactly like the first one. Four Tulsa pitchers combined to shut out the RockHounds as the Drillers claimed a 4-0 victory at ONEOK Field.

The Drillers other win in the series came in the first game of the set via a 6-0 shutout. The Tulsa pitching staff has now logged five shutouts this season with four taking place at ONEOK Field.

Tulsa's Jackson Ferris and Midland's Kyle Robinson started on the mound and they kept the game scoreless through the first two innings.

The Drillers produced the first run in in the bottom of the third. John Rhodes drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a one-out single from Sean McLain. Rhodes and McLain were still at the corners after a strikeout, but Noah Miller delivered the clutch, two-out hit with soft liner that fell safely in shallow centerfield for a run-scoring single.

It remained 1-0 until the Drillers scored in three straight innings. In the sixth, Rhodes again started the rally after leading off with a base hit and stealing second base. Kole Myers then dropped a single that fell just in front of Midland left fielder Caeden Trenkle. Rhodes got a good read on the hit and raced toward home. Trenkle made a strong throw to the plate, but Rhodes, who elected not to slide, stepped on the plate just before catcher Cole Conn applied the tag.

The same approach produced the game's third run in the bottom of the seventh. Damon Keith singled, stole second base and scored on a two-out single from Chris Newell.

In the eighth, Kole Myers reached on an error and McLain walked. After a double steal, Myers came home on an infield ground out from Miller that made it 4-0.

Ferris was making his 13th appearance of the season and his 11th start, and he pitched effectively but struggled to limit his pitch count. He allowed just one hit in 3.2 innings, but he issued four walks while striking out six. The lefthander needed 85 pitches, 52 of which were strikes, to record the 11 outs.

Christian Suarez came on and got the final out in the fourth, then kept the RockHounds off the scoreboard over the next two innings, allowing just one hit.

Ronan Kopp made it three straight lefthanders for the Drillers when he replaced Suarez to open the seventh inning. Kopp did not allow a hit in two innings before turning the ninth over to Antonio Knowles. Knowles, the first right-hander of the night for Tulsa, set the RockHounds down in order.

INSIDE THE GAME

*Griffin Lockwood-Powell singled and walked in four plate appearances, and he has now reached base in 25 consecutive games. It is the longest on-base streak for a Drillers player this season and the second-longest in the Texas League.

*Eight of the nine batters in the Tulsa lineup had at least one hit in the game.

*Yeiner Fernandez started at second base and was 2-4 at the plate. It was his 15th multi-hit game of the year.

*Rhodes also had a productive night. He had one hit, walked twice and scored two of Tulsa's three runs.

*Tulsa was a perfect 6-6 in stolen base attempts with Myers accounting for two of them.

*Kopp extended his scoreless streak to 12.1 straight innings. He last gave up a run on May 16 in an outing against Northwest Arkansas.

*Friday was the second night of the "T" Town Clowns Weekend as the Drillers pay tribute to Tulsa's semi-pro Negro league team.

UP NEXT

The Drillers will close their home stand and their series with the RockHounds on Sunday afternoon. First pitch for the finale is set for 1:00 p.m. at ONEOK Field and the starting pitcher matchup will be a repeat from the series opener:

Midland - RHP Chen Zhuang (3-7, 5.06 ERA)

Tulsa - RHP Chris Campos (4-3, 4.20 ERA)