Drillers Lose Heartbreaker in Extra Innings
TL Tulsa Drillers

Drillers Lose Heartbreaker in Extra Innings

Published on August 22, 2025 under Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release


Tulsa Drillers' James Tibbs III at bat
Tulsa Drillers' James Tibbs III at bat
(Tulsa Drillers, Credit: Vanessa Buentello)

Springdale, AR - For the second time in the first four games of a six-game series, the Tulsa Drillers and Northwest Arkansas Naturals needed extra innings to decide a winner on Friday night at Arvest Ballpark. After ending regulation tied at four, the two teams matched each other with a run in the tenth and held the opposing side scoreless in the 11th. The Drillers appeared to be heading towards their second straight win when James Tibbs III hit a two-run homer in the top of the 12th, but the Naturals rallied for three runs in the bottom half to defeat Tulsa 8-7.

With the loss, Tulsa still trails first-place Springfield by one game in the second half standings of the Texas League's North Division. The Drillers also hold a four-game lead over Northwest Arkansas, Arkansas and Wichita for the final playoff spot if the Cardinals were to win the second-half division title.

For the second time in as many days, the Drillers quickly gained the lead by scoring in the first inning. Tulsa worked two base runners into scoring position after two singles, with a force out and a stolen base, and Yeiner Fernandez drove in both runners with a single to center that gave the Drillers a 2-0 lead.

Roque Gutierrez made his tenth appearance on the mound with the Drillers on Friday and began his outing by holding the Naturals silent over the first three innings. Those scoreless innings brought the Naturals to 15 consecutive innings without scoring a run against Tulsa pitching.

That streak broke in the fourth when the Naturals earned four hits and drew two walks against Gutierrez. They scored three runs in the inning on a Gavin Cross home run, a bases-loaded walk, and a Sam Ruta RBI single giving the Naturals a 3-2 lead and ending Gutierrez's night.

The Naturals lead did not last long as Kyle Nevin put Tulsa back on top one inning later with his two-run homer.

The Drillers bullpen continued its dominance in the series for the next 3.2 innings as Brandon Neeck and Christian Suarez kept the Drillers one-run lead intact.

In the eighth, Northwest Arkansas broke through to tie the game. Reliever Jerming Rosario took over for Suarez with one out and gave up a double and a single to allow the Naturals to tie the game at 4-4.

In the tenth, Zach Ehrhard began the inning at second base, and he scored on Nevin's single to give the Drillers a 5-4 lead.

Spencer Nivens tied the game again when his singled scored the placed runner in the bottom half of the tenth.

Neither team scored in the 11th inning to continue the game.

Four pitches produced two quick outs in the Drillers half of the 12th before Tibbs III smashed a go-ahead two-run homer to give Tulsa a 7-5 lead.

The Drillers could not protect the lead as a walk began the bottom half and put the tying run on base. A double steal advanced both base runners, and a throwing error on the steals allowed the lead runner to score and place the tying run at third base.

Colton Becker tied the game with a single to left and was the eventual winning run as he stole second base to set up Ruta's game-winning single that was just out of the reach of left fielder Chris Newell's outstretched arm.

INSIDE THE GAME

*The loss dropped the Drillers record to 10-7 in extra-inning games, and it was their third loss in extras on the road.

*Kelvin Ramirez was charged with the loss after allowing the three runs in the final frame, but only two were earned.

*Newell had a pair of hits to increase his on-base streak to 33 consecutive games. He is only three games from matching teammate Griffin Lockwood-Powell for the longest on-base streak in the Texas League this season at 36 games.

*Nevin's home run was his third since joining Tulsa and his fifth this season across High-A and Double-A.

*Tibbs III earned his fourth outfield assist in 15 games with the Drillers by throwing out Nivens at home plate from right field. His home run in the 12th inning was also his third with the Drillers.

UP NEXT

The Drillers will continue their series in Springdale against the Naturals on Saturday night at Arvest Ballpark. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. and the starting pitchers are scheduled to be:

Tulsa - LHP Jackson Ferris (8-6, 3.94 ERA)

NW Arkansas - RHP Henry Williams (4-5, 4.01 ERA)

Check out the Tulsa Drillers Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Images from this story

Tulsa Drillers' James Tibbs III at bat
Tulsa Drillers' James Tibbs III at bat
(Vanessa Buentello)		   



Texas League Stories from August 22, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central