Drillers Rally But Fall in Wichita
Published on August 20, 2022 under Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
WICHITA, KS - The Tulsa Driller overcame an early 6-0 deficit on Saturday night in Wichita, but they could not hold the lead. The Wichita Wind Surge responded with a four-run seventh inning and posted a 10-7 victory at Riverfront Stadium.
The result guaranteed the Wind Surge a series victory as they have now won four of the first five games of the six-game series. Tulsa is now 4-4-2 in road series this year.
The Drillers fell behind early on Saturday when Wichita plated the game's first run in the bottom of the first inning without a hit. A walk, a hit batter and a passed ball set up a sacrifice fly that plated the initial run.
The Wind Surge appeared to have put the game away with five more runs in the bottom of the third against Tulsa starter John Rooney. The inning included a three-run homer from Jair Camargo and a two-run shot from Yunior Severino that gave Wichita a 6-0 lead.
The Drillers comeback began with a two-run homer from Brandon Lewis in the fourth inning.
A pair of sacrifice flies from Abiatal Avelino and Lewis pulled Tulsa to within 6-4 in the sixth inning.
A three-run seventh put the Drillers in front. Ryan January opened the inning by drawing a walk, and Kenneth Betancourt followed with a single. With runners at first and second, Leonel Valera put Tulsa in front with his eighth home run of the season, making the score 7-6.
The lead was short lived as the Wind Surge quickly responded with four runs in the bottom of the seventh. It came against reliever Jose Adames who had just returned to the Drillers from Triple A. The first three batters reached against Adames on a walk and a pair of hits that loaded the bases.
Jose Hernandez replaced Adames and gave up a run-scoring hit to Cole Sturgeon that tied the score. An infield ground out put the Wind Surge back in front before a pair of run-scoring singles gave them a 10-7 lead.
The Drillers put a pair of runners on base in the eighth but did not score, and they went down in order in the ninth to end the game.
TEXAS LEAGUE STANDINGS * TEXAS LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
HIGHLIGHTS AND HAPPENINGS:
*The Drillers have now lost six of their past eight games.
*Tulsa leads the season series with Wichita 14-9 and has already wrapped up the Coors Light Propellers Series between the two teams.
*Reliever Jake Cantleberry made his Double-A debut with the Drillers and worked 1.1 scoreless innings in relief of Rooney.
*Cole Percival worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning for the Drillers for his first scoreless outing since August 3.
*Valera and Lewis each finished with three runs driven in.
*Wichita now owns a six-game lead in the second-half standings of the Texas League's North Division. The Drillers are nine games behind the Wind Surge. Tulsa will meet the second-half winner in the first round of the TL playoffs.
*Rooney picked Will Holland off first base in the second inning, the 14th runner he has picked off this season.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers and Wind Surge will play the final game of their six-game series on Sunday afternoon at Riverfront Stadium. Starting time is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. and the pitching matchup will be:
Tulsa - Alec Gamboa (9-1, 5.60 ERA)
Wichita - LHP Aaron Rozek (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Texas League Stories from August 20, 2022
- Drillers Rally But Fall in Wichita - Tulsa Drillers
- Cards and Rain Take out Travs on Saturday - Arkansas Travelers
- Melean's Three Hits Not Enough as Missions Suffer Second Consecutive Walk-Off Defeat - San Antonio Missions
- Surge Come from Behind to Win - Wichita Wind Surge
- Saturday's Game Canceled Due to Rain - Amarillo Sod Poodles
- Jack Flaherty Expected to Make Rehab Start with Springfield on Sunday - Springfield Cardinals
- Gossett Throws First Wind Surge No-Hitter - Wichita Wind Surge
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