Drillers Record Big Win in Homestand Opener
September 1, 2021 - Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
James Outman slides safely into home on one of his two runs scored during the Tulsa Drillers 15-2 win
(Tulsa Drillers, Credit: Tim Campbell)
TULSA- The Tulsa Drillers opened their final homestand of the regular season Tuesday night with a big win at ONEOK Field. The Drillers opened a six-game series against Springfield with one of their top offensive performances of the season, scoring four runs in each of the first two innings and cruising to a 15-2 win over the Cardinals. Tulsa scored in every inning but the third.
There were plenty of offensive stars in the game for the Drillers, but Michael Busch enjoyed the biggest night. The Tulsa second baseman had the first four-hit game of his professional career, going 4-6 with a homer and three doubles while scoring three runs and driving in five.
James Outman and Miguel Vargas added three hits each, as the Drillers matched a season high with 18 total hits in the contest.
The early offensive output began when Outman, who was playing in his first game in two weeks, led off the bottom of the first with a base hit on the second pitch he saw. Busch followed with a run-scoring double that gave the Drillers a quick lead. Vargas then singled home Busch to make it 2-0.
Hunter Feduccia advanced Vargas to third with another base hit, and Devin Mann plated him with a sacrifice fly. Jacob Amaya doubled for the fifth hit of the inning, scoring Feduccia to make it a four-run Tulsa lead.
The Drillers matched their first-inning output with four more runs in the second. Romer Cuadrado singled and Clayton Daniel walked before another hit from Outman loaded the bases. Busch struck again with a two-run double, and Vargas capped the inning with a two-run single that upped the lead to 8-0.
The margin swelled to nine runs in the fourth when Vargas doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly from Feduccia.
The Cardinals plated a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, but the Drillers answered with a single run in the bottom half of the fifth and another in the sixth. In the fifth, Cuadrado singled and scored on Busch's third double of the night.
The next inning, Ryan Noda drew his first walk of the game before scoring on a two-base hit from Feduccia, giving the Drillers an 11-2 lead.
Tulsa's big offensive night continued into the seventh with three more runs. Juan Zabala walked with the bases loaded before Mann singled in two more runs.
Busch capped his big game with his 17th home run of the season in the eighth to make it 15-2.
Gus Varland started on the mound for the Drillers and worked three scoreless innings.
Cyrillo Watson was credited with the win, improving his season record to 4-2. Watson worked two scoreless, relief innings, allowing just one hit.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
*Springfield announced during the game that St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Dakota Hudson will make an injury-rehabilitation appearance against the Drillers on Thursday at ONEOK Field. Hudson, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, won 16 games for St. Louis during the 2019 season and had a 2.77 ERA in 2020 before the injury ended his season.
*Busch's three doubles in the game matched a season high for a Tulsa batter. Mann and Donovan Casey also doubled three times in games this year.
*The three hits from Vargas raised his batting average with the Drillers to .327, tops among all qualified batters in Double-A Central.
*Vargas and Mann both drove in three runs in the game.
*Outman replaced Jeren Kendall on Tulsa's active roster. Kendall was placed on the Injured List, retroactive to August 28.
*Noda drew three walks in the game and now leads all Double-A Central batters with 67 walks on the season.
UP NEXT
Springfield at Tulsa on Wednesday, September 1 at ONEOK Field at 12:05 p.m.
The pitching matchup will be Springfield RHP Grant Black (0-3, 5.59 ERA) against Tulsa RHP Jose Martinez (1-1, 6.63 ERA).
Images from this story
 James Outman slides safely into home on one of his two runs scored during the Tulsa Drillers 15-2 win (Tim Campbell) |
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