Drillers Skid Continues with Loss to Hooks
September 13, 2023 - Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
Ismael Alcantara of the Tulsa Drillers
(Tulsa Drillers, Credit: Rich Crimi)
TULSA, OK - The streak continues for the Tulsa Drillers. In the final afternoon game at ONEOK Field this season, the Drillers were beaten 7-1 by Corpus Christi on Wednesday, extending Tulsa's losing streak to 11 straight games.
With the loss, the Drillers are now 0-11 in the month of September with four games remaining in the season. The 11-game losing streak is the second longest in the 46-season history of the Drillers franchise.
Corpus Christi took the lead with a three-run third inning. Run-scoring singles from Zach Daniels and Jacob Melton accounted for the first two runs, before a passed ball gave the Hooks a 3-0 lead.
The Drillers only run came in the bottom of the sixth when Hamlet Marte walked with one out, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a double by Ismael Alcantara.
The Hooks produced their second three-run inning of the game in the seventh. Daniels plated the first run with a ground out before Melton struck again. The centerfielder belted a two-run homer that upped the lead to 6-1. For Melton, it was his second homer of the series. He had a grand slam in Tuesday's game and is now 6-11 in the series with 7 runs batted in.
Daniels accounted for the game's final run with his 13th homer of the year in the top of the ninth.
Tulsa was limited to just three hits in the game by five different Hooks pitchers.
*The Drillers turned two spectacular defensive plays to close out the top of the fourth inning. With a runner at second and one out, Jose Ramos made a running, over-the-shoulder catch in deep centerfield to take an extra-base hit away from C.J. Stubbs. Next, it was shortstop Luis Diaz who robbed Bryan Arias with a diving, backhanded stop of a sharp grounder before delivering a perfect, one-hop throw to first from his knees for the final out of the inning.
*Trevor Bettencourt, who just returned from his second stint with Triple-A Oklahoma City, made only his fourth professional start in the game. The right-hander was charged with three runs, two earned, in 2.1 innings pitched. He suffered the loss, his first of the season, dropping his combined record to 5-1.
*Tulsa pitchers walked six batters in the game and have now issued 645 free passes this season. The all-time, franchise record for most walks in a season was set last year when Tulsa pitchers gave up 662.
*The Drillers have been outscored 19-1 in the two losses to the Hooks. In the 11-game losing streak, they have been outscored 24-79.
*Tulsa needs one victory over the final four games of the regular season to avoid the losingest second half in franchise history. The 1995 Drillers finished with a 22-45 second-half mark.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers and Hooks will continue their six-game series with game three on Thursday night at ONEOK Field. Starting time is set for 7:05 p.m. and the starting pitchers are scheduled to be:
Corpus Christi - RHP Ryan Gusto (5-2, 3.02 ERA)
Tulsa - RHP Robbie Peto (1-1, 8.51 ERA)
Images from this story
 Ismael Alcantara of the Tulsa Drillers (Rich Crimi) |
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