Drillers Snap Losing Streak with 9-1 Win
TL Tulsa Drillers

Drillers Snap Losing Streak with 9-1 Win

Published on June 19, 2026 under Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release


Tulsa Drillers' Roque Gutierrez in action
Tulsa Drillers' Roque Gutierrez in action
(Tulsa Drillers, Credit: Kason Huckabay)

Springdale, AR - This season, the Tulsa Drillers have led Double A with the most combined runs scored over the first three innings. That trend continued on Friday night as the Drillers scored seven of their nine runs in the first three innings to help snap their two-game losing streak to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals by posting a 9-1 victory at Arvest Ballpark.

Lefty Wyatt Crowell also played a role in the Drillers win as he pitched five shutout relief innings and held Northwest Arkansas without a hit in the process.

The win upped the first-half North Division Champion Drillers season record against the Naturals to 8-2.

Tulsa took control of Friday's game in the first inning by earning three singles and two walks with runs scoring on Chris Newell's single and Kole Myers bases-loaded walk to take a 2-0 lead.

The Drillers sent nine batters to the plate in the second inning. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases for Zyhir Hope, who drove in Tulsa's third run with a base hit. Jake Gelof drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the inning's second run, and Myers drove in the final two runs with a single that gave the Drillers a 6-1 lead.

In the third, Joe Vetrano drew a leadoff walk and scored one batter later on a double from Mike Sirota to give Tulsa its seventh run.

The seven runs proved enough for Tulsa starting pitcher Roque Gutierrez. The Mexico native pitched four innings and gave up one run on four hits and two walks with three strikeouts. His one run allowed scored in the bottom of the first when Daniel Vazquez singled home Colton Becker.

The Drillers increased their lead to 9-1 in the sixth inning when Frank Rodriguez doubled home Chris Newell, and Vetrano scored Rodriguez with a sacrifice fly.

Crowell followed Gutierrez on the mound and turned in impressive outing to help secure the win. He held the Naturals hitless over the final five innings and finished the game by striking out six of the final nine batters he faced.

GAME NOTES

*Crowell was credited with the win to even his season record at 4-4. It was the second straight game in which he did not allowed a hit, a stretch of 9.0 hitless innings.

*The seven runs in the first three innings increased the Drillers run total this year to154 in those innings over 67 games.

*Myers' second inning single raised his hitting streak to seven games. He has also driven in a run in five consecutive games.

*Sirota finished with three hits to increase his pair of on base streaks. The Tulsa outfielder has now reached base in all 27 games he has played in since his promotion to the Drillers and has now reached base safely in 57 combined games between Tulsa and Great Lakes. The streak is the longest on-base streak in all of Minor League Baseball this season.

*All nine Tulsa hitters earned a hit in the victory with Sirota leading the way with three.

*Gelof earned a hit and a walk and increased his on-base streak to 30 straight games. It is the longest on-base streak in the Texas League this season when just counting Double A games.

UP NEXT

The Drillers and Naturals will play game five of their six-game series at Arvest Ballpark on Saturday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. and the starting pitchers are expected to be:

Tulsa - LHP Adam Serwinowski (5-2, 5.75 ERA)

NW Arkansas - RHP Drew Beam (3-6, 6.67 ERA)

Check out the Tulsa Drillers Statistics

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Images from this story

Tulsa Drillers' Roque Gutierrez in action
Tulsa Drillers' Roque Gutierrez in action
(Kason Huckabay)		   



Texas League Stories from June 19, 2026


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