Drillers Stage Comeback to Top Hooks
August 25, 2019 - Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
Chris Parmelee's first-inning homer gave the Tulsa Drillers an early lead
(Tulsa Drillers, Credit: Tim Campbell)
TULSA - The 2019 season has not been kind to the Tulsa Drillers in extra-inning games, as they have taken just 3 of the first 12 contests that have gone past nine innings. But it was a different story Saturday night at ONEOK Field, as the Drillers came back from a four-run deficit to force extra innings where they capped the comeback in the tenth with a thrilling 6-5 victory over Corpus Christi Hooks.
The win was big as both Springfield and Arkansas lost on Saturday, moving the Drillers back into sole-possession of first place and reducing their magic number for clinching a berth in the Texas League playoffs to three.
Tied at 5-5 at the end of regulation, Tulsa called upon reliever Nolan Long to shut down the Hooks in the top half of the tenth inning. He did just that. Long struck out the side to keep the placed runner standing at second and send the game to the home half of the tenth.
Connor Wong led off the bottom of the tenth with Chris Parmelee as the placed runner at second. On a 1-2 count, Wong crushed a ball deep to right field that landed at the base of the wall, bringing Parmelee for the walk-off win.
Parmelee had given the Drillers a positive start to the game when he launched a home run onto Elgin Avenue in the bottom of the first inning to give Tulsa a 1-0 lead. It was his 13th homer of the season and was estimated to have travelled 410 feet.
The Hooks came back to take the lead, scoring in each of the third, fourth and fifth innings. After a walk and a pair of singles loaded the bases for the Hooks in the third, Jonathan Arauz blooped a ball into shallow left field for a base hit. Donovan Casey retrieved the ball and overthrew the catcher in an attempt to get the runner trying to score, but a second run was plated as a result of the error.
Another Drillers error led to another Hooks run in the fourth. With runners at first and second with two outs, Anibal Sierra popped a ball straight up, roughly 15 feet in front of the plate. Drillers third baseman Wong charged in to make the catch, but over-ran the ball and allowed it to drop. Scoring easily was Bryan De La Cruz who was running on the play.
Yordy Cabrera relieved Drillers starter Edwin Uceta in the top of the fifth. After recording two quick outs, he surrendered a single to J.J. Matijevic before Jake Adams hit his fifth homer of the season, extending the Hooks lead to 5-1.
The Drillers started their comeback in the bottom of the sixth. Drew Avans and Jeter Downs started the inning with back-to-back walks, and Wong singled to load the bases. Omar Estevez then skied a ball, just deep enough to score Avans with a sacrifice fly.
After Avans scored, former Driller Andre Scrubb relieved Hooks starter Bryan Abreu. Scrubb immediately uncorked a wild pitch to plate Downs, cutting the Tulsa deficit to 5-3.
Tulsa evened things up in the top of the seventh. With a runner at first, Jordan Procyshen doubled to put a pair of runners in scoring position. A couple batters later, Downs ripped a clutch line drive up the middle, scoring two and tying the game at 5-5.
WHAT YOU MISSED:
*It was Oklahoma City Thunder Night at the stadium and the Drillers wore basketball-styled jerseys modeled after the Thunder's Native American jerseys. Fans were able to purchase the game-worn jerseys in a silent auction benefitting the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Tulsa.
*In the bottom of the fourth, Casey made an incredible catch to rob a home run. Jake Meyers lifted a ball deep to left field. Casey tracked the ball back to the wall, perfectly timed his jump to reach over the wall and make the home-run saving catch the helped set the stage for the comeback.
*Wong had three hits in the game and extended his hitting streak to eight straight games. During the stretch, he has four multi-hit games and is hitting .413 (12-29).
*Marshall Kasowski and Shea Spitzbarth each threw two scoreless innings out of the Drillers bullpen, both striking out a pair of Hooks.
*Scrubb made his first appearance against the Drillers since being traded to the Houston Astros organization in July for first baseman Tyler White who is currently on the disabled list with the Dodgers. In 34 games with Tulsa in 2018-19, Scrubb was 6-1 with a 2.37 ERA. Scrubb was member of the Drillers 2018 Texas League Championship team.
UP NEXT: Corpus Christi at Tulsa, Sunday, August 25, 1:05 PM at ONEOK Field. RHP Chad Donato (2-2, 3.43 ERA) vs. RHP JoJo Gray (2-2, 2.14 ERA).
Images from this story
 Chris Parmelee's first-inning homer gave the Tulsa Drillers an early lead (Tim Campbell) |
• Discuss this story on the Texas League message board...
Texas League Stories from August 25, 2019
- Leblanc Stars in Final Home Game of 2019 - Frisco RoughRiders
- Riders Set Single-Weekend Attendance Record - Frisco RoughRiders
- Naturals Capture Finale in Frisco, 5-3 - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Soddies Pitch Past Travs to Wrap up Road Schedule - Amarillo Sod Poodles
- Poodles Pop Travs to Take Series - Arkansas Travelers
- Cardinals Close Road Schedule with Sunday Defeat in Midland - Springfield Cardinals
- Tulsa Takes Sunday Finale - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Tulsa Takes Sunday Finale - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Drillers Win, Get Closer to Playoffs - Tulsa Drillers
- 'Hounds Top Cardinals, 6-1 - Springfield Cardinals
- Tulsa Walks off with Extra-Inning Triumph - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Howard, Calabuig Lead Hounds to Fourth Straight Win - Midland RockHounds
- Drillers Stage Comeback to Top Hooks - Tulsa Drillers
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.
