TL Tulsa Drillers

Drillers Suffer Pair of Walk-Off Defeats

Published on April 28, 2023 under Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release


North Little Rock, AR - Friday night's doubleheader at North Little Rock's Dickey-Stephens Park between Tulsa and Arkansas was a battle for first place in the Texas League's North Division as the two teams entered the night with identical 11-6 records. At the conclusion of the two games, it was the Travelers who were atop the standings, thanks to a pair of walk-off victories.

In the opener, the Travs twice rallied from deficits to claim a 4-3 victory in extra innings. In the nightcap, the Drillers were down to their final out before scoring a pair of last-inning runs to keep the game alive, only to watch the Travs produce the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning in a 3-2 win.

The two losses handed the Drillers their first three-game losing streak of the season and moved the Travelers two games in front of Tulsa in the Texas League standings.

In the first game, the Drillers never trailed until the game entered extra innings. They took an early lead with a two-out, first inning run. After the first two batters of game were retired, Andy Pages doubled and scored when Imanol Vargas followed with a base hit.

Jose Ramos doubled the lead with his fourth homer in the top of the fourth inning.

The Travelers overcame the deficit and forced extra innings with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Both runs were set up thanks to walks issued to the leadoff hitter in each inning.

In the extra inning, the Drillers went back in front on a run-scoring single from Vargas. They had a chance to add to their lead with runners at the corners and no outs, but a double play helped to end the threat.

In the bottom of the eighth, the placed runner for the Travelers, Leo Rivas, stole third on the first pitch of the inning. It was one of four steal in the game for the Travs. One pitch later, Riley Unroe singled him home to the tie the game.

Following a double play, Isiah Gilliam kept the inning alive with a two-out single. Robert Perez Jr. followed with a liner off the left field wall, and when Ramos failed to field the carom cleanly, Gilliam raced home with the winning run that set off a dugout clearing, ice bath celebration in shallow centerfield from the Travelers.

Game two was scoreless until Robbie Tenerowicz hit the first pitch in the bottom of the fourth inning over the left field fence for the Travelers first hit of the game. The 28-year-old, who has played just 14 games above Double A in his seven-year professional career, appeared to take a demonstrative and vocal trip around the bases following his fifth homer of the season.

The homer and the theatrics from the Travs' veteran may have unnerved Tulsa starter Emmet Sheehan. The hard-throwing right-hander walked two of the next three hitters.

After a fly out for the second out in the fourth, Sheehan was called for a pitch clock violation just prior to a full-count offering, loading the bases with the third walk of the inning.

Reliever Trevor Bettencourt was summoned from the bullpen and surrendered an infield single that produced the inning's second run.

It remained 2-0 until Tulsa's bats awakened in the seventh and final inning.

The Drillers were down to their final out after Arkansas centerfielder Tanner Kirwer made the defensive play of the night. Kirwer raced into the right-center gap to make a diving catch of Kenneth Betancourt's drive, taking an extra-base hit away from the infielder who was playing in his first game with the Drillers this season.

Kirwer's play proved vital as Jonny DeLuca followed with a two-out, ground-rule double, and Jorbit Vivas plated him with an opposite-field single.

Pages tied the game when he drove a double into the left-center field gap as Vivas raced home to tie the game.

The Travelers ended the Drillers' hopes of a split when the first three batters in the bottom of the seventh reached on a walk, a base hit and an intentional walk against Tanner Dodson.

Dodson got a pop out and a strikeout before Logan Warmoth lined a base hit into left field that plated the winning run and set off the second ice bath celebration of the night from the Travelers.

HIGHLIGHTS AND HAPPENINGS:

*The Drillers lost the doubleheader despite out-hitting the Travelers in both games and 15-11 on the night.

*Four of the Travs seven runs in the doubleheader were scored by runners who reached base on leadoff walks.

*John Rooney suffered his first loss of the season in the game one defeat. He was charged with two runs, but only one was earned.

*First game starter River Ryan was outstanding, allowing two hits with five strikeouts in four shutout innings

*Reliever Ben Harris was charged with the two runs that tied the game despite not allowing a hit in one-plus inning. Harris suffered from control issues, throwing only 12 of 25 pitches for strikes that resulted in two walks. Both of those runners scored.

*In the second game, Sheehan had allowed just one walk and no hits in three shutout innings before the veteran Tenerowicz homered to open the bottom of the fourth. Sheehan finished his outing with four walks and six strikeouts in 3.2 innings.

*Arkansas stole a total of six bases in the two games. Opponents have now been successful on 33 of 35 stolen base attempts against the Drillers this season.

UP NEXT:

The Drillers and Travelers will continue their series on Saturday night at North Little Rock's Dickey-Stephens Park. Starting time is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. and the pitching matchup will be:

Tulsa - RHP Landon Knack (0-0, 1.98 ERA)

Arkansas - RHP Bryan Woo (0-0, 2.25 ERA)

Check out the Tulsa Drillers Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Texas League Stories from April 28, 2023


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.

OurSports Central