Drillers Survive Naturals Comeback in 11-8 Win
Published on July 29, 2026 under Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
Tulsa Drillers pitcher Patrick Copen
(Tulsa Drillers, Credit: Rich Crimi)
Tulsa, OK - The Tulsa Drillers returned to ONEOK Field on Tuesday night and played the first of 18 home games over the next 24 total games. Tulsa picked up its first win of the stretch in the opener of a six-game series against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, but it came with plenty of drama. After the Drillers had built a 9-1 lead with eight runs scoring on four home runs, the Naturals scored the next seven runs, which included a six-run seventh inning, to make it a one-run game. Fortunately, Tulsa managed to score two crucial insurance runs in the seventh and held the Naturals off the scoreboard for the final two innings and posted an 11-8 victory.
The win helped keep the Drillers just two games back of first-place Springfield in the second half as the Cardinals also picked up a victory on Tuesday.
The result also brought Tulsa's record to 35-11 when scoring first this season.
It took only three batters in the bottom of the first inning for the Drillers to take the lead. Josue De Paula began the inning by drawing a walk, and Mike Sirota followed with a double to set up Jake Gelof, who hit a 424-foot home run over the COUNTRY Financial Terrace.
Tulsa scored two more in the second as Frank Rodriguez's leadoff walk preceded Jose Izarra's home run that gave the Drillers a 5-0 lead.
In the fourth, Tulsa used two more home runs to put up three runs thanks to a two-run homer from Rodriguez and a solo shot by Sirota.
De Paula hit a bloop RBI single in the fifth inning that gave the Drillers their biggest lead of the night at 9-1.
The nine runs proved enough for Patrick Copen, who made his 17th start this season on the mound. Copen pitched five innings for the first time since May 30 and was charged with only one run on four hits and two walks with five strikeouts. His lone run allowed came in the third inning on Carson Roccaforte's solo home run.
Once Copen departed, Northwest Arkansas began its comeback in the sixth inning when Omar Hernandez drove in Luke Pelzer with his single.
The Naturals went on to score six more runs in the seventh to pull within one. Justin Johnson began the Naturals half of the seventh with a double, with a walk and Spencer Nivens' run-scoring single to follow. Daniel Vazquez and Jorge Alfaro combined to drive in the next three runs on an RBI single and a two-run double. Omar Hernandez was responsible for the inning's final two runs, as he drove in Alfaro on a triple and scored himself on a wild pitch, to trim Tulsa's lead to 9-8.
Tulsa quickly responded and increased its lead to three with two insurance runs in the bottom half of the seventh. Taylor Young began the inning with a single, and after he stole second base, he scored on Rodriguez's double. Two wild pitches allowed Rodriguez to advance and score to give the Drillers an 11-8 lead.
Reliever Carson Hobbs shut down the Naturals over the final two innings as he allowed just one baserunner and struck out five to secure the win for Tulsa and earn his first save this season.
GAME NOTES
*The Drillers announced a pair of roster moves on Tuesday afternoon. One of the additions is former Arkansas Razorback pitcher Zach Root. Root, who was the first-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers last year, is rated by MLB Pipeline as the top left-handed pitching prospect in the Dodgers minor league system. He joins the Drillers after going 3-3 with a 2.40 ERA in 15 starts for Great Lakes this year.
The other addition was the return of catcher Nelson Quiroz. Quiroz has been on the Injured List since late April.
To make room on the active roster, the Drillers placed pitcher Roque Gutierrez on the Injured List and catcher Hayden Gilliland on the Development List.
*Tulsa has now scored six or more runs in 36 of its last 60 games and are 42-19 during that stretch.
*The home run from Gelof was his 18th this season, but his first since July 10.
*Copen's performance earned him his fifth win of 2026 to up his record to 5-6. It had been since April 23 that he had earned a win in a start.
Patrick Copen turned in five strong inning to pick up his fifth win of the season in Tuesday's victory over Northwest Arkansas.Rich Crimi
*Izarra's homer was his first with Tulsa in 2026 and just his second with the Drillers in 44 career games.
*Sirota's homer marked his eighth with Tulsa, and for Rodriguez, it was his sixth
*Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia began a rehabilitation assignment with the Naturals on Tuesday. Garcia batted leadoff and played third base, finishing 0-3 with one strikeout.
UP NEXT
The Drillers will continue their series with the Naturals on Wednesday night at ONEOK Field. Starting time for game two of the six-game series between the two teams is set for 7:00 p.m. and the pitching matchup is expected to be:
NW Arkansas - LHP Hunter Owen (1-5, 8.31 ERA)
Tulsa - RHP Payton Martin (4-3, 5.64 ERA)
Images from this story
 Tulsa Drillers pitcher Patrick Copen (Rich Crimi) |
Texas League Stories from July 29, 2026
- Drillers Playoff Tickets Now on Sale - Tulsa Drillers
- Late Homers Not Enought in Trip Opener - Arkansas Travelers
- Drillers Survive Naturals Comeback in 11-8 Win - Tulsa Drillers
- Big-Time Home Runs Hoist Riders over Hooks - Frisco RoughRiders
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.
