Drillers Sweep Doubleheader to Open Homestand
May 1, 2019 - Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
TULSA, OK - The Tulsa Drillers opened up an eight-game homestand at ONEOK Field with a doubleheader against the Midland RockHounds. The Drillers gave the RockHounds all they could handle as they took both games on Wednesday night.
In game one, Mitchell White got the start and did not allow Midland to get anything going offensively, and a late three-run homer by Cristian Santana sealed a 4-0 victory for the Drillers. Tulsa grabbed a 7-2 victory in game two behind a two-homer game by Jared Walker.
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS:
In the bottom of the fourth, the Drillers had bases loaded with one out. Chris Parmelee hit a deep fly ball to Midland leftfielder Chase Calabuig. All three runners were holding at their bases to see if the ball was caught, but Calabuig was unable to track it down, easily allowing Zach Reks to score the first run of the night. DJ Peters was on second and attempted to score, but was thrown out at home. Midland recorded the third out of the inning by getting Cristian Santana caught in a rundown.
The Drillers put the game away in the bottom of the sixth. With runners on first and third, Santana crushed a ball to right that ended up on Elgin Avenue. At first, the umpires called it a foul ball, but manager Scott Hennessey convinced them to talk about it. The umpires determined that the ball wrapped around the foul pole for a three-run homer and a Drillers 4-0 lead.
Drillers starter Mitchell White was stellar in his 5.2 innings. He gave up only two hits, walked none and recorded seven strikeouts. Michael Boyle and Layne Somsen did not allow a hit the rest of the way.
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS:
Tulsa got the scoring started with a blast in the bottom of the second. Zach McKinstry recorded a single, and Jared Walker crushed a ball into the bullpen in right field for his first homer of the game to give the Drillers a 2-0 lead.
Midland scored their first run of the day an inning later. Kevin Merrell doubled, then advanced to third on a balk. Merrell came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Darion Blanco.
In the top of the fourth, a double and two walks forced Drillers starter Parker Curry out of the game. Andre Scrubb came into the game with the task of keeping the runners put, but allowed the tying run to score on a force out. Scrubb did limit the damage by getting the next batter to ground out.
After a pair of walks in the bottom of the fifth, Zach Reks stayed hot and extended his hitting streak to eight games by crushing a ball past the centerfielder for a double, giving Tulsa a 4-2 lead.
A pair of long-balls in the bottom of the sixth put game two out of reach for Midland. With a runner on, McKinstry blasted a ball into the bullpen in right field. On the very next pitch, Walker unloaded and crushed a ball deep on to the right field berm to give Tulsa a 7-2 lead.
Scrubb and Shea Spitzbarth provided 3.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen to keep the Midland bats at bay. Scrubb picked up his second win of the season and Spitzbarth his first save of 2019.
UP NEXT: Midland at Tulsa, Thursday, May 2, 7:05 PM at ONEOK Field in Tulsa, OK. Midland starter TBA vs. RHP J.D. Martin (0-2, 7.48 ERA).
Texas League Stories from May 1, 2019
- Drillers Sweep Doubleheader to Open Homestand - Tulsa Drillers
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