Drillers Sweep San Antonio to Extend Season-Best Win Streak
May 5, 2023 - Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
Tulsa Drillers' Emmet Sheehan in action
(Tulsa Drillers)
Tulsa, OK- Last week, the Tulsa Drillers suffered through their longest losing streak of the season, dropping four straight games. They have now followed it up with their longest winning streak of the year.
Entering a doubleheader with San Antonio Friday at ONEOK Field, the Drillers carried a three-game winning streak that increased to five in a row with a sweep of the Missions. Tulsa won the opener 4-0 behind five scoreless innings from Emmet Sheehan, before scoring late in the nightcap to take a 2-1 win.
Tulsa starting pitchers continue to be dominant as Sheehan and Landon Knack combined to stretch the starting staff's scoreless streak to 27 innings before the Missions produced a late run off Knack in game two. It was the first run given up by a Drillers starting pitcher in over five games.
In the first game, Jose Ramos put Sheehan and the Drillers on top with a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning. It was his sixth homer of the season.
Tulsa scored its second run in the fifth inning when Eddys Leonard walked, stole second base and scored on a base hit from Jonny DeLuca.
Imanol Vargas doubled the lead to 4-0 with a two-run homer in the sixth. For Vargas, it was his fifth homer of the year.
The four runs were plenty of backing for Sheehan and a pair of relievers. The Tulsa starter worked five shutout innings, allowing just three hits and zero walks while striking out eight batters.
Ryan Sublette pitched around a walk in a scoreless sixth inning, and Jordan Leasure did the same in the seventh to close out the win.
Pitching was also the story in the second game with starters Landon Knack and Nolan Watson both pitching effectively.
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fifth. With a 2-2 count and Carson Taylor at the plate, Watson left a 2-2 pitch out over the plate, and Taylor belted it into the bullpen beyond the right field fence for his first home run of the year.
Tulsa's 1-0 lead did not last long as San Antonio promptly answered with its first run of the game in the sixth inning. Jorge Ona led off with a double and scored to tie the game when Ray Patrick-Didder singled off Knack with one out.
It took the Drillers just five pitches to retake the lead in the bottom half of the sixth. Jonny DeLuca doubled on the second pitch of the inning before Jorbit Vivas flied out on the first pitch he saw. Andy Pages took a pitch before lining a double into the left field corner to score DeLuca and give the Drillers a 2-1 lead.
John Rooney, who recorded the final two outs in the sixth, quickly set the Missions down in order in the seventh to close out the win and complete the doubleheader.
TEXAS LEAGUE STANDINGS* TEXAS LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
HIGHLIGHTS AND HAPPENINGS:
*With the sweep, the Drillers moved into first place in the Texas League's North Division, one-half game in front of Arkansas. Saturday will mark just the second day this season that the Travelers have not at least been in a tie for the top spot.
*In two starts against San Antonio this year, Sheehan has not allowed a run and only three hits in ten combined innings. He has not walked a batter while striking out 16.
*In his game two start, Knack blanked the Missions through the first five innings while allowing just one hit. Despite being charged for the sixth-inning run, Knack's season ERA stands at just 1.50.
*After 24 games, Tulsa's starting pitchers have a 1.77 combined ERA with 118 strikeouts in 91.1 innings pitched. The starting staff has compiled a 0.99 WHIP. At the conclusion of the doubleheader, the 1.77 ERA was tied with Class-A Lake Elsinore, a Los Angeles Angels affiliate, for the lowest in Minor League Baseball, pending the completion of west coast games.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers and Missions will continue their series on Saturday night at ONEOK Field. Starting time is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. and the pitching matchup is scheduled to be:
San Antonio - LHP Daniel Camarena (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Tulsa - RHP Nick Frasso (1-1, 1.23 ERA)
Images from this story
 Tulsa Drillers' Emmet Sheehan in action |
Texas League Stories from May 5, 2023
- 7-Run Inning Helps Sod Poodles Even Series in Corpus - Amarillo Sod Poodles
- Leiter Shines in 4-1 Win Over Midland - Frisco RoughRiders
- Cardinals Spook Travelers on Halfway to Halloween, Win 6-4 - Springfield Cardinals
- Drillers Sweep San Antonio to Extend Season-Best Win Streak - Tulsa Drillers
- Naturals Sweep Doubleheader - Wichita Wind Surge
- Perez Nets 3 Hits But Cardinals Outlast Travs - Arkansas Travelers
- Missions Drop Friday Night Doubleheader in Tulsa - San Antonio Missions
- ONEOK Field to Host 6A Championship Game - Tulsa Drillers
- Moms and Dogs Homestand Begins Tuesday, May 9th - San Antonio Missions
- Thursday's Game Against Travelers Postponed, Doubleheader Set for Saturday, May 6 - Springfield Cardinals
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.
