Extra-Innings Loss Is Fifth Straight for Drillers
TL Tulsa Drillers

Extra-Innings Loss Is Fifth Straight for Drillers

May 23, 2025 - Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release


Tulsa Drillers' Ezequiel Pagan at bat
Tulsa Drillers' Ezequiel Pagan at bat
(Tulsa Drillers, Credit: Tim Campbell)

Tulsa, OK - Friday night was the Tulsa Drillers fifth straight loss, and it was the most painful of the stretch. The Drillers at one point held a three-run lead over the Springfield Cardinals after four innings and held a lead for most of the game. Tulsa even entered the ninth with a one-run lead, but the Cardinals used a run in the ninth and two in the tenth and handed the Drillers a 9-8 defeat at ONEOK Field.

The Cardinals continued their series trend of scoring early with three runs in the first inning. After two hits and a walk loaded the bases, a single, a walk and a ground ball allowed Springfield to take a three-run lead.

The Drillers were kept off the bases until the third inning, when they scored three runs to tie the game. They began the inning with the first five hitters reaching base safely. The three runs came on Ezequiel Pagan's RBI single and Jose Ramos' two-run single.

Tulsa earned its first lead of the series with a barrage of home runs in the fourth inning. Nick Biddison, Sean McLain and Pagan hit three straight solo homers to put the Drillers ahead 6-3.

Noah Mendlinger cut the lead to 6-4 with his RBI single in the fifth inning.

Two walks began Springfield's half of the eighth and both runs came around to score on Darlin Moquete's two-out single that tied the game at 6-6.

Tulsa responded in the bottom of the eighth by taking advantage of its own lead-off walk. After Taylor Young drew the bases on balls, he advanced to third base on a wild pitch and a fly ball and then scored the go-ahead run on another wild pitch.

Once again, the Cardinals rallied to tie the game by hitting three singles off Drillers reliever Antonio Knowles in the top of the ninth to tie the game 7-7.

After the Drillers went down quietly in their half of the ninth to send the game to extra innings, and Springfield scored the placed runner in the top of the tenth on Carlos Linarez's single to center field. A second run came in when a soft fly ball fell safely into shallow right field to give the Cards a two-run advantage.

Aaron Bracho drove in the placed runner in the tenth to pull the Drillers to within a run, but they would get no closer. The game quickly ended on a groundball double play and a lineout.

INSIDE THE GAME

*The last time the Drillers hit three consecutive home runs was on May 17, 2022, at Amarillo. The three batters were Ryan Ward, Carson Taylor and Hunter Feduccia.

*After a rough first inning, Tulsa starter Jackson Ferris settled in to complete 5.1 innings. He was charged with four runs, with three scoring in the first, and finished with five strikeouts.

*Christian Suarez pitched the tenth and was charged with the loss, allowing two runs to score with just one being earned.

*The Drillers have now been charged with 14 blown saves this season, the most in the Texas League. They have also lost 14 games this year when holding a lead.

*McLain's home run was his ninth in 163 professional games and his first of 2025.

UP NEXT

The two teams will continue their six-game series with game four on Saturday night at ONEOK Field. It will also be the second of three straight Firework Shows to celebrate the Memorial Day holiday. Game time will be 7:00 p.m. and the starting pitchers are scheduled to be:

SPR - LHP Ixan Henderson (3-1, 2.25 ERA)

TUL - RHP Chris Campos (1-1, 4.54 ERA)

Check out the Tulsa Drillers Statistics




Images from this story

Tulsa Drillers' Ezequiel Pagan at bat
Tulsa Drillers' Ezequiel Pagan at bat
(Tim Campbell)		   



Texas League Stories from May 23, 2025


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