Five-Run Sixth Hands Drillers Their Sixth Straight Win
TL San Antonio Missions

Five-Run Sixth Hands Drillers Their Sixth Straight Win

Published on August 14, 2025 under Texas League (TL)
San Antonio Missions News Release


TULSA, Okla. - Eric Yost held the Tulsa Drillers (25-17, 51-60) scoreless through five as the San Antonio Missions (16-26, 55-56) clung to a 1-0 lead, but that edge evaporated when Tulsa scored five runs in the sixth. That burst, featuring an RBI double from Chris Newell and two-run triple from Nelson Quiroz, held up as Tulsa won 5-1 and handed San Antonio their season-worst eighth consecutive loss.

Kelvin Bautista yanked the win for Tulsa since he entered before they hopped over the Missions. San Antonio had a plethora of chances throughout, but they stranded 13 runners on base while going 2-13 with runners in scoring position.

Eli Wilson picked a good time for his first hit as a Mission because it also included his first RBI. He blooped the delivery in the second inning from Drillers starter Patrick Copen into left field, scoring Devin Ortiz from second. Ortiz had just a few moments earlier stolen second, which helped him put the Missions up.

Once San Antonio led 1-0, they had plenty of opportunities to add on. However, they bailed Copen out by leaving eight runners on base through the first five innings alone. Copen went on to finish five innings with just one run allowed even though he allowed six hits and walked four.

Yost countered by completely keeping Tulsa off the board across those five innings, using his defense for help along the way. When the Drillers had a runner at third and just one out in the second, John Rhodes lined a ball right to Ortiz at third, who stepped on the bag to end the frame with an unassisted double play. The Drillers then placed a pair of speedy runners on with one away in the fifth, but Kole Myers scorched ball 105mph directly to second base, where Anthony Vilar perfectly played the short hop to initiate an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.

Yost sought to complete six innings for the third time in three tries at the Double-A level, but the third time through Tulsa's order proved to be too tall a task. James Tibbs III singled-his third hit of the game-and Kyle Nevin followed with the same. Newell then doubled, tying the game at one.

With two in scoring position and no one out, the infield crept in, so when Ortiz fielded the sharp grounder from Yeiner Fernandez, he managed to look back Nevin to third before throwing across the diamond. The problem came on the actual delivery of the throw to first, which sailed over Romeo Sanabria and let Nevin score while Newell went to third and Fernandez scrambled to second. The error handed Tulsa the lead, and an out had still yet to be recorded. That's when Quiroz delivered the big blow, a two-run triple to the deepest part of right-center field, which made it 4-1 Drillers and knocked Yost out of the game.

Ethan Routzahn took over, but not much changed in the sixth. Damon Keith rifled a single to left, scoring Quiroz. Routzahn did calm the storm after Keith's single to end the inning, but Tulsa's advantage stood at 5-1 after six.

The Missions attempted an immediate counterpunch against Bautista. Two walks and a Marcos Castañon single loaded the bases for San Antonio, but Tulsa turned to Jerming Rosario, who despite allowing one of those two walks, got Vilar to ground out to end the rally.

After all the noise, things quieted towards the end of the game. Stephen Jones entered and tossed two scoreless frames for the Missions, but Rosario himself also set down the Missions in order through the eighth, so Tulsa's lead remained 5-1 into the ninth.

Carson Hobbs took the ball for the Drillers in the ninth. A walk and error helped the Missions cover the corners, but Hobbs induced a groundout from Ortiz to end the ball game and string San Antonio's losing streak to eight games.

UP NEXT:

The Missions and Drillers continue their six-game series in Tulsa on Friday at 7:00 p.m. Lefty Jagger Haynes (3-2, 3.93) starts for the Missions while righty Roque Gutierrez (7-1, 4.26) goes for the Drillers. Catch all the action on Country Legends KKYX, 680 AM, 104.9 FM and kkyx.com. Tickets are available at samissions.com or by calling 210-675-7275.

Check out the San Antonio Missions Statistics

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Texas League Stories from August 14, 2025


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