Freeland Propels Drillers to Walk-Off Win
May 19, 2024 - Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
Tulsa Drillers celebrate after Alex Freeland drove in the winning run on Sunday afternoon
(Tulsa Drillers, Credit: Kendall Mitchell)
TULSA, OK - The Tulsa Drillers upped their winning streak to three straight games Sunday afternoon, and it came in dramatic fashion. Newcomer Alex Freeland delivered a clutch, two-out base hit in the bottom of the ninth inning to cap a two-run rally that propelled the Drillers to a 6-5 victory over the Wichita Wind Surge.
It was Tulsa's first walk-off win of the season.
Freeland has made a quick adjustment to Double A since joining the Drillers just two weeks ago, but he saved his best for the ninth inning on Sunday.
Down to their final three outs and trailing 5-4, Diego Cartaya led off the bottom of the ninth for the Drillers and dropped a soft base hit into shallow left field. After Brandon Lewis struck out, pinch-hitter Dalton Rushing was hit by a pitch.
Bubba Alleyne followed with a ground ball to second. The Wind Surge retired Rushing at second, but shortstop Ben Ross rushed to try to complete what would have been a game-ending double play. Ross' throw sailed high into the protective netting behind first base, plating Cartaya with the tying run and advancing Alleyne to second.
With a base open, Wichita elected to pitch to Freeland, and the shortstop lined a full-count pitch into right field to bring Alleyne home with the game-winning run.
Freeland finished 2-3 in the game with a homer, three runs scored and two runs driven in. In 11 games since being promoted to Double A, the Central Florida University product is hitting .289 with two home runs, and he is a perfect 5 for 5 in stolen bases. In the Drillers' three-game winning streak, he is hitting .455 and has drawn four walks.
Freeland's first run on Sunday came in the first inning and gave Tulsa an initial lead. He drew a leadoff walk, and Taylor Young brought him home when he followed with a double.
The two teams traded solo homers in the third. Emmanuel Rodriguez belted a drive onto the left field berm for Wichita's first run, but Freeland answered for Tulsa in the bottom of the inning. The shortstop hit a high drive that just cleared the fence in front of the Tulsa bullpen for his second Double-A home run.
The Wind Surge took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth thanks to run-scoring singles from Jake Rucker and Aaron Sabato.
The Drillers tied the score in the fifth with their second solo home run of the game, courtesy of Alleyne.
The tie score did not last long as Alerick Soularie delivered a two-run homer in the sixth to put Wichita back in front 5-3.
The Drillers pulled to within one run in the eighth and missed a chance to tie the game. Freeland was again in the middle of the action when he drew a one-out walk and came around to score as Young and Griffin Lockwood-Powell delivered back-to-back singles.
It set up Tulsa's first walk-off win of the year.
INSIDE THE GAMES
The dramatic ninth inning gave the Drillers just their third win of the season in games decided by one run. Their record in one-run games is now 3-7.
Tulsa pitchers were charged with two errors in the game on a pair of errant pickoff throws. Ortiz-Mayr threw wildly to first in the fourth inning, and Ryan Sublette did the same in the sixth. The errors allowed both base runners to advance to second and both eventually came in to score.
Yeiner Fernandez was able to extend his on-base streak to 26 consecutive games, but just barely. Fernandez was officially 0-3 in the game, but he was hit by a pitch from Wichita reliever Austin Brice leading off the top of the seventh inning.
The late rally gave reliever Jeisson Cabrera his first-ever Double-A win. Cabrera came on to get the final two outs in the top of the ninth.
The three-game winning streak has allowed the Drillers to tie this season's Propeller Series, with the two teams splitting the 12 games so far this year. The Drillers and Wind Surge will meet 12 more times, including the final 6 games of the regular season.
The final three games of the series with the Wind Surge drew a combined paid attendance of nearly 20,000.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers will now head back on the road for a six-game series in Springfield with the Cardinals before returning to ONEOK Field on Memorial Day, May 27 for a special holiday Fireworks Show after the game with Northwest Arkansas.
Tuesday's series opener in Springfield will begin at 6:35 p.m. at Hammons Field, and the starting pitchers are expected to be:
TUL - RHP Kendall Williams (1-4, 9.45 ERA)
SPR - TBA
Images from this story
 Tulsa Drillers celebrate after Alex Freeland drove in the winning run on Sunday afternoon (Kendall Mitchell) |
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