McLain, Newell Power Drillers Over Hooks
TL Tulsa Drillers

McLain, Newell Power Drillers Over Hooks

Published on August 29, 2025 under Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release


Tulsa Drillers' Sean McLain on game night
Tulsa Drillers' Sean McLain on game night
(Tulsa Drillers, Credit: Tim Campbell)

Tulsa, OK - Th The Tulsa Drillers continued their postseason pursuit by earning their third win this week over the Corpus Christi Hooks. Leading the Drillers offensively on Friday night were Sean McLain and Chris Newell, as the duo combined to drive in all four of Tulsa's runs in the game.

Starting pitcher Jackson Ferris also played a significant role in the win as he allowed only one run over 6.2 innings in what was a 4-1 victory for the Drillers at ONEOK Field.

The result was crucial as it maintained the Drillers two-game lead over Wichita, who also won on Friday, for the final playoff spot from the Texas League's North Division with only 14 games remaining in the regular season.

After two scoreless innings, the Drillers used two swings of the bat to take the lead in the bottom of the third. McLain began the inning by hitting a solo home run into the COUNTRY Financial Terrace in left field. With two outs, Newell added a two-run homer to right field that put Tulsa up 3-0.

McLain drove in the Drillers fourth run in the sixth inning when his single to right field plated Kole Myers from second base.

Ferris, the Los Angeles Dodgers top pitching prospect, made his 22nd start of the season in the game, and the lefthander cruised through the first six innings before running into trouble in the seventh. He held the Hooks to one hit and kept them off the scoreboard through the first six frames until a double, a stolen base and a walk set up Will Bush's RBI groundout in the top of the seventh to give Corpus Christi its only run.

The Drillers went with another lefty after Ferris' departure. Jorge Benitez took the mound and closed out the game by recording the final seven outs without allowing the Hooks to rally. Benitez permitted only one base runner and that came when he hit a batter in the ninth. He also recorded one strikeout in picking up his first save of the season.

INSIDE THE GAME

*Ferris' night ended with two outs in the seventh as he worked his sixth quality start of the season. He set new season highs with 8 strikeouts and 102 pitches thrown. Ferris did deal with some control issues, as he also set a new season high with six walks. The win improved his season record to 9-6.

*The seven out save for Benitez was his first save since July 22, 2023, when he was pitching for the Arkansas Travelers.

*McLain's home run was his fourth of 2025, and Newell's was his 19th of the season. It was also Newell's seventh homer and 26th run driven in August. His RBI total leads Double-A for the month.

*Bixby High School grad and Northeastern State University product Nic Swanson made the start on the mound for Corpus Christi on Friday. Swanson was charged with the loss as he pitched 4.2 innings and allowed three runs on three hits and three walks with three strikeouts.

*James Tibbs III made an impact in the ninth inning as he recorded the final three outs of the game. The biggest out was the second one of the inning when he reached over the right field fence to rob Bush of a two-run homer.

*Ferris and Benitez combined to allow just two hits over the nine innings.

*Griffin Lockwood-Powell singled in the second inning and has now hit safely in eight straight games.

*The Drillers wore special-edition Hill Country jerseys in the game as they partnered for a special auction that will help to replace baseball fields and equipment in Kerr County Texas that were destroyed in the Texas Hill Country flood earlier this year. Fans can access the online auction and purchase one of the jersey. All ten Texas League teams will wear Hill Country jerseys over the final two weeks of the season with all monies from the auctions going to benefit Hill Country baseball.

UP NEXT

The Drillers will go for their third straight win over the Hooks on Saturday night. First pitch is slated for 7:00 p.m. at ONEOK Field, and the starting pitchers are scheduled to be:

Corpus Christi - RHP Alonzo Tredwell (2-0, 2.81 ERA)

Tulsa - LHP Luke Fox (0-1, 3.16 ERA)

Check out the Tulsa Drillers Statistics

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Images from this story

Tulsa Drillers' Sean McLain on game night
Tulsa Drillers' Sean McLain on game night
(Tim Campbell)		   



Texas League Stories from August 29, 2025


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