Rushing Delivers Walk-off Home Run
August 2, 2024 - Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
TULSA, OK - One night after the Springfield Cardinals defeated the Tulsa Drillers with ninth-inning heroics, Dalton Rushing returned the favor for Tulsa on Thursday night at ONEOK Field. Trailing by two runs entering the bottom of the ninth, Alex Freeland cut Tulsa's deficit to just one run with his RBI single. One batter later, Rushing delivered a game-winning three-run homer that gave the Drillers a dramatic 10-8 win over the first-place Cardinals.
The win moved the Drillers to within 1.5 games of the North Division leading Redbirds.
The Drillers trailed throughout the game after the hero of Springfield's win on Wednesday, Jacob Buchberger, hurt the Drillers again in the second inning. With two outs and two runners on base, Buchberger gave the Cardinals a 3-0 lead with a three-run homer into the Budweiser Terrace. A walk and a hit batter extended the inning for Nathan Church, who doubled in Springfield's fourth run of the inning.
Tulsa narrowed the margin in the bottom half of the second. With runners at first and second, Jose Ramos drove in both runners on a triple that just got past the glove of a diving Matt Lloyd in left field.
In the top of the third, the Redbirds brought their lead back to four runs when Chandler Redmond hit a two-run homer to make the score 6-2.
Tulsa once again fought back to within two runs when Griffin Lockwood-Powell's two-run shot made the score 6-4 in the fifth inning.
The Drillers were unable to keep their deficit at two, as Springfield scored two runs on a wild pitch and a ground ball double play in the sixth inning to increase the lead to 8-4.
Tulsa continued to battle by scoring two runs in the eighth. Two walks followed by a single from Rushing scored the first run. A ground out plated the second run as the Drillers still trailed 8-6, setting up the big ninth inning.
Taylor Young began the ninth with a walk but made a crucial mistake when he was thrown out trying to advance to third base on Ramos' single. Bubba Alleyne drew the inning's second walk to set up Freeland's RBI single and Rushing's winning home run.
Rushing fell into a 1-2 hole against hard-throwing Andrew Marrero before working the count to full. On the seventh pitch of the at-bat, Marerro caught too much of the plate with a slider and Rushing deposited the game winner over the Tulsa bullpen in right field.
INSIDE THE GAME
*In his third straight start, Chris Campos completed 4.1 innings for the Drillers before departing the game. The right-hander allowed six runs, five earned, on five hits and three walks with five strikeouts.
*Antonio Knowles was credited with the win after pitching a scoreless ninth inning before the heroics.
*The home run was Rushing's team-leading 14th of the season.
*Lockwood-Powells' two hits increased his hitting streak to six games.
*Reliever Christian Suarez pitched three big innings to get the Drillers to the ninth inning. The left-hander held Springfield scoreless and without a hit over his three frames. He allowed just one baserunner, on a walk, and finished with four strikeouts.
*Ramos had his second straight three-hit game in the win.
*The Drillers hit two triples in the game, marking the second game this season where Tulsa has recorded multiple triples.
*The Drillers announced today that outfielder Austin Beck has been placed on the Injured List.
*The Drillers played their first of two games as the Tulsa Noodlers on Thursday night. They will continue as the Noodlers on Friday by again wearing lime green jerseys and caps.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers will continue their series with the Redbirds on Friday night at ONEOK Field. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m. and the pitching matchup is expected to be:
Springfield - RHP Tink Hence (4-2, 3.20 ERA)
Tulsa - RHP Carlos Duran (0-0, 1.32 ERA)
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