Rushing Homers Twice and Drillers Hold off Cards in a 5-3 Win
August 4, 2024 - Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release
Tulsa Drillers shortstop Alex Freeland makes a throw to first
(Tulsa Drillers, Credit: Rich Crimi)
TULSA, OK - Tulsa catcher Dalton Rushing is currently rated the top prospect in the minor league system of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the past two weeks, he has looked every bit the part of the number one prospect. Sunday afternoon at ONEOK Field, Rushing continued a recent hot streak by hitting two home runs to lead the Tulsa Drillers to 5-3 victory over first-place Springfield.
Rushing's first homer was a two-run shot in the second inning. He followed that up with a solo blast in the sixth.
The two homers continued a torrid two-week stretch for Rushing. He has now hit seven home runs in his past 11 games. In those 11 games, he is hitting .341 with 14 RBI. Eleven of his 15 hits in the streak have gone for extra bases.
Despite Rushing's big day, the victory was not easy. The Drillers had to survive several late-inning threats from the Cardinals to claim the win. The result gave the two teams a split of their six-game series.
Tulsa jumped in front when Alex Freeland and Griffin Lockwood-Powell combined for the game's first run in the first inning. Freeland drew a leadoff walk, and with two outs, stole second and third bases. It set up Lockwood-Powell's run-scoring single.
The Drillers expanded their lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the second with another two-out hit. After the inning's first two batters were retired, Freeland drew a walk and advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches. He scored his second run of the game when Dalton Rushing belted his first home run of the afternoon.
Tulsa starting pitcher Orlando Ortiz-Mayr kept the Cardinals scoreless through the first three innings before a two-run fourth ended the shutout. Chris Rotondo singled home two runs and cut Tulsa's lead to 3-2.
Rushing got one of the runs back with his second home run of the day in the top of the fifth. His 17th homer of the season landed well beyond the bullpens beyond the right-center field fence.
Another long ball in the sixth upped the lead to 5-2 as Yeiner Fernandez led off with just his second homer of the season. The impressive blast cleared the Budweiser Terrace in left field.
The Cardinals have the best record in the Texas League's North Division, and they made things uncomfortable for the Drillers over the final innings.
In the seventh, Tulsa reliever Antonio Knowles hit a batter, walked another and committed a balk to set up a run-scoring ground out.
With the lead down to two runs, and a runner at third base, Edgardo Henriquez came on for Knowles. Henriquez walked the first batter to bring Jimmy Crooks to the plate representing the potential go-ahead run. Crooks had hit two homers in Springfield's win on Friday, but Henriquez struck him out on three straight pitches to end that threat.
The Redbirds threatened again in the top of the eighth when the first two batters reached safely against Henriquez on a single and catcher's interference. The two runners moved to second and third on a ground out. Matt Lloyd made a bid for a game-tying hit, but centerfielder Jose Ramos raced in to make a sliding catch for the inning's second out while the runners held at second and third. Henriquez ended that threat by striking out Rotondo.
Lucas Wepf pitched around a one-out, bunt single from Noah Mendlinger to close out the hard fought victory. It was the fourth Double-A save for Wepf.
INSIDE THE GAME
*The game featured a total of just nine hits, with Springfield out-hitting Tulsa 5-4. Three of Tulsa's four hits were home runs. Lockwood-Powell's RBI single in the second inning was the only hit that did not land beyond the outfield fence.
*The win keeps the Drillers in the middle of a tight, second-half North Division pennant race. They are now tied for second place with Northwest Arkansas, 2.5 games behind division-leading Springfield.
*Ortiz-Mayr picked up the victory and was responsible for two of Tulsa's three wins in the series. The right-hander worked the first five innings of Sunday's win and has now gone at least five innings in nine straight starts. In those nine games, Oritiz Mayr is 5-2 with a 3.22 ERA.
*Tulsa made a pair of impressive defensive plays in the sixth inning of the game. Shortstop Freeland ranged deep into the hole to make a backhanded grab on a grounder from Ramon Mendoza. Without setting, Freeland spun and threw a strike to Lockwood-Powell at first to retire Mendoza. On the very next pitch, left fielder Bubba Alleyne raced in to make a sliding catch on a liner to take a hit away from Chandler Redmond.
*The Drillers announced a roster move prior to Sunday's first pitch. Left-handed pitcher Kelvin Bautista has been assigned to Tulsa from Great Lakes. In 32 games with the Loons this season, all in relief, Bautista was 6-4 with one save and a 4.47 ERA.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers will have an off day on Monday before opening a six-game series in North Little Rock with the Arkansas Travelers on Tuesday. Starting time for the opener is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. and the starting pitchers are expected to be:
Tulsa - RHP Jerming Rosario (2-2, 4.81 ERA)
Arkansas - LHP Reid VanScoter (4-7, 4.00 ERA)
Images from this story
 Tulsa Drillers shortstop Alex Freeland makes a throw to first (Rich Crimi) |
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