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TL1 Tulsa Drillers

Travs Strike Early to End Drillers' Streak

July 11, 2014 - Texas League (TL1)
Tulsa Drillers News Release


The Tulsa Drillers carried a two-game winning streak into Friday's meeting with Arkansas, but a big first inning from the Travelers brought the streak to an end. Before much of the sellout crowd of 7,876 at ONEOK Field had found their seats, Arkansas had scored four times. The Travs never lost the early lead and posted a 7-3 victory in downtown Tulsa.

OF Jared Simon launched his ninth homer of the season over the left field wall Friday night. (Rich Crimi)

The big first inning came at the expense of Tulsa starting pitcher Ryan Kulik and began with a leadoff bunt single by Maikol Gonzalez. A double by Alex Yarbrough and a walk to Matt Long loaded the bases with no outs. Brian Hernandez followed with a potential double play grounder, but second baseman Taylor Featherston misplayed the ball for an error that plated the first two runs for the Travs.

Mike Bianucci singled home another run before Michael Snyder walked to again load the bases. Kulik got a strikeout before Kaleb Cowert hit a one-hopper that the Tulsa pitcher swiped at behind his back. The ball deflected off Kulik's glove for another hit and another run that gave Arkansas a 4-0 lead.

The long inning finally ended when Eric Stamets, the ninth hitter of the frame, grounded into a double play.

Bianucci upped the margin to five runs when he led off the third with his fourth home run of the year.

Tulsa got on the board in the bottom of the inning when Jared Simon matched Bianucci with his ninth homer of the season, trimming the Arkansas lead to 5-1.

The home run barrage continued in the top of the fourth when Yarbrough added another solo shot in the fourth. It came against reliever Ryan Arrowood and was the fourth homer this season for the Travs second baseman.

The Drillers had chances to overcome the deficit. They loaded the bases with two outs in the fourth, but did not score.

In the sixth, they did cut the Arkansas lead to three runs. With two outs, Ryan Casteel walked and Featherston doubled. With runners at second and third, Trevor Story hit a bouncer deep into the hole at short. Casteel scored on the infield hit, and when Stamets' throw sailed over first, Featherston also scored to pull the Drillers to within 6-3.

That would be as close as they would get. The Travelers closed out the scoring with a run in the eight against reliever Ken Roberts.

Kulik suffered the loss, dropping his record to 0-3. The lefthander gave up five runs (4 ER) on seven hits.

Arkansas starter Kramer Sneed picked up the win, allowing one run on four hits in five innings.

The Drillers were limited to only six hits in the game with Story accounting for two of them. It was the first multi-hit game at the Double A level for the shortstop.

Yarbrough and Bianucci paced the Travelers with three hits each.

The sellout was the 13th this season at ONEOK Field.

Tulsa and Arkansas will play the fourth and final game of their series Saturday night. Tyler Anderson (3-4, 2.78 ERA) will pitch the finale for the Drillers against Nate Smith (4-2, 3.09 ERA) of the Travelers. Starting time in downtown Tulsa is set for 7:05PM.

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