Strong Pitching Leads Drillers Past Travelers
TULSA, OK – After dropping the first two games of a six-game series with Arkansas by surrendering a total of 22 runs, the Tulsa Drillers were in need of a good pitching performance for game three on Thursday night. They got just that courtesy of a trio of hurlers. Backed
TULSA, OK – After dropping the first two games of a six-game series with Arkansas by surrendering a total of 22 runs, the Tulsa Drillers were in need of a good pitching performance for game three on Thursday night. They got just that courtesy of a trio of hurlers. Backed by a pair of early home runs, the three Tulsa pitchers, led by starter Orlando Ortiz-Mayr, combined to limit Arkansas to just five hits and helped the Drillers claim a 4-1 victory at ONEOK Field.
Ortiz-Mayr made only one mistake and it came against the game’s first batter. Jonatan Clase opened the game’s scoring on just the second pitch of the game by hitting his 12th home run of the season, staking Arkansas to a 1-0 lead. Four of Clase’s 12 Double-A homers have come against the Drillers.
The Drillers used a pair of home runs to overtake the Travelers. Kody Hoese’s 10th homer in the bottom of the second tied the score.
Yusniel Diaz has been one of the Texas League’s hottest hitters in August, and that hot streak continued in the third inning. Diaz belted his 15th homer of the season, and his 9th of the month, to give Tulsa a 2-1 lead.
Ortiz-Mayr kept the lead in place, allowing only two more hits and zero runs over the next five innings.
Carlo Reyes took over for Ortiz-Mayr to open the seventh and continued to keep the Travelers’ bats quiet. Reyes did not allow a hit in two shutout innings.
The Drillers added to their lead with two timely runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. An error and a walk set up run-scoring hits from Wladimir Chalo and Ismael Alcantara that upped the lead to 4-1.
The insurance proved helpful as a pair of singles off Braydon Fisher in the top of the ninth brought the tying run to the plate for the Travelers with just one out. Fisher escaped the jam with a fielder’s choice ground out before recording a strikeout to end the game.
HIGHLIGHTS & HAPPENINGS
*One night after the Drillers pitching staff issued ten walks, Ortiz-Mayr surrendered just one free pass while striking out six in his six innings of work. The victory improved his Double-A record to 3-5.
*The scoreless ninth inning gave Fisher his fifth save of the season. The Texas native has allowed just four earned runs in his last 19 relief appearances, compiling a 1.40 ERA in the stretch.
*The home run by Yusniel Diaz was his ninth in August, tying him for the most in the Texas League during the month.
*Tulsa batters combined for 7 hits and 13 strikeouts in the game.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers and Travelers will continue their series on Friday night, and it will be the first of three straight post-game Fireworks Shows at ONEOK Field. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. and the starting pitchers are slated to be:
Arkansas – RHP Kyle Tyler (6-11, 6.04 ERA)
Tulsa – RHP River Ryan (1-5, 3.07 ERA)