Travelers Pound Drillers 12-2
TULSA, OK – The Tulsa Drillers struggles against the Arkansas Travelers this season continued Wednesday night at ONEOK Field. After Tulsa took a two-run lead in the first inning, Arkansas scored 12 straight runs and coasted to an easy 12-2 victory. The Travelers have won the first two games of
TULSA, OK – The Tulsa Drillers struggles against the Arkansas Travelers this season continued Wednesday night at ONEOK Field. After Tulsa took a two-run lead in the first inning, Arkansas scored 12 straight runs and coasted to an easy 12-2 victory.
The Travelers have won the first two games of the current six-game series between the two teams, and have now won 10 of 14 meeting with the Drillers this season.
The high point of the game for Tulsa came in the very first inning. After starting pitcher Kendall Williams set Arkansas down in order in the top of the first, Tulsa used a pair of solo home runs to go in front.
Luis Diaz opened the scoring with one out in the bottom of the first with his second Double-A homer. Yusniel Diaz made it consecutive homers when he followed with his 14th of the year, giving the Drillers a 2-0 lead.
Arkansas answered with five runs in the top of the second, and all five scored after Williams had retired the first two batters of the inning. Two hits and three walks produced two runs that tied the game. A two-run single from Spencer Packard put the Travelers in front and ended the night for Williams.
Aldry Acosta replaced Williams and gave up a run-scoring hit to Roberto Perez Jr. that made the score 5-2.
The Travelers added three runs in the fourth inning and three more in the seventh. The three in the seventh all came on a homer from second baseman Connor Hoover that nearly cleared the perimeter fencing beyond the right field foul pole.
A single run in the top of the eighth closed out the scoring.
HIGHLIGHTS & HAPPENINGS
*The Drillers announced a roster move before Wednesday’s contest. Catcher Diego Cartaya was placed on the Development List and catcher Hamlet Marte was activated from the Temporarily Inactive List .
*It was a tough night for Williams who was making his fifth start for the Drillers. He entered the game with a 2.61 ERA and was charged with five runs on three hits and three walks in 1.2 innings.
*The home run by Yusniel Diaz was his eighth in the month of August.
*Reliever Reinaldo De Paula made his second appearance for the Drillers but his first at ONEOK Field. De Paula worked three complete innings, allowing just one run.
*The Drillers used five pitchers in the game and the only one to not give up a run was outfielder Ismael Alcantara. Alcantara took the mound for the top of the ninth inning and did not allow a hit nor a run.
*Tulsa pitchers combined to issue ten walks.
*Every Arkansas position starter had at least one hit in the game. The Travelers out-hit the Drillers 12-5.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers will look for their first win of the series Thursday night in game three of the six-game set. First pitch at ONEOK Field is set for 7:05 p.m. and the starting pitchers are slated to be:
Arkansas – RHP Alex Valverde (0-1, 9.64 ERA)
Tulsa – RHP Orlando Ortiz-Mayr (2-5, 4.69 ERA)