Tulsa, OK – The sixth inning has been very friendly to the Tulsa Drillers this season. Tulsa has generated the more runs in the sixth inning this season than any other team throughout the Double-A level. On Saturday night at ONEOK Field, the Drillers used a big sixth inning against Wichita to erase a five-run, but the scoring did not stop there.
In the ninth, the Wind Surge’s Kala’i Rosario hit a solo home run to tie the game, but the Drillers quickly responded as the first three hitters reached base in the bottom of the ninth. Zyhir Hope then delivered a sacrifice fly that gave Tulsa an 8-7 walk-off victory.
It marked Tulsa’s fifth walk-off win this season and the second in the past three games.
The dramatic victory allowed the Drillers to remain 2.5 games ahead of Arkansas in the Texas League’s North Division. Earlier in the day, the Travelers split a doubleheader against Northwest Arkansas.
Tulsa has just seven game remaining in the first half, while Arkansas has eight games left.
Wichita opened the scoring in Saturday’s game in the third inning when Caleb Roberts was hit by a pitch and Billy Amick and Garrett Spain followed with doubles that produced a 2-0 lead.
The Drillers scored their first run in 11 innings in the bottom of the third when a walk and a single put two runners on for Josue De Paula, and he singled to drive in a run.
Two errors hurt Tulsa in the fourth as a fielding error and a throwing error brought Kyle DeBarge around to score. Two more Wind Surge hitters reached base on a single and a walk to set up Billy Amick’s three-run homer that made the score 6-1.
Tulsa sent 11 batters to the plate in their big sixth inning, with the first seven reaching base safely on four walks and three hits. The inning’s first run scored on a passed ball, and the next five scored on a bases-loaded walk, singles from Kyle Nevin and Kole Myers and Frank Rodriguez’s sacrifice fly to put the Drillers out in front 7-6.
Wyatt Crowell took over on the mound for starting pitcher Roque Gutierrez in the fifth inning and held the Wind Surge scoreless over the next four innings as Tulsa maintained the one-run lead entering the ninth.
The Drillers turned to reliever Nick Robertson in the ninth inning, who had not given up a run in 18 appearances this season. Robertson quickly got the out, but the next batter, Rosario, hit an opposite-field home run to tie the game. Robertson recovered to strike out the next two hitters to send the game to the bottom of the ninth.
The Drillers responded when two walks and a single loaded the bases. Hope delivered, producing a fly ball to right field that was deep enough to plate De Paula on a sacrifice fly, giving Tulsa the walk-off win.
GAME NOTES
*With their big sixth, Tulsa has now scored 68 total runs in that inning, the most in Double A. The big inning also helped the Drillers complete their 21st comeback win of the season.
*Robertson was credited with the win to improve his record to 5-0. The Rosario home run was the first run he has allowed this season in 25.2 innings pitched.
*The win also clinched Tulsa’s eighth series victory.
*For the second straight night Mike Sirota managed to extend his on-base streak by drawing a walk in the sixth inning. Sirota has now reached base safely in all 22 games that he has played with Tulsa. Overall, he has reached in 52 consecutive games, the longest on-base streak this season in all of Minor League Baseball.
*Nevin’s two-run single in the sixth extended his hitting streak to seven consecutive games.
*Gutierrez made his fourth start in 13 appearances this season. He was charged with only two earned runs on six hits and three walks with four strikeouts in four complete innings.
*Jake Gelof extended his on-base streak by drawing a walk in the sixth. He has now reached base in 26 straight games, the longest on-base streak for a Tulsa batter this season.
*De Paula has now hit safely in 18 of his last 20 games with three hits on Saturday.
*Tulsa’s defense committed two more errors in the game and now has six in the last two games.
*Tulsa also increased its lead in the Coors Light Propeller Series to 8-3.
UP NEXT
The Drillers and Wind Surge will conclude their six-game series with game six on Sunday afternoon at ONEOK Field. Starting time is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and the pitching matchup is expected to be:
Wichita – RHP Jose Olivares (0-4, 5.40 ERA)
Tulsa – LHP Adam Serwinowski (5-2, 5.60 ERA)