Wichita, KS – For much of Saturday, it looked as if the Tulsa Drillers would extend their winning streak to a season-best seven straight victories, but the Wichita Wind Surge had other ideas. The Wind Surge overturned a two-run Tulsa lead with a big three-run seventh inning, eventually handing the Drillers a 5-3 loss at Equity Bank Park.
The late rally snapped Tulsa’s winning streak at six games and it ended an eight-game, home losing streak for Wichita.
With one game remaining in the six-game series between the two teams, the Drillers hold a 4-1 lead in series. They hold the same lead in this year’s Coors Light Propeller Series.
For just the second time in the series, the Drillers did not score a first-inning run on Saturday, leaving Wichita to open the game’s scoring in the bottom of the second inning. The day’s first run came on a solo homer from designated hitter Billy Amick, and it would not be his only big hit of the day.
After the homer, the Drillers scored three straight runs to take a 3-1 lead. In the top of the third, Wichita starting pitcher Sam Armstrong walked the bases loaded, setting up an RBI ground out from Mike Sirota that tied the score.
Tulsa scored again in the fourth to go in front when substitute Sean McLain tripled and scored on a ground out from Joe Vetrano.
It stayed a one-run lead until the Drillers added their third run in the top of the seventh. Vetrano singled, advanced to second on a walk and came home on a base hit by Chris Newell.
The Wind Surge would erase the deficit and go back in front with its three-run seventh. Tulsa’s Roque Gutierrez had worked four shutout innings in relief of starting pitcher Peter Heubeck, but he would run into trouble in his fifth inning of work.
The rally started when Amick struck again, leading off with his second home run of the day and his 13th of the season.
Following a ground out, Murphy Stehly singled, ending Gutierrez’s day. Christian Suarez was summoned from the bullpen and he got a strikeout to get within one out of ending the inning, but two pitches and two hits later, the Drillers would be trailing.
Harry Genth doubled off the centerfield wall to plate Stehly with the tying run. On the next pitch, Genth would score the go-ahead run when Jose Salas lined Suarez’s first offering into right field for a base hit.
Wichita added an insurance run off Suarez in the eighth inning, increasing the lead to 5-3.
The Drillers made things interesting with two outs in the top of the ninth when Sirota singled and Elijah Hainline walked, but Wichita reliever Sam Ryan recovered to strike out Zyhir Hope to end the game.
GAME NOTES
*The loss was not the only bad news from the day. Kendall George did not start in the game, but he was summoned to pinch hit leading off the ninth inning. George was called out on strikes on a full-count pitch, making him officially 0-1 and thus ending a pair of worthy streaks. George had hit safely in ten straight games and had scored a run 13 straight.
*McLain was not in the starting lineup either, but he entered the game after Kyle Nevin was removed in the third inning after fouling a pitch off his foot in the top of the second. McLain’s tripled extended his hitting streak to six straight games.
*Hope finished 0-5 in the game, ending his hitting streak at six games.
*Huebeck worked 2.0 innings in his first official appearance of the 2026 season as he has been recovering from rotator cuff inflammation. He allowed two hits, two walks and one run while striking out three.
*The two runs he was charged with in the seventh inning marred an outstanding performance from Gutierrez. He faced the minimum batters through his first four innings, allowing just a walk, but that runner was thrown out attempting to steal.
*Suarez was tagged with the loss, dropping his record to 2-3.
*Tulsa out-hit Wichita 8-7 but stranded ten runners on bases.
*The Drillers announced a pair of roster additions prior to the game. In addition to Heubeck being activated, catcher Bryan Gonzalez was added to the roster from the Los Angeles Dodgers Arizona complex roster. The two filled spots vacated by relievers Lucas Wepf, who was placed on the Injured List earlier this week, and Joel Ibarra, who was released by the Dodgers on Friday.
UP NEXT
The Drillers will conclude their series in Wichita with game six on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is set to take place at 1:05 p.m. at Equity Bank Park and the pitching matchup is slated to be:
Tulsa – RHP Patrick Copen (3-2, 4.83 ERA)
Wichita – TBA