Drillers Drop Another One-Run Game

The Tulsa Drillers and Arkansas Travelers played another one-run game Sunday afternoon in North Little Rock. It took 11 innings to determine a winner, and it was the Travelers who finished on top. Wade Hinkle's sacrifice fly brought home the winning run to give Arkansas a narrow 2-1 victory.

It was the 11th meeting this season between the two teams, and nine of the games have been decided by a single run. Tulsa has won only three of the nine one-run contests.

Sunday's loss spoiled a strong outing from Tulsa starting pitcher Chris Anderson. He turned in the longest outing of the season by a Drillers pitcher, working the first eight innings and surrendering only one run on six hits. He walked one and struck out six.

The one run came in the very first inning. After retiring the first two batters of the inning, Anderson walked Cal Towey. After Brian Hernandez dropped a single into right field to put runners at the corners, Anderson uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Towey to come home with the game's first run.

The Drillers only run of the game came in the fifth inning and tied the score at one. Peter Lavin drew a walk, moved to third on a base hit by Ali Solis and scored on a hit by Brandon Dixon.

It remained tied until the bottom of the 11th inning. Sherman Johnson greeted Tulsa reliever Blake Smith with a lead-off double. Following a sacrifice bunt that moved Johnson to third, the Drillers elected to load the bases with a pair of intentional walks, bringing Hinkle to the plate. His fly ball to Travis Witherspoon in centerfield was deep enough to allow Johnson to tag and come home with the game-winning run.

The result gave the Travelers three wins in the four-game series between the two teams. In the series, the Drillers scored a total of only nine runs.

Tulsa's extended road trip will continue Monday night in Springfield with the opening game of a four-game set with the Cardinals. Julio Urias (1-2, 3.00 ERA) is slated to pitch the opener for the Drillers against Andrew Morales (2-2, 3.34 ERA) of the Redbirds. First pitch at Hammons Field is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.