Drillers' Rally Falls Short In Frisco

Friday night's game between the Tulsa Drillers and Frisco RoughRiders looked more like a home run derby than a baseball game.

The RoughRiders hit six homers in the contest and thwarted a late Drillers rally to power their way to a 7-4 victory at Dr. Pepper Ballpark.

Alexi Ogando, on rehab assignment with the Texas Rangers, limited the Drillers to just four hits over six innings to pick up the win. The hard-throwing right-hander, who had been on the DL since May 16, allowed just two unearned runs on the night, while striking out four and walking none.

If the Rangers deem Ogando ready, he would likely start for the club Friday night in Toranto.

Joe Benson started Frisco's home run barrage with a solo shot to left in the home half of the first inning. Benson, who joined the RoughRiders while they were on the road in Tulsa on May 20, has now hit three home runs in as many games against the Drillers this season.

The RoughRiders hit back-to-back-to-back homers in the third to extend their lead out to four. With two gone in the inning, Chih-Hsien Chiang took a 1-0 offering from Drillers starter Christian Bergman deep to center field for his fifth long ball of the season.

Ryan Strausborger followed with his fifth homer, driving Bergman's next pitch over the wall in center. Odubel Herrera finished off Frisco's scoring in the inning with his first home run of the year.

Teodoro Martinez continued with Frisco's recent trend in the fifth, blasting another solo shot to center to stretch Frisco's advantage to five.

All five runs Frisco scored off Bergman came via solo home run. Long balls aside, the California native allowed just one other hit in his six innings of work, striking out four and walking one in the loss.

First baseman Kiel Roling knocked his 14^th homer of the year to get Tulsa on the board in the sixth. With two away in the inning, Delta Cleary Jr. reached when Chih-Hsien Chiang dropped a fly ball in right field to setup Roling's two-run blast.

The Drillers had a great opportunity to get back into the game in the eighth when Rafael Ortega and Cleary Jr. singled to open the inning. They were only able to score one in the frame, however, as Roling grounded into a double play with runners on the corners. Ortega scored on the play, but Frisco was more than happy to trade one run for two outs.

In the bottom of the eighth, Frisco added a couple of insurance runs when Mike Olt hit a two-run homer to left. Olt, who hit 28 home runs with Frisco last season, was just sent back to Double A after hitting a rough patch at Triple A Round Rock.

The Drillers rallied in the ninth, scoring a run when Cristhian Adames plated Jose Gonzalez with an RBI double to center. But with the bases loaded and two outs, Kyle Parker was caught looking at a called strike three to end the game.

Ortega and Joey Wong each posted two-hit games for Tulsa in the loss.

The Drillers return to Frisco Saturday for game two of their three-game series with the RoughRiders. Sean Gallagher (1-0, 1.86 ERA) will make his fourth start of the season for Tulsa against Frisco's Nick McBride (0-0, 6.75 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.