Drillers Drop Tuesday Night Matchup To Travelers

Tuesday night's game between the Tulsa Drillers and Arkansas Travelers began with the threat of severe weather interrupting the action, but Travs starting pitcher Jordan Kipper made sure it was not an issue. Kipper made quick work of the Drillers, working eight shutout innings to lead Arkansas to a 3-0 victory at ONEOK Field.

The start of the game was moved up 35 minutes to 6:30pm in attempt to avoid the line of severe thunderstorms and possible tornados that were predicted to move through the Tulsa area. Kipper's outing ensured the game was completed before the storms struck.

The former TCU Horned Frog hurler allowed only two hits and needed just 83 pitches to complete his eight innings. Kipper registered only one strikeout as 17 of the 24 outs that he recorded were via ground outs. The outing improved his record to 2-0 and lowered his ERA to 1.73.

Geoff Broussard pitched around a leadoff single from Yadir Drake in the bottom of the ninth to record his second save of the season.

The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for the Drillers.

The Travelers staked Kipper to a lead before he ever threw a pitch with a pair of quick runs in the top of the first inning off Tulsa starter Felipe Gonzalez. Bo Way led off the game with a base hit, and Sherman Johnson followed with a double to put runners at second and third. Eric Aguilera singled home Way, and Wade Wass plated Johnson with an infield ground out.

Arkansas upped its lead to 3-0 in the second as Alex Yarbrough drew a leadoff walk from Gonzalez. Yarbrough moved to third on a base hit from Anthony Bemboom before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Anthony Phillips.

Jacob Scavuzzo accounted for both hits off of Kipper with a pair of singles.

Gonzalez suffered the loss to drop his record to 0-4.

Tulsa's bullpen continued its strong work, logging five shutout innings. Michael Johnson and Seth Frankoff each worked two scoreless relief innings, and Dustin Richardson pitched a 1-2-3 ninth.

The two teams will be right back in action Wednesday morning with an 11:05am start at ONEOK Field. Trevor Oaks is expected to make his Double-A debut on the mound for the Drillers while Alex Blackford (2-0, 0.57 ERA) will make the start for Arkansas. Oaks was 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA with Rancho Cucamonga this season.