Drillers Fall To Hooks

The Tulsa Drillers got a big game from Corey Seager Monday night, but it was still not enough to send Corpus Christi to its first loss of the year. A four-hit game from Seager was offset by nine walks issued by Tulsa hurlers as the Hooks took advantage of the wildness to post a 6-3 victory at ONEOK Field. The win was the fifth straight for the Hooks to open the season, allowing them to match Arkansas as the only two teams that are still undefeated in the Texas League.

The Drillers lost despite out-hitting the Hooks 11-6. In addition to the nine walks, Tulsa pitchers also hit two batters with pitches. Of the 11 batters that reached base on either a walk a HBP, five of them came around to score.

Seager's strong start to the season continued with his first four-hit game of the year. In Tulsa's first five games, Seager is now hitting .550 with 11 hits in 20 at-bats.

The Hooks jumped out to a lead in the second inning as the first three batters reached safely against starter Matt Shelton on a hit and a pair of walks. Brandon Meredith followed with a two-run single to open the game's scoring.

The Drillers answered in the bottom of the third. Singles by Travis Witherspoon and Seager put runners at first and third. With two outs, Daniel Mayora doubled home both runners to tie the score at 2-2.

Corpus Christi went back in front in the fourth on a two-out single from Jiovanni Mier, but the Drillers again responded. Brandon Dixon led off the bottom of the fourth with his first home run of the year to again tie the score.

Control issues again surfaced for Tulsa pitchers in the sixth inning and allowed the Hooks to go in front for good. With one out, reliever Chin-hui Tsao walked three straight hitters, but was aided by a caught stealing. Chris Reed came on for Tsao and promptly walked the first batter he faced to load the bases. Highly-touted prospect Carlos Correa made the Drillers pay for their wildness with a bases-clearing double off the centerfield fence that gave the Hooks a 6-3 lead.

Like Seager, Dixon also continued his big start to the season. He collected two hits and is now hitting .381 on the season.

Tulsa reliever Jeremy Horst was dominant over the game's final two innings, allowing only one hit while getting strikeouts on all six outs he recorded.

The Drillers will close their season-opening homestand Tuesday afternoon at ONEOK Field.