Drillers Drop Game 1 Of Championship Series

It was a familiar face to ONEOK Field that decided the outcome of Game 1 of the Texas League Championship Series Tuesday night in downtown Tulsa, but he wasn't wearing a Drillers uniform. Former Drillers outfielder Kent Matthes broke a tie game with a towering three-run homer in the top of the seventh inning to propel Midland to a 5-1 victory in the series opener.

The blast came off Tulsa reliever Ryan Arrowood and was more than enough support for RockHounds' starting pitcher Nate Long. Matthes spent most of the 2012 and 2013 seasons with the Drillers, hitting 26 homers during that time before being claimed off waivers by the Oakland A's this spring.

With the score tied at 1-1 through six innings, Arrowood opened the seventh by walking Midland leadoff batter Conner Crumbliss on four straight pitches. After a wild pitch, a base hit by Max Muncy put runners at the corners. On a 1-1 count, Matthes deposited a breaking pitch from Arrowood into the Budweiser Terrace beyond the left field fence. It was the outfielder's first homer of the post-season after hitting 15 during the regular season.

After allowing a run-scoring single to Delta Cleary Jr. in the third inning, Long retired 16 of the last 17 batters he faced. The only base runner against the right-hander during that stretch came on a one-out double by Chris O'Dowd in the sixth.

Long, who led the Texas League with 13 wins this season, was given an early lead when the Hounds struck first with an unearned run in the top of the second. Dusty Coleman led off with a bunt base hit and moved into scoring position on an errant pickoff attempt from starting pitcher Eddie Butler. Shortstop Trevor Story then misplayed a grounder off the bat of Matt Chapman for another error that put runners at first and third. A sacrifice fly from Beau Taylor brought Coleman home with the game's first run.

The Drillers lone run scored in the bottom of the third and tied the game at 1-1. Story drew a leadoff walk from Long and advanced to second on a wild pitch. A ground out from O'Dowd moved Story to third with two outs, setting the stage for Cleary Jr. The centerfielder grounded the first pitch from Long back up the middle. Shortstop Coleman made a diving stop of the grounder, but had no chance to throw out Cleary Jr. as Story crossed the plate with the tying run.

It remained tied until Matthes struck in the seventh.

Tulsa starter Butler flirted with trouble several times, but did not allow an earned run. The right-hander needed a total of 98 pitches to get through his five innings. He surrendered three hits and four walks while striking out four.

Making his 2014 post-season debut, Arrowood worked a 1-2-3 sixth before the three-run seventh. It was the first loss of the year for the reliever, who finished the regular season with a perfect 7-0 record.

The Drillers were never able to solve Long, who was 2-1 with a 1.42 ERA in three starts versus Tulsa this season. He surrendered just three hits and one walk in his eight innings.

Tulsa finished with only three hits in the game, matching its number of errors.

The Drillers will look to even the best-of-five series Wednesday night with a win in Game 2 in downtown Tulsa. Texas League Pitcher of the Year Tyler Anderson (7-4, 1.98 ERA) will get the call for the Drillers, while Chris Jensen (12-8, 3.14 ERA) will take the mound for the RockHounds. Starting time for the final game of the 2014 season at ONEOK Field is set for 7:05 p.m.