Hernandez Powers Drillers To Shutout Victory

Only 24 hours after getting a dramatic walk-off win in the bottom of the 10th inning, the Tulsa Drillers needed no such heroics Friday night, thanks to starting pitcher Carlos Hernandez.

In Game 3 of the Texas League's North Division Playoff Series in North Little Rock, the Drillers got a superb performance from Hernandez. The lefthander needed only 91 pitches to work nine shutout innings as the Drillers defeated Arkansas 5-0 at Dickey-Stephens Park.

The result gives the Drillers a 2 games to 1 lead in the best-of-five series. They can clinch the series and a spot in the Texas League Championship Series with a win in Game 4 Saturday night.

Hernandez was fabulous in Saturday's outing. He surrendered only three singles and did not issue a walk in his nine-inning masterpiece. Hernandez recorded five strikeouts.

Hernandez had a lead before he ever threw a pitch as Tulsa scored an early lead and never trailed. In the top of the first inning, Thursday night's hero, Cristhian Adames, drew a one-out walk from Mike DeLoach. After Taylor Featherston flied out, Ryan Casteel plated Adames with the game's first run on a double to the wall in center field.

The Drillers doubled their lead in the second inning. Consecutive one-out singles from Trevor Story and Brian Humphries put runners at first and second. Jared Simon flied out, but Delta Cleary Jr. delivered the clutch two-out hit with a single to left field that plated Story to make it 2-0.

Another run in the fifth inning increased the margin to three runs. Adames drew a leadoff walk and eventually scored on a base hit from Casteel.

A two-run double from Tyler Massey in the ninth gave Hernandez a five-run cushion for the bottom of the ninth.

It was not necessary as he recorded his sixth 1-2-3 inning of the night to complete the win.

The effort from Hernandez was the first nine-inning complete game from a Tulsa hurler since current Colorado Rockies' pitcher Christian Bergman blanked Northwest Arkansas 5-0 on August 2, 2013.

The Drillers will try to claim their first playoff series victory as a Colorado Rockies affiliate on Saturday. Their last series win came with a three-game sweep of Wichita in the 2002 East Division Playoff Series.

The pitching matchup for Saturday's Game 4 will feature a pair of lefthanders. Tulsa will send newcomer Jayson Aquino (0-0, 3.00 ERA with Tulsa) to the mound, while Arkansas will counter with Kramer Sneed (8-11, 4.68 ERA). The game will be broadcast live on AM 1430 The Buzz in Tulsa and on the I Heart Radio app. First pitch is slated for 7:10 p.m.