Drillers Snap Skid With Tuesday Win

The Drillers needed a ninth inning rally to regain a one-run lead and ultimately defeat the Arkansas Travelers by a final score of 3-2 in the opening game of the series at Dickey-Stephens Park Tuesday night.

For much of the game, it appeared as if the Drillers were cruising to a low scoring victory behind another stellar effort from starter Tyler Anderson, as the Drillers maintained a one-run lead for four innings and held Arkansas hitless for five.

However, after Nelson Gonzalez relieved Anderson in the top of the eighth, Arkansas was able to tie the game. Gonzalez allowed a two-out single to Alex Yarbrough and issued an ensuing walk to Brian Hernandez. Mike Bianucci, who has terrorized Tulsa often this season, then scored Yarbrough with a base-hit to right field and tied the game at 2-2.

The Drillers bounced back quickly, though, as Brian Humphries hit a two-out single and eventually stole second in the top of the ninth. Trevor Story then smoked a ball through the left side of the infield to score Humphries from second for what proved to be the game-winning run.

The pitching matchup was one of the best the Texas League has seen this season. Anderson, the league leader in ERA, pitched seven innings, limiting the Travs to only one run on two hits and three walks while striking out four. Anderson lowered his league leading ERA to 2.08.

Broken Arrow native Drew Rucinski, who briefly pitched at the major league level in July for the Los Angeles Angels and entered the game with the second most strikeouts in the Texas League, was equally effective. Rucinski also pitched seven innings and allowed only one earned run, giving up seven hits and just one walk while striking out eight.

The Drillers wasted no time in scoring, as team RBI leader Ryan Casteel scored Tyler Massey from second with a base-hit after Massey led of the game with a double.

Arkansas was able to manufacture a run in the bottom of the third to tie the game at 1-1. After Eric Stamets and Maikol Gonzalez drew consecutive walks to begin the inning, Stamets scored from third on a ground out after a sac bunt from Yarbrough moved the two runners over.

The Drillers scored their second run in the fourth inning when Story was able to score from first on a single by Jayson Langfels due to a throwing error from right fielder Bianucci.

Massey, Humphries and Story all contributed two hits apiece for the Drillers, who out-hit the Travelers 9-4.

Tulsa and Arkansas will continue their series Wednesday night at Dickey-Stephens Park. Jon Gray (10-5, 3.75 ERA) will start for the Drillers and face the Travelers' Michael Roth (10-6, 2.82 ERA), who, like Rucinski, has also pitched at the major league level this season. First pitch in Little Rock is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.