Drillers Squander Huge Lead In Loss To Arkansas

The Tulsa Drillers scored five runs in the first inning Saturday night but couldn't hold on in an 8-6 loss to the Arkansas Naturals.

Angelys Nina's three-run homer got the Drillers' huge first inning started. Nina launched his third homer of the season to left field, scoring Rafael Ortega and Kyle Parker.

The Drillers (16-18) added two more on a fielding error by center fielder Travis Witherspoon and took a 5-0 lead into the bottom of the first.

The Naturals (17-17) answered back in the top of the second. Randal Grichuk led off the inning with his fourth homer of the season to cut the lead to 5-1. Drew Heid added an RBI groundout later in the inning to make it 5-2 Tulsa.

Henry Wrigley launched a solo shot in the third to give Tulsa the 6-2 lead, but Arkansas wasn't going away.

C.J. Cron smashed a solo homer in the sixth to cut it to 6-3 and then came Arkansas' big eighth inning. Witherspoon made up for his error with a sacrifice fly to cut it to 6-4, then with two outs, Heid doubled home two to tie the game at 6-6.

Then in the ninth, the man that got Arkansas on the board put the finishing touches on their comeback. Grichuk smashed a two-run homer to center to give the Naturals the 8-6 lead it wouldn't relinquish.

8,063 people filed into ONEOK Park to watch Saturday's ball game. The Drillers will look to bounce back Sunday afternoon in the series finale at 2:05 p.m.