Drillers Sweep Doubleheader From Arkansas In Pair Of One-Run Games

The Tulsa Drillers swept a doubleheader against the Arkansas Travelers Wednesday night at ONEOK Field, downing the Travelers 2-1 in game one and 3-2 in game two.

In the first game, Tulsa starting pitcher Chad Bettis was dominant, striking out 11 in only 6.2 innings, coming within one out of a complete game outing. He allowed just the one run while surrendering only four hits and one walk.

The only run against Bettis came in the top of the third inning, as Andrew Heid led off with a base hit. After Travis Witherspoon struck out, Jett Bandy hit a drive to centerfield for a double. With runners at second and third, Rolando Gomez lifted a 1-2 pitch from Bettis into right field for a sacrifice fly that gave the Travelers a 1-0 lead.

The Drillers erased the deficit in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Kent Matthes doubled, but he was retired in a rundown on a grounder off the bat of Kyle Parker. Henry Wrigley followed with a double that brought Parker home from first with the tying run. Kiel Roling then put Tulsa in front when he dropped a base hit into center field that plated Wrigley.

Bettis made the slim one-run lead hold up, and he almost turned in the Drillers first complete game of the year. After retiring the first two batters in the seventh, he had a 2-2 count on Heid before issuing his only walk to end his night after throwing 89 pitches, 68 for strikes.

Mike Solbach came on, and after a passed ball, got a sharp one-hopper off the bat of Witherspoon that shortstop Joey Wong fielded and threw to first to end the game.

In the second game, the Travelers jumped on top with a home run in the top of the second from Robbie Widlansky. In the bottom of the frame, Tulsa scored three runs, two coming on a single from Jayson Langfels. Langfels eventually came around to score on a single from Cristhian Adames.

Arkansas tacked on a run in the top of the fifth, and had the tying run on second in each of the last two innings, but was unable to tie the game.

Cory Riordan picked up the win for Tulsa, with Mike Marbry picking up the save. Manny Correa went the distance for Arkansas in picking up the loss.