Five-Run Eighth Inning Supplies Drillers' Win (2024)

Tulsa Drillers' Alex Freeland at bat
(Tulsa Drillers, Credit: Rich Crimi)

TULSA, OK - As the threat of strong thunderstorms lingered around downtown Tulsa on Saturday night, two pitches in the eighth inning helped decide the outcome between the Tulsa Drillers and Amarillo Sod Poodles. With the game tied at five and two runners on, Damon Keith delivered a three-run, go-ahead home run. On the next pitch, Brendon Davis hit a solo homer to help Tulsa claim a 10-6 victory at ONEOK Field.

The win gave the Drillers the lead in the six-game series this week and in the season series against Amarillo. Tulsa leads this week's series 3-2 and the season series 6-5, with one game left to play between the two teams in 2024.

After Tulsa starter Orlando Ortiz-Mayr held Amarillo scoreless in the top of the first inning, the Drillers offense got off to a thunderous start. Leading off the bottom of the first, Alex Freeland needed only four pitches to give Tulsa the lead as he hit his eighth Double-A home run.

A walk and a single began the Drillers half of the third, and a double from Taylor Young, followed by Dalton Rushing's single, produced three runs to increase Tulsa's lead to 4-0.

Amarillo battled back over the next two innings to tie the game. Matt Beaty produced the first run with an RBI double, and a fielding error from Young allowed the second run to score. A.J. Vukovich drove in two more runs with a double to tie the score at 4-4.

Freeland quickly put Tulsa back in front in the fifth inning with his second solo homer of the night.

The Sod Poodles used a single, a walk, and a double from Vukovich to tie the game at 5-5 in the seventh.

The Drillers gained the final lead of the night with their five-run eighth inning. Former Driller Cole Percival began the inning on the mound for Amarillo and after issuing two walks, Percival exited the game with an injury. John Matthews replaced Percival, and Tulsa pounced for five runs on home runs by Keith and Davis, as well as an RBI double from Bubba Alleyne.

INSIDE THE GAME

*Due to the threat of storms and the cancellation of the post-game Fireworks Show, fans who held tickets for the game can redeem them for any future Tulsa Drillers game during the 2024 regular season. Exchanges need to be made at the ONEOK Field Ticket Office.

*Ortiz-Mayr completed six innings and gave up four runs on four hits and two walks with five strikeouts. Only three of the four runs were earned, and he exited the game in line for the victory.

*Lucas Wepf was credited with the win, pitching a scoreless eighth inning. It was his first win at the Double- A level.

*Young added to his league-leading stolen base total by swiping his 27th bag in the first inning. He is now 27-30 in stolen base attempts this season.

*Davis earned two hits to increase his hitting streak to six straight games. He has also reached base in 11 consecutive games.

*Tulsa reliever Logan Boyer exited the game in the ninth inning with an injury.

*Freeland joined Jose Ramos and Austin Beck as the only Drillers to have two-homer games this season.

*Beaty closed out the scoring with a solo home run for the Sod Poodles in the ninth.

UP NEXT:

The Drillers will conclude their series with Amarillo with game six on Sunday afternoon at ONEOK Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and the starting pitchers are expected to be:

AMA - RHP Jamison Hill (1-4, 6.87 ERA)

TUL - RHP Kendall Williams (3-7, 6.71 ERA)

Images from this story

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