Late Home Run Haunts Drillers in Loss
September 1, 2022 – Texas League (TL) – Tulsa Drillers News Release
Tulsa, OK – The home run ball has haunted Tulsa reliever Guillermo Zuniga all season, and it hurt him and the Drillers again on Wednesday night. With Tulsa tied at 5-5 with Northwest Arkansas, Zuniga gave up a leadoff home run to Tucker Bradley in the top of the ninth inning, giving the Naturals a 6-5 win at ONEOK Field.
Carson Taylor is thrown out at the plate in Tulsa’s loss on Wednesday night. (Tim Campbell)
The Drillers had struck first in the game by plating one run in the second inning. Buddy Reed singled and advanced to third on a double from Carson Taylor. Abiatal Avelino followed with a single to center field, bringing Reed to the plate, but Taylor was thrown out attempting to score.
The Naturals worked a two-out rally in the top of the third to take the lead. Following a lineout and a strike out, two Naturals reached on a walk and a single. Robbie Glendinning then gave Northwest Arkansas the lead with a three-run homer. The home run ended starting pitcher Nick Frasso’s night as Jose Adames entered to record the final out. It was Frasso’s first outing at ONEOK Field.
Adames and Jake Cantleberry combined to hold the Naturals to just one hit over the next three innings.
The Drillers were also held quiet by Naturals starting pitcher Anthony Veneziano for the next three innings, before Tulsa cut the deficit in half in the sixth.
Andy Pages began the bottom half of the sixth with a double down the left field line, and he advanced to third on Kody Hoese’s fly out to center. Justin Yurchak drove in Pages with a single and extended his hitting streak to ten games in the process, as the Drillers brought the score to 3-2.
An intentional walk came back to hurt the Drillers in the seventh as they intentionally walked CJ Alexander to get to Glendinning, who doubled to right to plate two runs and extend the Naturals lead to 5-2.
The Drillers tied the game in the bottom of the seventh. Avelino cut the deficit to a single run with a two-run homer. With two outs, Leonel Valera drew a walk and stole second base. He then swiped third base, and when the catcher’s throw sailed into left field, Valera jogged home to tie the game at 5-5.
He remained that way until Bradley’s leadoff homer off Zuniga in the ninth.
The Drillers did not have another comeback as they were set down in order in the bottom of the ninth by Naturals’ closer Yefri Del Rosario.
TEXAS LEAGUE STANDINGS * TEXAS LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
HIGHLIGHTS AND HAPPENINGS:
*Zuniga has now allowed 12 home runs in 48.2 innings this season.
*Frasso finished his ONEOK Field debut, giving up a career-high three runs in 2.2 innings pitched. According to MLB Pipeline, he is the #18 ranked prospect in the Dodgers organization.
*Yurchak has earned a hit in ten consecutive games and 21 of the past 24. He has also reached base in 14 straight games.
*Glendinning finished 2-5, driving in four of his team’s six runs on a home run and a double, both coming with two outs.
*Avelino drove in three runs for the Drillers.
*Tulsa intentionally walked two batters in the game.
UP NEXT:
The Drillers and the Naturals will continue their six-game series with game three on Thursday night at ONEOK Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. The pitching matchup will be:
NW Arkansas – RHP Andrew Hoffmann (1-3, 5.94 ERA)
Tulsa – TBA
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