SPRINGDALE — Tulsa scored two runs in the first INNING and four more in the second to grab an early lead en route to a 9-1 win over Northwest Arkansas on Friday night in front of 4,076 fans at Arvest Ballpark.
The Drillers (44-23) took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on Chris Newell’s two-out, RBI-single and a bases-loaded walk by Kole Myers. Tulsa snapped a two-game skid.
Naturals manager Brooks Conrad just gave credit to the Drillers for a strong effort.
“You’ve got to tip your cap to the opposing pitching staff,” Conrad said. “They threw great. We had one run in the first, then they blanked us the rest of the game. It wasn’t our lack of effort or lack of preparation. It was just one of those games where we couldn’t get anything going offensively.
“I think the bright spot was our defense. (Carson) Roccaforte continues to do well. It’s a point now that I see him night in and night out, and it’s to the point I see him every night and it’s just another good night.”
Tulsa, which took advantage of 11 walks by Naturals pitching to go with 12 hits, has already wrapped up the Texas League North Division first-half title. The half ends on Sunday.
Myers added a two-run single in the second, while Zyhir Hope chipped in a run-scoring single and Jake Gelof drew a bases-loaded walk to push the lead to 6-1.
Myers drove in three runs, while center fielder Mike Sirotka finished with three hits, scored a run and drove in one.
Naturals starter Hunter Owens (1-3) allowed six runs on seven hits over two innings of work to absorb the loss. He struck out one and walked four.
Northwest Arkansas (29-36) got a run in the bottom of the first thanks to a two-out RBI single by shortstop Daniel Vazquez. But the Naturals had a runner thrown out at the plate when Rudy Martin Jr. tried to score from first on Colton Becker’s double.
Despite the back-to-back losses, the Drillers improved to 12-4 in June.
Drillers manager Eric Wedge declined to comment following the game.
Prior to joining the Drillers last year, he had previously spent ten seasons managing at the major league level, including seven years with the Cleveland Indians and three with the Seattle Mariners. His most successful season came in 2007, when he was named the American League Manager of the Year after finishing just one game shy of leading Cleveland to the World Series.
The same two teams continue the series on Saturday evening. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. The series concludes on Sunday afternoon at 2:05.
Naturals 6, Drillers 5 (10 innings)
Martin singled up the middle to drive in the winning run and help Northwest Arkansas outlast Tulsa 6-5 in 10 innings in a game that started an hour late because of a rain delay on Thursday night.
Spencer Nivens started the 10th inning at second base, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Vazquez and scored on Martin’s hit.
Northwest Arkansas rallied from an early 4-0 deficit to claim the win. The Drillers scored four times in the top of the second, but the Naturals got three back in the fourth and tied the game on Colton Becker’s RBI triple.
Tulsa bounced right back with a run in the top of the seventh, but again Northwest Arkansas bounced back to tie the game in the eighth. Martin reached on an error and scored on a wild pitch.
Martin and Vazquez had two hits each. They drove in a run each. Martin scored twice.
Augusto Mendieta (2-2) picked up the win in relief. He tossed two hitless innings of relief, struck out five and walked one.
