Betts Powers Drillers Past Cardinals

September 13, 2022 – Texas League (TL) – Tulsa Drillers News Release

Tulsa Drillers’ Chris Betts on game day
(Tulsa Drillers)

Tulsa, OK- Reggie Jackson famously hit three World Series home runs on three straight swings for the New York Yankees in game six of the 1978 World Series. On Tuesday night at ONEOK Field, Tulsa’s Chris Betts did his best Reggie impression. Betts hit two home runs on his first two swings of the night, but came up short of matching the three-swing performance in his third at-bat.

Betts did not match Reggie, but he still had more heroics. After the Drillers lost a four-run lead, he struck again in the bottom of the seventh with a run-scoring double on a full-count pitch, helping Tulsa rally for a 9-7 win over the Springfield Cardinals.

Chris Betts blasted two home runs and drove in five of the Drillers nine runs in the

game one win over the Cardinals. (Rich Crimi)

The first home run from Betts came with two outs in the bottom of the third inning. His drive cleared the bullpen and produced the game’s first run.

The catcher struck again in the fifth. After Kody Hoese singled and Abiatal Avelino doubled, Betts made it two homers in two swings when he again jumped on the first pitch he saw, hitting his second homer onto the right field berm for three more runs that put Tulsa up 4-0.

The Cardinals needed just one inning to erase the lead that Betts produced. Springfield got its first run when reliever John Rooney walked Mike Antico to open the top of the sixth inning. Antico stole second, but Rooney appeared to have removed him from the base paths when he caught him with off the second base bag, but the Tulsa pitcher’s throw to third sailed high, allowing Antico to jog home.

The error seemed to unnerve Rooney, as he issued three walks while giving up a base hit and throwing a wild pitch that gave Springfield its second run of the inning.

Gus Varland came on to replace Rooney with two outs and the bases loaded and his first pitch was deposited into the left field terrace by Chandler Redmond for a grand slam homer that put the Cardinals in front 6-4.

The Drillers responded and Betts again played a big role. In the seventh, Jeren Kendall walked and Avelino singled. Betts made a bid for his third home run, but his drive into the right-centerfield gap bounced over the fence for a ground-rule double that pulled Tulsa to within a run.

Leonel Valera and Justin Yurchak followed with run-scoring hits that put the Drillers back in front 7-6.

Andy Pages…