Wichita Runs Past Drillers – OurSports Central

May 14, 2024 – Texas League (TL)
Tulsa Drillers News Release

TULSA, OK – The 2024 Propeller Series resumed Tuesday night at ONEOK Field, and the Wichita Wind Surge flew past the Tulsa Drillers. With the help of seven stolen bases, the Wind Surge ran out to a six-run lead and then held off a late rally from the Drillers to post a 6-3 win.

With the victory, Wichita takes the lead in this year’s Propeller Series with four wins in seven meetings. The two teams will play a total of 24 regular season games this year, including five games over the next five days in Tulsa.

Coors Light will present the Propeller Trophy to the team that wins the season series.

The Wind Surge jumped in front quickly in Tuesday’s series opener as four of the first five batters in the game reached safely against Drillers starting pitcher Orlando Ortiz-Mayr. An infield single and two walks loaded the bases and set up a two-run single from Tanner Schobel.

The score remained 2-0 until the sixth inning when Wichita added three more runs. After Tulsa reliever Ben Harris walked Alerick Soulaire on four pitches, the speedy left fielder stole second and third base. From there Ben Ross doubled him home before two more walks ended Harris’ stint.

Kalai’i Rosario greeted Antonio Knowles with a sharp single to left that plated two more runs and upped the Wichita lead to 5-0.

The Wind Surge added another run in the top of the seventh inning before Diego Cartaya produced Tulsa’s first run of the night in the bottom half of the seventh. With one out, the designated hitter belted a solo home run, giving him a homer in two straight games.

Cartaya struck again in the eighth inning. After a passed ball gave the Drillers their second run of the game, he lined a run-scoring single into right field to pull Tulsa to within 6-3.

It would represent Tulsa’s final base runner of the night as the next four batters were retired in order to end the game.

Wichita starting pitcher Pierson Ohl collected the win with six shutout innings and a career high ten strikeouts. He struck out seven consecutive batters from one out in the first inning through two outs in the third.

Wichita ran freely on the bases in the game, going seven for eight in stolen base attempts. The seven steals were just two short of the ONEOK Field record of nine steals set by Arkansas on July 3, 2022 in a 14-4 win over the Drillers.

TEXAS LEAGUE STANDINGS * TEXAS LEAGUE SCOREBOARD

INSIDE THE GAMES

*With the result, the two teams switched positions…