SPRINGDALE -- Tulsa found its hitting stroke to even its division series with Northwest Arkansas.
Drew Jackson hit a grand slam in the seventh inning to break a tie and give the Drillers to an 11-7 victory over the Naturals Thursday before a crowd of 3,434 at Arvest Ballpark. Blake Gailen and Matt Beaty also hit home runs for Tulsa, which led 7-0 in the fourth inning.
Texas League North Division Series
Wednesday
Northwest Arkansas 3, Tulsa 1, Naturals lead series 1-0.
Thursday
Tulsa * * * * , Northwest Arkansas ***
Today
Northwest Arkansas (Ogando 10-10 3.45 ERA) at Tulsa (TBD), 7:05 p.m.
Saturday
Northwest Arkansas (Lovvorn 4-9 4.83 ERA) at Tulsa, 7:05 p.m.
Sunday
Northwest Arkansas at Tulsa (if necessary), 6:05 p.m.
Tulsa won the game despite being outhit 12-9 and the Drillers made the two errors in the game. Errol Robinson had two hits for Tulsa while Jack Lopez had three hits for the Naturals.
The best-of-five series in the Texas League North now moves to Tulsa after Northwest Arkansas won 3-1 on Wednesday.
Northwest Arkansas rallied from a 7-0 deficit to tie the game on a sacrifice fly by Donnie Dewees, Jr., in the sixth inning. But a walk, a hit batter, and an infield single preceded the bases-clearing blast by Jackson, who just missed a grand slam with a long foul ball on a previous pitch.
"We got behind on the count and we missed on a bunt play that really hurt us," Northwest Arkansas Manager Vance Wilson said. "That being said, we played a good team and kind of gave them some chances."
Tulsa did in the first inning what it couldn't do until the eighth inning of the series opener. The Drillers were able to score quickly and pushed across two runs with the help of doubles by Yusniel Diaz and Kyle Garlick. Tulsa added four more runs in the third inning before Beaty increased the lead to 7-0 with a home run in the fourth.
That's when Northwest Arkansas went to work.
The Naturals scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run home run by Nick Dini and a sacrifice fly by Nicky Lopez. Northwest Arkansas added three more runs in the fifth then tied the game in the sixth. The rally stalled and Jackson put Tulsa back in front with his grand slam home run to left field in the seventh inning.
Northwest Arkansas starter Josh Staumont was roughed up after Foster Griffin pitched 61/3 scoreless innings against Tulsa on Wednesday. Staumont was charged with six runs in 2 1/3 innings. He allowed five hits with five walks and two strikeouts.
Northwest Arkansas used five pitchers in the game while Tulsa needed four. Brian Moran got the victory over Yunior Marte for the Naturals.
Northwest Arkansas heads to Tulsa, where the Naturals clinched the first-half championship.
"It doesn't matter now where we play," Wilson said. "It's a 2 out of 3 series and that's what makes it exciting."
Sports on 09/08/2017