Drillers unleash power late, beat Travs DRILLERS 7, TRAVELERS 3

Tulsa hit five home runs in the seventh and eighth innings — two by left fielder Jacob Scavuzzo — and the Drillers turned a 3-1 deficit into a 7-3 victory over the Arkansas Travelers on Sunday before an announced crowd of 4,183 at ONEOK Field in Tulsa.

Scavuzzo started the seventh-inning rally against Travelers starter Lindsey Caughel with a home run over the leftfield wall to make it 3-2.

Caughel got Blake Gailen to ground out, but Erick Mejia hit Caughel’s next pitch over the right-field wall to tie the game at 3-3.

Tulsa took the lead moments later when Garrett Kennedy hit Caughel’s 0-1 pitch over the right-field wall to put the Drillers up 4-3, and Darin Gillies was called in to replace Caughel.

The Travs threatened in the top of the eighth with two on and two out, but Chuck Taylor flied out to end the

inning.

The Drillers put the game away in the bottom of the eighth.

Kyle Garlick walked with one out and Scavuzzo followed with his second home run in as many innings, on an 0-2 pitch from Gillies, to make it 6-3 Tulsa. It was Scavuzzo’s 14th home run of the season. And Tulsa wasn’t done. Gailen flied out, but Mejia took Gillies’ over the rightfield

wall to set the final margin.

The Travelers took a 3-0 lead in the second inning when Ryan Casteel hit a three-run home run to left on a 1-1 pitch from Dennis Santana.

The Drillers closed to 3-1 in the fifth when Mejia doubled to score Gailen, who doubled with two out.

Mejia led the Drillers by going 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBI. Scavuzzo went 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBI. Karch Kowalczyk (5-4) pitched 11/ innings of scoreless relief to pick up the victory.

Arkansas’ Mejias-Brean went 3 for 4 and scored 1 run.

Caughel (8-9) took the loss, allowing 4 runs on 8 hits in 6 / innings with 2 strikeouts and 1 walk.