TEXAS LEAGUE

Toles' 5-hit night ignites Drillers

Andrew Toles stood in the hallway outside of his team's clubhouse Wednesday night trying to put his career night into perspective when a teammate did it for him.

"This guy was 9-for-8 tonight," joked Tulsa starting pitcher Chase De Jong.

Not quite, but close.

Toles had hits in his first five at-bats while driving in two runs and scoring two others to spark the Tulsa Drillers to a 10-3 victory over the Arkansas Travelers in front of an announced crowd of 6,177 at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.

The outfielder who was out of baseball a year ago tripled and scored in the first inning, singled in his next two at-bats, doubled and scored in the sixth, and singled in the seventh. He had a chance to notch his sixth hit in the eighth, but he lined out to shortstop Anthony Phillips.

It was the height of a resurgent season for Toles, 24, who said a year ago at this time he was working at Kroger in Atlanta after being released. Now, he's one of the Texas League's hottest players, having collected 11 hits in his past three games to raise his average to .313, which would lead the league if he had enough at-bats to qualify.

"It feels good, it's great, that I can get back in the swing of things," said Toles, a third-round pick by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2012. "I wasn't sure, but it feels good. I'm thankful."

The surge has helped lead the Drillers into the thick of the first-half North Division title chase. When Tulsa last played in North Little Rock on May 6, it was 10-17. The Drillers are 26-11 since, and their latest victory, coupled by Springfield's loss at Northwest Arkansas, puts them ½ game up with five games remaining.

"They have much bigger goals," Manager Ryan Garko said. "But we expect to compete and win every night, no matter what 25 guys we have here. We just happened to put ourselves in position to win a first half. It's fun."

Garko had his offense to thank for the Drillers latest victory -- their 11th since June 1 -- and it wasn't just from Toles.

Paul Hoenecke went 3 for 4 with 2 runs and 1 RBI, and Willie Calhoun went 2 for 4 with 5 RBI for the Drillers, who had a season-high 18 hits.

"Those guys come up, they're swinging, they're looking for fastballs," Arkansas Manager Mark Parent said. "They're ready to hit, any little mistake and they're on it."

Tulsa's attack came off one of Arkansas' best starters, too.

Alex Blackford entered with a 2.43 ERA over seven starts, and he had yet to give up more than two earned runs in any start. But he gave up a leadoff triple to Toles, a sacrifice fly that made it 1-0 and two walks that led to a 20-minute top of the first.

Then, Hoenecke doubled and scored in the second, and Blackford hit a batter, gave up three consecutive singles, a sacrifice fly and another single in the fourth and was relieved after 3 2/3 innings pitched. It was his shortest outing since returning from the disabled list June 4 and raised his ERA to 3.41.

"I think sometimes, a guy can feel a little pressure," Parent said. "They're hot, but he's the one that wanted to be the one to stop them. Sometimes, if you put a little too much pressure on yourselves, it can be a little tricky."

Blackford wasn't the only one who struggled, and certainly not against Toles. He tripled and singled twice off of Blackford, his double in the sixth down the left-field line came off D.J. Johnson, and his seventh-inning single came off of Eduardo Paredes. Toles is hitting .375 since June 1 and .393 in six games against the Travelers.

"He's a hall of famer," Parent said. "He kills us."

Today’s game

ARKANSAS VS. TULSA

WHEN 7:10 p.m.

WHERE Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock

RADIO KARN-AM, 920, in central Arkansas

WEBSITE travs.com

PITCHERS Travelers: Victor Alcantara (RHP, 2-3, 4.03 ERA); Drillers: Jeremy Kehrt (RHP, 3-5, 5.08)

TICKETS Gates open 1 hour before first pitch. Box $13, reserved $9 ($6 children), general admission $7 ($5 children)

THE WEEK AHEAD

TODAY Tulsa, 7:10 p.m.

FRIDAY Tulsa, 7:10 p.m.

SATURDAY Tulsa, 7:10 p.m.

SUNDAY at NW Arkansas, 2:05 p.m.

MONDAY at NW Arkansas, 7:05 p.m.

TUESDAY at NW Arkansas, 7:05 p.m.

WEDNESDAY at NW Arkansas, 12:05 p.m.

Sports on 06/16/2016

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