Logan Taylor, Kyle Lewis and Evan White all hit home runs, and the Arkansas Travelers forced a fifth and deciding game in the Texas League North Division playoffs with a 4-1 victory over the host Tulsa Drillers in front of 2,489 at ONEOK Field on Saturday night.
The Travelers and Drillers will play Game 5 in Tulsa in the best-of-five series today starting at 1:05 p.m.
Arkansas starter Ljay Newsome gave up 3 singles and 1 walk in his 52/3 innings. He was relieved after giving up Chris Parmelee's game-tying, two-out single in the sixth.
Wyatt Mills allowed three hits in his two-thirds of an inning on the mound but picked up the victory when Lewis homered to break a 1-1 tie in the top of the seventh. Sam Delaplane worked 12/3 hitless innings. Art Warren earned the save, allowing only a leadoff walk in the ninth.
Tulsa starter Parker Curry took the loss. He struck out three, walked two and gave up home runs to both Taylor and Lewis.
Taylor broke up a scoreless game when he connected on a two-out, two-ball, two-strike offering from Curry with a home run to right-center field.
After Parmelee tied the game in the sixth, Lewis hit the first pitch of the seventh inning over the right-field fence.
Luis Liberato started the eighth inning with a bunt single off of Tulsa reliever Michael Boyle. One out later, White homered off of Jordan Sheffield to give the Travelers their 4-1 advantage.
Arkansas collected seven hits, including two each by Lewis and Liberato.
The Travelers have won 23 of 34 games against Tulsa this season, and hold a 13-4 advantage at ONEOK Field.
The winner of today's game will head to either Amarillo or Midland for the start of the Texas League Championship Series, which begins Tuesday. Amarillo and Midland are also tied at two games each in their best-of-five South Division series.
ARKANSAS AB R H BI TULSA AB R H BI
Walton, ss 4 0 1 0 Downs, ss 5 1 0 0
White, 1b 4 1 1 2 Estevez, 2b 4 0 0 0
Kelenic, rf 3 0 0 0 Parmelee, 1b 3 0 1 1
Raleigh, c 3 0 0 0 Wong, 3b 4 0 1 0
Lewis, lf 4 1 2 1 Santana, dh 4 0 0 0
Cowan, 2b 4 0 0 0 Thomas, cf 4 0 1 0
Zmmarelli, dh 4 0 0 0 Casey, lf 3 0 1 0
Taylor, 3b 3 1 1 1 Rincon, rf 4 0 1 0
Liberato, cf 3 1 2 0 Procyshen, c 3 0 1 0
TOTALS 32 4 7 4 totals 34 1 6 1
Arkansas 000 010 120 -- 4 7 1
Tulsa 000 001 000 -- 1 6 0
E -- Taylor. DP -- Tulsa 2. LOB -- Arkansas 3, Tulsa 9. HR -- Taylor (1), Lewis (1), White (1).
Arkansas IP H R ER BB SO
Newsome 52/3 3 1 1 1 3
Mills W, 1-0 2/3 3 0 0 0 0
Delaplane 12/3 0 0 0 1 4
Warren S, 1 1 0 0 0 1 0
TULSA IP H R ER BB SO
Curry L, 0-1 6 5 2 2 2 3
Boyle 11/3 1 1 1 0 1
Sheffield 12/3 1 1 1 0 0
Umpires -- Home: Ghani; First: Robinson; Second: Hernandez; Third: Matamoros. Time -- 2:41. Attendance -- 2,489.
Sports on 09/08/2019