TULSA, OK – In a game Thursday night that featured a combined ten home runs from Tulsa and Wichita, it was Drillers designated hitter Carlos Rincon and outfielder Jeren Kendall who provided the biggest blasts of the night. Rincon’s three-run shot with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning capped a six-run Tulsa rally over the final three innings that forced the game into extra frames. After holding Wichita scoreless in the top of the tenth inning, Kendall completed the comeback and the improbable win with a two-out, two-run homer in a crazy 12-10 win for the Drillers that was their second straight walk-off victory.
Wichita had pounded five home runs and carried a 10-4 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. Wichita’s five home runs Thursday were a season-high. Ernie De La Trinidad, BJ Boyd, Jermaine Palacios, Caleb Hamilton and Andrew Bechtold all homered for Wichita
The Drillers got a homer from Hunter Feduccia leading off the bottom of the seventh that cut the deficit to 10-5.
Ryan Noda did the same in the eighth, leading off with his team-leading eighth home run. Later in the inning, an infield, run-scoring hit by Romer Cuadrado trimmed the deficit to three runs and set the stage for Rincon.
Down 10-7, Donovan Casey singled and Michael Busch walked with one out in the bottom of the ninth. Wichita moved to within one out of a win when Noda was called out on strikes, but it only set the stage for Rincon. The outfielder belted a 2-1 pitch from Calvin Faucher over the hitter’s background in straightaway centerfield for a game-tying three-run homer.
Game four of the series is Friday night in Tulsa. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. at ONEOK Field.