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Game 1: Makos Rally in 9th to Edge Drillers 5-3
Tulsa, OK - The San Diego Makos clinched a narrow victory over the Tulsa Drillers with a final score of 5-3 on Wednesday night. The Makos showcased their resilience by overcoming a strong start from Tulsa in the first inning.
Tulsa Takes Early Lead Tulsa's offense came out swinging in the bottom of the first inning. Andy Woodford doubled on a hard ground ball to right fielder Edmond Parrish, setting the stage for a big inning. Martin Reid struck out, but Mark Hagerty followed with a single, advancing Woodford to third. Vincent Melendez then singled, scoring Woodford. Dave Schultz capped the inning with a three-run homer, putting the Drillers ahead 4-0. "I felt great to connect on that pitch," Schultz said. "We wanted to set the tone early, and I think we did that."
Makos Struggle to Respond The Makos managed to get runners on base in the top of the second with a single by Simon Barkley, but a fielder's choice and a double play ended the threat. Tulsa's defense was solid, highlighted by a double play turned by third baseman Martin Reid, second baseman Rich Rosen, and first baseman Mark Hagerty.
Tulsa Adds One More In the bottom of the third, Hagerty added to the Drillers' lead with a solo home run, making it 5-0.
"We knew we needed to keep the pressure on," Hagerty said. "It was good to add another run."
Makos Fight Back San Diego finally got on the board in the fourth inning with a solo home run by Roger Dawson. However, Tulsa's defense continued to shine, with outfielders Parrish and Woodford making key plays to prevent further scoring.
In the top of the ninth, with the score at 5-3, Kiki Bordon singled to give the Makos hope. But Tulsa's closer, Mike Jones, shut the door with back-to-back strikeouts, securing the win for the Drillers.
Defensive Highlights:
- Simon Barkley: 1 PO, 1 A
- Kiki Bordon: 2 PO, 4 A
- Ish Braddock: 2 PO
- Roger Dawson: 11 PO
- Damien Shipley: 5 PO
- Ryan Jackson: 1 PO, 1 A
Player Quotes: "Our team showed a lot of heart out there tonight. We kept fighting and never gave up," said Roger Dawson.
"I felt strong on the mound, but sometimes the other team just finds a way to win. Credit to the Makos for battling back," commented Manuel Alvarez.
Box Score:
- San Diego Makos: 5 runs, 15 hits, 0 errors
- Tulsa Drillers: 3 runs, 9 hits, 0 errors
Game 2: Drillers' Pitching Dominates in Shutout Victory, 5-0
Tulsa, OK - Tulsa's pitching staff, led by Manuel Alvarez, delivered a stellar performance, shutting out the San Diego Makos 5-0 on Thursday night. Alvarez pitched 8 innings, allowing only 7 hits and striking out 6.
Early Offensive Explosion Tulsa's bats were hot right out of the gate. In the bottom of the first inning, Andy Woodford doubled and was followed by an RBI single from Vincent Melendez. Dave Schultz then launched a three-run homer, putting the Drillers up 4-0.
"The ball was just coming off the bat perfectly tonight. It's one of those nights you dream about," said Schultz.
Makos Stifled by Alvarez San Diego struggled to get anything going offensively. They managed singles from C Mallek and E Brown but couldn't string together enough hits to score. Alvarez was in command all night, mixing his pitches effectively and keeping the Makos off balance.
"Everything was working for me tonight. I was able to keep them off balance and execute my pitches," Alvarez remarked.
Hagerty Adds Insurance In the third inning, Mark Hagerty hit a solo home run to extend Tulsa's lead to 5-0. The Drillers' defense also played flawlessly, turning multiple double plays to stymie any potential Makos rallies.
Defensive Highlights:
- Manuel Alvarez: 2 PO, 1 A
- Mark Hagerty: 6 PO, 1 A
- Vincent Melendez: 3 A
- Rico Morales: 8 PO, 2 A
- Rich Rosen: 2 PO, 3 A
- Dave Schultz: 2 PO
Player Quotes: "Tough loss for us, but we'll bounce back. Alvarez was on his game, no doubt," said Damien Shipley.
Box Score:
- San Diego Makos: 0 runs, 7 hits, 0 errors
- Tulsa Drillers: 5 runs, 8 hits, 0 errors
Game 3: Drillers Power Past Makos with Late Surge, 10-4
Tulsa, OK - The Tulsa Drillers' bats came alive in the later innings, securing a decisive 10-4 victory over the San Diego Makos on Friday night. The Drillers tallied 4 runs in the 8th to seal the game.
Early Scoring by Drillers Tulsa took the lead in the first inning with a solo homer from Rico Morales. They added another run in the second when Vincent Melendez doubled and scored on a single by Dave Schultz. Morales struck again in the third with another solo homer, making it 3-0.
"I was just looking for a good pitch to hit and got one. It's always nice to get the team going early," Morales said.
Makos Get on the Board San Diego managed to score in the fourth with a solo homer by Damien Shipley, cutting the deficit to 3-1. However, Tulsa responded immediately with a triple by Melendez, who scored on a Schultz single, extending the lead to 4-1.
Late Inning Fireworks The Makos tried to rally in the sixth and eighth innings, with Anthony Sanderson hitting a solo homer to make it 6-3. However, Tulsa exploded for four runs in the bottom of the eighth, highlighted by a three-run homer from Rich Rosen.
"It was a great feeling to help put the game out of reach. Everyone contributed tonight," said Rosen.
Defensive Highlights:
- Simon Barkley: 1 PO, 1 A
- Kiki Bordon: 2 PO, 1 A
- Ish Braddock: 3 PO
- Roger Dawson: 8 PO, 1 A
- Damien Shipley: 7 PO
- Ryan Jackson: 1 PO, 2 A
Player Quotes: "We played great as a team. It was a fun series, and our bats really came alive tonight," Vincent Melendez commented.
Box Score:
- San Diego Makos: 4 runs, 10 hits, 0 errors
- Tulsa Drillers: 10 runs, 15 hits, 1 error
Series MVP: Rico Morales
Rico Morales earns the series MVP honors for his outstanding performance. Morales hit 3 home runs across the series, including two in Game 3, driving in crucial runs and providing the offensive spark that propelled the Tulsa Drillers to victory. His consistent hitting and ability to deliver in clutch situations were key factors in the Drillers' series win.
