The Sky Sox scored three runs in the top of the ninth on an error, a ground-rule double and a wild pitch to take a 6-3 lead. That followed an RBI single in the eighth inning by second baseman Chris Nelson, who was 2-for-4 with two RBI, to tie the game at 3-3.
Tulsa catcher Wilin Rosario continued his recent surge with four hits and Tim Wheeler hit his 27th home run. But both were overshadowed by shortstop Hector Gomez who hit two home runs and drove in seven runs in a 13-8 Drillers win.
One night after Tulsa’s Wilin Rosario hit two home runs, two Colorado Rockies top position-player prospects — Tulsa’s Tim Wheeler and Asheville’s Kyle Parker — added two home runs of their own.
Double-A Tulsa catcher Wilin Rosario reached base five times, going 2-for-2 with two home runs, three walks, three RBI and three runs scored in the Drillers’ 7-6, 11-inning win.
Colorado Springs second baseman Chris Nelson returned from the disabled list and played for the first time since July 5. He was 2-for-5, with a home run, three RBI and a run in a 7-6 Sky Sox loss.
Tulsa’s Tim Wheeler hit his 23rd and 24th home runs in an 8-4 loss. He ranks second in Double-A and among the top five in the minors in home runs and in the top 20 in RBI despite having spent the entire season hitting leadoff.
While the Colorado Rockies’ top position player prospects were playing in the Futures Game, one of their best pitching prospects, Tulsa’s Christian Friedrich, put together one of his best starts of the season, allowing just one run on six hits, walking no one and striking out five in eight innings of a 3-2 loss.
Tulsa third baseman Darin Holcomb was 4-for-5 and drove in all of the Drillers’ runs in a 5-4 win, including a go-ahead run on single in the 10th.
Modesto’s Chad Bettis allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits, walked two and matched a career high in strikeouts with 11 in seven innings. In his past six starts, Bettis is 3-2 with a 1.48 ERA, 27 hits and 43 strikeouts in 42 2/3 innings.
High Class-A Modesto unloaded for 17 runs Friday with seven- and six-run innings and led by Kent Matthes and Josh Rutledge, who had four RBI each.
Colorado Springs starter Billy Buckner allowed one hit in seven shutout innings of a 2-1 extra-inning loss Thursday. Buckner, who also pitched five shutout innings on June 19, walked two and struck out five.
Tulsa’s Christian Friedrich took the loss for the Texas League North All-Stars, allowing three hits and a run in the second inning. Scott Beerer had the only hit among Rockies prospects, going 1-for-1 after replacing Tim Wheeler, who was hitless along with teammates Wilin Rosario and Ben Paulsen.
