TULSA (Interstat) — Tai Peete hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning and the Springfield Cardinals beat the Tulsa Drillers 6-4 on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, to sweep their Double-A Texas League playoff series at ONEOK Field. Springfield won the series 2-0 and took Game 2 behind a late comeback and a strong bullpen. The Cardinals improved to 78-58, while the Drillers fell to 87-52. The game drew 5,028 fans and took 3 hours, 19 minutes. Springfield outhit Tulsa 11-3.

Liam Doyle turned in the most dominant outing of the night for Springfield. The right-hander worked 3 2/3 hitless innings and struck out eight, though walks led to one run. Tulsa starter Christian Zazueta kept the Drillers close, allowing two earned runs on four hits over five innings with seven strikeouts. Tulsa loaded the bases in the first inning but failed to score. Springfield struck first in the fourth when Jesús Báez homered to left. Tulsa answered in the bottom half when Sean McLain lined an RBI single that scored Eduardo Quintero. Cade McGee put Springfield back ahead in the fifth with a solo homer to right, but Tulsa tied it in the bottom of the inning on Charles Davalan’s RBI single that scored Mike Sirota.

The teams traded zeros into the seventh, when Tulsa took its first lead. Springfield loaded the bases in the sixth on walks and singles, but Cade McGee struck out swinging with the bases loaded. Taylor Young walked, moved up on a groundout and scored on Elijah Hainline’s sacrifice fly to right. That gave the Drillers a 3-2 edge. Eagen, who earned the win, pitched three innings and allowed two earned runs on one hit with five strikeouts. Springfield’s bullpen then held Tulsa in check until the offense responded.

Springfield reclaimed the lead in the eighth. Jesús Báez walked, then Won-Bin Cho singled sharply to right, with Báez scoring and Cho advancing on a throwing error by right fielder Mike Sirota. Jack Gurevitch followed with a sharp double to left that scored Cho, and Gurevitch went to third on a throwing error by shortstop Sean McLain. The two-run rally put Springfield ahead 4-3. Christian Suarez took the loss for Tulsa.

The Cardinals added insurance in the ninth. Ryan Campos singled to center before Tai Peete launched a two-run homer to left, extending the lead to 6-3. Cade McGee finished 2-for-4 with a homer and an RBI, while Tai Peete went 1-for-5 with two RBIs. Tulsa got one run back in the bottom of the ninth when Logan Wagner walked, moved to third on Kole Myers’ single and scored on Mike Sirota’s groundout. Randel Clemente then closed the door, retiring the final two batters for his seventh save. Clemente finished with 0.2 hitless innings. Nolan Sparks pitched 1 1/3 innings and allowed one earned run with one strikeout, while Christian Worley recorded one out in relief. Kelvin Ramirez and Luke Fox also pitched for Tulsa, combining for 2 1/3 scoreless innings. Springfield pitchers combined for 27 strikes, 53 balls and 27 balls in play, while Tulsa pitchers had 25 strikes, 71 balls and 25 balls in play.

Springfield’s victory completed a two-game sweep after a 9-7 win over Tulsa on Tuesday. The Cardinals will next visit Amarillo on Sunday. For Tulsa, the loss ended a season in which the Drillers finished 87-52. Springfield improved to 78-58 and will carry momentum into the next round of the Texas League playoffs.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Tulsa 7, Springfield 6. Interstat’s ELO system had given Springfield a 50.1 percent probability to win before the game. Those projections proved off the mark as Springfield’s late power and bullpen work delivered the series-clinching victory.