Drillers Championship Bid Falls Short
Three years ago, in 2014, the Tulsa Drillers fell in Game 5 of the Texas League Championship series to the Midland RockHounds on a rainy Sunday. Fast forward three years to 2017 and the Drillers found themselves in an eerily similar situation. After rain delayed the start of Sunday night's
Three years ago, in 2014, the Tulsa Drillers fell in Game 5 of the Texas League Championship series to the Midland RockHounds on a rainy Sunday. Fast forward three years to 2017 and the Drillers found themselves in an eerily similar situation. After rain delayed the start of Sunday night's Championship game 1 hour and 13 minutes, the Drillers found themselves down 1-0 early. And unfortunately, they would be unable to come up with the big hit to tie or win the game as the RockHounds claimed their fourth straight Texas League title with a narrow 1-0 victory at ONEOK Field.
The season-ending loss dampened an otherwise outstanding 2017 campaign for the Drillers. The club set the franchise record for most home runs as a team with 168 while also setting the Tulsa professional baseball record with 15 consecutive home wins. Matt Beaty won the Texas League Player of the Year honor while also becoming the first Driller in franchise history to win the league's batting title. And four different players on this year's club made it all the way to Los Angeles for their big-league debuts.
Sunday night's game went down to the wire as the Drillers came within one swing of the bat of winning their first Texas League Championship since 1998.
After Tulsa closer Daniel Corcino held the RockHounds in check in the top half of the ninth, the Drillers had one final chance to win the Texas League title as they went to the bottom of the ninth trailing 1-0.
Facing Midland closer Kyle Finnegan, who was pitching for the third straight day, both Kyle Garlick and Blake Gailen were retired on pop flies for the first two outs of the frame. But Erick Mejia reached base on a swinging strike three that got away from the RockHounds catcher to bring the potential winning run to the plate in newcomer Keibert Ruiz. But Finnegan was able to get Ruiz to ground out to second, securing Midland's fourth straight Texas League championship title.
The RockHounds took advantage of a miscue on the first play of the game to take an early advantage.
Jorge Mateo led off the game with a grounder towards shortstop that third baseman Mejia fielded on the move before making an off-balance throw that sailed wide of first base. Mateo scampered to second on the misfire before coming home to score three batters later on an RBI single by Texas League RBI leader Viosergy Rosa to put Midland up 1-0.
The Drillers threatened to tie the game in the home half of the first as they put men on first and second with one out against Midland starting pitcher James Naile. But Naile set the tone for the night as he was able to escape the jam by inducing groundouts from Garlick and Gailen who had been Tulsa's hottest hitters in the Championship Series coming into the night.
From there, both Naile and Tulsa starter Dennis Santana matched each other with scoreless frames over the next five innings.
The Drillers appeared to have something cooking in the fourth as Beaty and Garlick led off the inning with back-to-back singles. But Naile got Gailen to ground into a double play and then struck out Mejia to maintain the RockHounds slim advantage.
Midland looked as if it would capitalize on the momentum from that as the visitors loaded the bases on a double, a hit batter and a walk. But Santana was able to retire the red-hot Sheldon Neuse on an infield fly and then struck out J.P. Sportman to keep the Tulsa deficit at 1-0.
Both managers turned the game over to their bullpen in the seventh inning after outstanding performances from both starting pitchers.
Brian Moran and Corey Copping combined to toss a scoreless top of the seventh for the Drillers as they worked around a single from Max Schrock and an intentional walk to Neuse to keep the score at 1-0.
For Midland, reliever Tyler Sturdevant kept the Drillers at bay as he set Tulsa down in order in the bottom half of the frame.
In the top of the eighth, Layne Somsen got the first two outs, sandwiched around a one-out single from Sean Murphy, before Corcino came in to retire Jorge Mateo for the final out of the frame.
The Drillers got a man on second in the bottom of the eighth against Joel Seddon after DJ Peters walked and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Errol Robinson. But Yusniel Díaz grounded out and Beaty was retired on a swinging strikeout from southpaw Brandon Mann to strand yet another runner in scoring position for Tulsa.
That would lead to the ninth where Midland would hang on to end the 2017 season.
Santana was charged with the tough-luck loss as the right-hander allowed just the one unearned run over six innings of work. He struck out seven while only walking one Midland batter.
Naile earned the series-clinching victory for the second straight year for the RockHounds with his six shutout innings of work.
The Drillers will open the 2018 campaign on the road against the Frisco RoughRiders. The first game of the season will be on Thursday, April 5th at Dr Pepper Ballpark. Following a six-game road trip, the 2018 home opener will be on Thursday, April 12th at ONEOK Field.
Thank you to all the Drillers fans who came out and supported the club during the 2017 season. It was quite the ride. We'll see you next year!
These 15 moments led to season No. 15 of Minor League road trips
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
MiLB podcast crew makes Opening Day predictions
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Everything you need to know for Triple-A Opening Day
First, there was big league Opening Day. Now it's Triple-A's turn to take the spotlight. The Minor League season opens Friday when the Triple-A International League and Pacific Coast League seasons get underway for the first of MiLB’s two Opening Days. And right out of the gates, several of baseball's
Top prospects to watch at Triple-A -- one for each organization
It’s Triple-A’s turn up to bat on Friday. The regular season begins for the Minor Leagues’ highest level one day after the action starts on the Major League side. Fun fact: it’ll be the earliest start to a Minor League season since 1951 (March 27). Double-A, High-A and Single-A will
Here's where every Top 100 prospect is expected to start the season
The 2025 Opening Day prospect roster announcements began last week when the Cubs informed Matt Shaw (MLB No. 19) he was making the trip overseas to compete in the Tokyo Series. Roki Sasaki (No. 1) also received the good news, but his assignment was much less of a surprise. Now
Nationals prospect King joins MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Here are the 2025 All-Spring Breakout Teams
Fifteen games, several jersey swaps and countless highlights later, the second edition of Spring Breakout has officially concluded – and it lived up to its billing. Of the 16 contests sprinkled across four days, only one game (Dodgers vs. Cubs) was rained out. Coincidentally, the Cubs were one of two
Rox young sluggers aim to bring pop back to Coors Field
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Coors Field may provide the best run-scoring environment in Major League Baseball, but the Rockies haven’t taken advantage of it in recent years. Even without adjusting for Coors, they have fielded offenses worse than the league average the past three seasons, and they scored the fewest runs
Astros brass sees potential in consistently 'underranked' farm system
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The last time the Astros landed in the top 10 of MLB Pipeline’s farm system rankings was before the 2019 season. Since those rankings expanded to all 30 teams ahead of the 2020 season -- 11 lists in total -- they’ve never ranked higher than
Complete results and highlights from Spring Breakout
The second edition of MLB Spring Breakout is complete, and there was no shortage of highlights from the future stars of Major League Baseball over the four-day showcase. Here's a complete breakdown of the 16-game exhibition:
Southpaw Spring Breakout: White Sox future on display with Schultz, Smith
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If all goes as planned for the White Sox, left-handers Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz won’t spend much time following each other to the mound in a single game. Schultz, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 16 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and Smith, who is
In first pro game, Rainer offers pop, promise to Tigers fans
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Bryce Rainer’s pro career consisted of workouts and batting practice until Sunday.
'Me and Brady on the dirt again': House, King reunite at Spring Breakout
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The 2025 Spring Breakout was a flashback for Brady House and Seaver King. Over 10 years ago, the infielders were travel ball teammates in Georgia who shared the dream of making it to the Major Leagues. Now, they are top prospects in the same organization,
Lambert -- 'an adrenaline guy' -- hoping to be next Mets bullpen gem
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Ryan Lambert loves throwing hard. He relishes the idea of getting to two strikes and blowing hitters away. “Get me in a game,” Lambert said, “cool things will happen.”
Stewart embraces Spring Breakout: 'What's not to love?'
PHOENIX -- Sal Stewart was one fired-up Reds prospect. On Sunday in the first inning during the organization's 9-7 Spring Breakout win over Brewers prospects, Stewart lifted a 2-2 pitch that sailed over the center fielder's head to the wall. Already not known as a speedster, he stumbled running between
Prospect Peña quietly drawing raves in Brewers' farm system
PHOENIX – Jesús Made was at the top of the Brewers’ lineup for Sunday’s 9-7 loss to the Reds in the finale of MLB’s four-day Spring Breakout, a fitting perch when you consider that the 17-year-old infielder is under a bright spotlight as MLB Pipeline’s No. 55 prospect. Made could
Brecht -- in 1st outing since '24 Draft -- wows at Spring Breakout
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Sunday's Spring Breakout showcase was the perfect unveiling for Rockies No. 5 prospect Brody Brecht. A right-handed pitcher from the University of Iowa whom the Rockies selected 38th overall last summer, Brecht had a nice collegiate resume, an interesting backstory as a former wide receiver for the
Braves prospects show promise in Spring Breakout
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- As Terry Pendleton prepared to serve as the manager of the Braves prospect team that played the Tigers prospect team in a Spring Breakout game on Sunday afternoon, he said fans should be patient with John Gil and Luis Guanipa, a pair of teenagers who have
Yanks' Lagrange flashes triple-digit heat in Spring Breakout
SARASOTA, Fla. -- There was an audible “Ooh” from the crowd at Ed Smith Stadium, and Carlos Lagrange quickly glanced beyond the right-field wall, checking the velocity of the pitch he’d just thrown in Saturday’s 5-4 Spring Breakout loss to the Orioles. It had registered in the triple digits, and
Bradfield dedicates Spring Breakout performance to late friend
SARASOTA, Fla. -- It was about more than playing in the national spotlight. More than the dinner bet placed with an old college teammate earlier in the month. More than a game. As Enrique Bradfield Jr. slid home to score a run during the first inning of Saturday night’s Spring