Drillers Drop Regular Season Finale to Cards
The Tulsa Drillers wrapped up the 2017 regular season Monday afternoon with an 8-7 loss to the Springfield Cardinals at ONEOK Field. With the end of the regular season, the Drillers attention can now turn toward the Texas League Playoffs which will begin Wednesday night.Tulsa will face Northwest Arkansas in
The Tulsa Drillers wrapped up the 2017 regular season Monday afternoon with an 8-7 loss to the Springfield Cardinals at ONEOK Field. With the end of the regular season, the Drillers attention can now turn toward the Texas League Playoffs which will begin Wednesday night.
Tulsa will face Northwest Arkansas in the best-of-five North Division Playoff Series with the winner advancing to the Texas League Championship Series.
The loss in Monday's finale left the Drillers with a 77-63 overall record, including a 44-26 mark in the second half of the season. The 77 wins tie for the second-most in franchise history, only one win shy of matching the record 78 wins by the 1998 Texas League Championship squad. The 44 wins in the second half are the third-most in a half in franchise history.
Despite the defeat, Tulsa finished the regular season by winning 17 of its final 19 home games.
Early in Monday's finale, it looked as if the Drillers would match the team record for win. After a scoreless first inning, they took an initial lead with a pair of runs in the second.
Tulsa starting pitcher
A solo home run leading off the top of the seventh by
The Cards added a pair of what proved to be important insurance runs in the top of the ninth because the Drillers stage rally in the bottom of the inning.
Peter O'Brien flied out to left field on the next pitch to put an end to the game.
Beaty entered the game in a virtual three-way tie for the Texas League batting title. He batted twice, getting one hit to raise his batting average to .32648, one point ahead of Midland's B.J. Boyd and Arkansas'
Beaty left the game in the bottom of the fifth when pitcher
The Drillers will have a day off on Tuesday before opening the Texas League Playoffs on Wednesday night. Tulsa will begin the best-of-five series in Springdale, Arkansas against the Naturals at Arvest Ballpark. The Drillers will be on the road for the first two games before coming home for game three and, if necessary, games four and five.
Starting time for Wednesday's opener is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Dennis Higgins will have the call on AM 1430 the Buzz. The broadcast will also be available online through TulsaDrillers.com.