Drillers Headed To Championship Series

For the first time since 2002, the Tulsa Drillers have advanced to the Texas League Championship Series. But, it was not easy. The Drillers blew a five-run lead Saturday night, then rallied for three runs in the ninth to post a 9-7 victory over Arkansas at North Little Rock's Dickey-Stephens Park.

After dropping the first game of the post-season matchup with the Travs, the Drillers recorded three straight wins to claim the best-of-five series.

The Drillers will now host Midland in Games 1 and 2 of the Texas League Championship Series Tuesday and Wednesday night at ONEOK Field.

After consecutive three-run innings from the Travelers in the seventh and eighth erased a lead for the Drillers, Tulsa was in search from some heroics in the ninth inning. Taylor Featherston would answer the call.

Following back-to-back drawn walks from Chris O'Dowd and Delta Cleary Jr. to open the ninth, Cristhian Adames bunted the runners over to second and third. Down 0-2 in the count, Featherston then caught up with a fastball to line a double down the right field foul line and recapture the lead for the Drillers. Tyler Massey singled up the middle two batters later to score Featherston and give Tulsa a 9-7 lead.

Closer Cole White worked around a leadoff walk to finish off the win and put Tulsa in its first Texas League Championship of the decade.

The ninth inning display capped off a massive game for Featherston. The recently named Texas League Post-Season All-Star accounted in some way or form for eight of the nine Drillers' runs in the contest. He recorded four runs scored and five runs batted in while going four for four at the plate while also drawing a walk.

Featherston opened the game's scoring with a solo blast in the top of the fourth. After battling through a tough at-bat, he deposited the eighth pitch he saw from Arkansas starter Kramer Sneed over the left field fence.

The Travelers responded with a run in the bottom half of the same inning. Three straight singles from Alex Yarbrough, Brian Hernandez and Zach Zaneski scored one. Tulsa starter Jayson Aquino forced Drew Heid to ground into a force out, struck out Jett Bandy and got Matt Long to hit an infield fly to pitch out of the jam and keep the game tied at one.

The Drillers produced a three-run sixth inning to retake the lead. RBI singles from Featherston and Casteel, as well as a sac fly from Tyler Massey, saw the Drillers up 4-1.

When Featherston and Casteel again drove in a run apiece in the top of the seventh to give Tulsa a five-run lead, the game to appeared to be out of reach and the Drillers seemed to be on their way to the Texas League Championship.

However, the Travelers did all they could to keep their post-season hopes alive. After Aquino hit Drew Heid with a pitch and allowed a single to Bandy in the next at-bat, manager Kevin Riggs turned to Ken Roberts out of the bullpen. Roberts walked the next batter before surrendering a bases-clearing double down the left field foul line to Eric Stamets, suddenly narrowing Tulsa's lead to 6-4.

In the eighth, a throwing error and a walk put runners on first and second with no outs for Arkansas. After Bandy moved the runners over with a sac bunt, a ground out from Long scored Adam Melker from third to decrease Tulsa's lead to just one run.

After Stamets drew a walk in the next at-bat, Kaleb Cowart delivered a two-run hit out of the nine hole, putting Arkansas up 7-6 and setting the stage for the Drillers' ninth inning comeback.

Tulsa starter Jayson Aquino dispersed three runs and eight hits over six innings while issuing one walk and striking out four.

Outside of Featherston, Cleary Jr. and Casteel also had multiple hits, each with two.

The Drillers will now face the Midland RockHounds for the Texas League Championship, with the first two games of the series at ONEOK Field and the remaining games at Security Bank Ballpark in Midland. The matchup seems favorable for the Drillers, as Tulsa has won 9 of 12 games against the RockHounds this season.

Opening game of the championship series will be Tuesday night with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 PM. RHP Eddie Butler (6-9, 3.58 ERA in regular season) is the probable starter for the Drillers.