Tulsa's playoff hopes hinge on success in its final homestand of the 2010 season at ONEOK Field. The Drillers host first-place Northwest Arkansas in a three-game series beginning with Saturday's 7:05 p.m. game. The...
↧
Drillers open critical homestand
↧
Drillers drop rain-delayed game to Cardinals, 3-2
For the 16th and final time in the regular season, the Tulsa Drillers hosted the Springfield Cardinals on Thursday night. However, it's unlikely that will be the Cardinals' final appearance at ONEOK Field in 2012. In a potential playoff preview, Springfield salvaged a split of a four-game series as Jamie Romak's ninth-inning tiebreaking homer gave the Cardinals a 3-2 victory over the Drillers before 5,814 fans at ONEOK Field. "They're a good team, we're a good team, there's not much in between us," Drillers manager Duane Espy said. "We just played four hard games. I'm sure they thought they could've won some they lost and we feel like we could've won the two we lost. I think that's a sign of...
↧
↧
Drillers open homestand at friendly ONEOK Field
If the Tulsa Drillers continue enjoying success at home, they should have a good shot at winning the Texas League's North Division first-half title. The Drillers, who are 9-5 at ONEOK Field, have the North Division lead going into an eight-game homestand, which begins at 7:05 p.m. Monday against the second-place Northwest Arkansas Naturals. Tulsa's home record is second only to South-leading San Antonio, which is 15-3. The Drillers' fast home start is a change from...
↧
Tulsa Drillers attendance down, heat gets blame
The Tulsa Drillers drew fewer fans to the ballpark in 2011 than the year before, a decline that the franchise blames on the extreme heat this summer. The Drillers wrapped up their season on Sunday on a cool and sunny afternoon that attracted...
↧
Tulsa Drillers raising profile of Greenwood District
As often as he can, Tom Coughlin drives across town to buy a hamburger at Fat Guy's Burger Bar in the historic Greenwood District. A few years ago, he would never have contemplated such a trip. "I wouldn't have come down here to this part of town before the ballpark or this restaurant," Coughlin, 57, said on a recent morning as he waited in line outside the Greenwood Avenue restaurant. He is not alone. The Greenwood District, site of the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot and the former commercial center for black Tulsans, has played a central role in the city's history. But it's a role - and a "part of town" - that not every Tulsan knows well. That's changing - slowly. Thursday night, the Tulsa Drillers...
↧
↧
Drillers help celebrate Juneteenth with help from Greenwood district
Celebrate Juneteenth - and Father's Day weekend - with a gamut of Tulsa Drillers special events this weekend, right in the heart of Greenwood. A tribute to the Negro Baseball League will be presented at ONEOK Field by the Tulsa Drillers on Friday. The Metropolitan Baptist Church Choir also will perform the opening anthem under direction of musician and artist Merton Huff. Thursday night is "thirsty Thursday" with $1 beer and soft drinks, Friday is a fireworks spectacular, Saturday will have a special...
↧
Yes, it’s hot, but Drillers’ Family Funday is all wet
Games at the Tulsa Drillers’ swanky new ONEOK Field can be a great value for families, especially when it’s Family Funday Sunday. Tulsa Teachers Credit Union sponsors a day of family fun at the ballpark every Sunday, and this week it’s...
↧
Drillers have more homers at home, but is it a hitter's park?
DURING THE construction of ONEOK Field, some baseball fans wondered whether there would be a big dropoff in home runs at pro baseball's new Tulsa home. The Drillers were...
↧
Drillers exceeded expectations in 2010
The Tulsa Drillers experienced plenty of positives in 2010. The franchise set a new professional baseball attendance mark for Tulsa, and the team, which struggled mightily early in the season,...
↧
↧
Drillers lose season finale
Summary: The Northwest Arkansas Naturals routed the Drillers 9-0 on Monday afternoon at Springdale's Arvest Ballpark, less than 24 hours after extinguishing Tulsa's playoff hopes. The Naturals wasted little time in taking a lead in the regular-season finale, scoring twice off Tulsa starter Greg Reynolds in the bottom of the first. They padded their lead with three runs on four hits in the third, before adding an unearned run in the fifth. The Naturals completed the scoring with three runs in the eighth inning off reliever Adam...
↧
Drillers Update: 5-20-2011
What: Texas League baseball, Tulsa vs. Springfield Cardinals. Where: ONEOK Field, 201 N. Elgin Ave. When: 7:05 p.m. Broadcast: KTBZ am1430. Probable pitchers: Springfield - RH Kevin Thomas (0-2, 4.08 ERA); Tulsa - RH Cory Riordan (1-3, 4.91 ERA). Season series: Drillers lead 5-2. Promotions: Fireworks after the game. On deck: Saturday - vs. Springfield, 7:05 p.m. (Build-A-Bear Giveaway) Driller bits Rockies weather in Tulsa: Colorado Rockies pitcher Aaron Cook pitched in unseasonably cool May conditions during his Wednesday...
↧
Downtown hotel operators say they deserve preference from Drillers
Downtown hotel operators say their annual ballpark assessment payment should buy them some preference when it comes to booking rooms for the Tulsa Drillers' visiting teams. "We're not stirring the pot here - the pot is already stirred," said Jeff Hartman, owner-operator of Courtyard by Marriott Tulsa Downtown. Five downtown hotels contribute a combined total of a little more than $100,000 a year in assessed fees to the Tulsa Stadium Improvement District. The fees are levied each year against property within the Inner Dispersal Loop. Nearly 70 percent goes to repay $25 million in revenue bonds used to help build ONEOK Field, home to the city's Double-A baseball team. In addition to the...
↧
DrillersFest set for Saturday
ONEOK Field's third season will begin on Saturday with DrillersFest 2012. Admission is free to the annual open house event that is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. "It's our proverbial first pitch and kickoff to the baseball season," Drillers general manager Mike Melega said Thursday. "It's always great to see a lot of familiar faces back at the ballpark." It will be the first chance for fans to purchase individual tickets for all 70 Tulsa Drillers regular-season home games. Also, all remaining tickets to other ONEOK...
↧
↧
Drillers Update 6-45-1 hedy
What: Texas League baseball, Tulsa vs. Midland RockHounds Where: ONEOK Field, 201 N. Elgin Ave. When: 7:05 p.m. Broadcast: KTBZ am1430 Probable pitchers: Midland - LH Anthony Capra (0-2, 6.48 ERA); Tulsa - RH Rob Scahill (4-3, 4.07 ERA) Promotions: Thirsty Thursday/Just Dance, Dance, Dance - Twelve-ounce servings of Miller Lite and Coors Light, and 21-ounce Pepsi servings will be only $1. Also, fans are encouraged to wear dance outfits to participate in dance contests during the game. On deck: Friday - vs. Midland, 7:05...
↧
Drillers GM named Texas League Executive of the Year
Tulsa Drillers general manager Mike Melega was named on Tuesday as the 2012 Bill Valentine Texas League Executive of the Year Award winner. The Drillers had the second-highest attendance for a single season in Tulsa's pro baseball history, which dates to 1905. Tulsa drew 372,624 fans during the regular season at ONEOK Field. That trails behind the 408,183 in ONEOK Field's opening season in 2010. In addition, the Drillers had a sellout crowd...
↧
Drillers get 7th straight win as they sweep NW Arkansas
After sweeping a road trip with a season-high winning streak, the Tulsa Drillers will start a season-ending homestand on Tuesday night only one game behind first-place Northwest Arkansas in the Texas League's North Division second-half race. On Monday night, Tim Wheeler set the Drillers' single-season record with his 33rd homer after Mike Mitchell...
↧
John Klein: Maintaining Drillers' ONEOK Field requires a lot of care
There's a good chance that the yard Gary Shepherd takes care of is nicer than your yard. If you are wondering if anyone can grow grass this time of year in this heat, take a trip down to ONEOK Field during the current six-day, seven-game homestand. "I think this is the best it has looked in our three years down here," said Shepherd, the head groundskeeper at ONEOK Field, home of the Texas League's Tulsa Drillers. For all of us out there early in the morning, watering everything in our yards, it is kind of amazing to see how green and lush the playing field looks at ONEOK Field. No matter how much I water, mow and weed, my yard is not even in the same universe as the playing field at ONEOK....
↧
↧
Drillers to host 2012 TL All-Star game
For the first time since 1999, the Texas League All-Star Game is returning to Tulsa. The Drillers and Texas League announced officially that the 76th annual TL All-Star Game will be played on Thursday, June 28, 2012, at ONEOK Field. Game time will be 7:05 p.m. "We're thrilled to have the league's showcase event," said Drillers general manager Mike Melega. "We've known for a few years that 2012 would be our year, and we're looking forward to showing off ONEOK Field and downtown Tulsa." Tulsa has hosted the All-Star Game five other times - 1962, 1981, 1982, 1990 and 1999. The league rotates the event among its eight teams. The Drillers were in line a few times in the past...
↧
Went Hubbard's legacy leaves bright future for Drillers
Big changes aren't expected for the Tulsa Drillers after the recent death of owner Went Hubbard. Hubbard died at age 83 on Sept. 8 in a hospital in Keene, N.H., after an extended illness. A memorial service was held Tuesday in Walpole, N.H. Hubbard, who was elected to the Texas League's Hall of Fame in 2006, purchased the Drillers from the Texas Rangers in December 1986 and controlled the team until selling majority ownership to Chuck Lamson in 2006. He remained as a minority owner until controlling interest was purchased back from Lamson late in 2010. Hubbard's sons, Dale and Jeff, have since operated the Drillers as co-chairmen while Went Hubbard was not actively involved in the past two...
↧
Tulsa Drillers: Start times vary wildly
On Monday afternoon, the Tulsa Drillers will try something different when they open a four-game series against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals at ONEOK Field. For the first time, the Drillers will start a weekday home game at 4:05 p.m. "We like to experiment with different starting times and we're excited about this one," Drillers general manager Mike Melega said. "Over the years a lot of people have told us they would like a later afternoon game because they would like to go see an entire day game, but can't take more than an hour or hour-and-a-half off work. "This is going to be our 'Businessperson's Special/Happy Hour' game. Fans can go right from work to the game and then be at home in...
↧