The Sod Poodles were victorious in the first two games of the four-game set against the Midland RockHounds. Amarillo won in walk-off fashion in Monday’s suspended game by a final score of 3-2 in front for a crowd of 5,383 at HODGETOWN. Edward Olivares played the hero in game one as he singled to right field to allow Ivan Castillo to score from second base. The game one win clinched the Oil-Pan Cup of the Sod Poodles. In game two, the Sod Poodles came back with two late runs to squeak past Midland to take the 5-4 victory.
Monday Night’s Game – Game One Against Midland
Monday night’s game between the Sod Poodles and RockHounds began in a forty-seven-minute delay because of rain prior to the 7:05 scheduled first pitch.
In the top of the second inning, Midland scored two runs on four hits to take the early 2-0 lead. A pair of doubles by Tyler Ramirez and Taylor Motter started off the inning for Midland. Greg Deichmann then singled home Ramirez as Motter went to third base. Two batters later Mickey McDonald singled to shallow center field which scored Motter. The inning ended as Chase Calabuig grounded out to second base.
Amarillo responded in the fifth inning, as they knotted the ballgame up at 2-2. Luis Torrens singled to shallow center field to start off the inning. The next batter Hudson Potts reached safely on a throwing error by the first baseman to place runners on first and second. Kyle Overstreet then singled to left-center field to load the bases for outfield Buddy Reed. Reed popped out to shortstop Edwin Diaz to give Midland two outs in the inning. Taylor Kohlwey then roped a two-RBI single to center field to tie the game up at two runs apiece.
In the middle of the sixth inning, the game was suspended due to rain and would resume Tuesday afternoon.
Soddies starter Kyle Lloyd earned the no-decision as he tossed six innings and only allowed two runs on seven hits. Lloyd struck out four Midland batters over 90 pitches.
After play resumed on Tuesday afternoon, Amarillo and Midland locked into a scoreless battle as they went to the eleventh inning knotted at 2-2. In the bottom of the eleventh Ivan Castillo started the inning at second base for the Soddies. Edward Olivares was the first batter of the inning and on the fourth pitch of the inning, Olivares singled to right field which plated Castillo to give Amarillo the 3-2 walk-off win to clinch the Oil-Pan Cup.
Tuesday Night’s Game – Game Two Against Midland
Amarillo jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning Tuesday night. leadoff batter Taylor Trammell worked a walked to bring Ivan Castillo to the plate who singled to right field advancing Trammell to second base. The next batter would be Edward Olivares who grounded into a fielder’s choice to place runners on third and first base. Owen Miller then hit an RBI single to shallow right field to score Trammell. Luis Torrens was the next batter who singled through the hole at shortstop to score Olivares. The scoring threat end as Kyle Overstreet struck out looking with the bases load.
In the top of the fourth inning, Midland cut the Amarillo lead to 2-1 as Taylor Motter hit a leadoff doubled to right field and later came around to score on a Mickey McDonald RBI single. The Sod Poodles answered right back in the bottom of the inning as Kohlwey reached on a walk and then stole second base. Peter Van Gansen then singled through the hole at second base to plate Kohlwey and extend the Sod Poodles lead to 3-1.
The RockHounds in the fifth inning plated three runs on three hits to take the 4-3 advantage. Edwin Diaz reached on a walk followed by a Tyler Ramirez single to left-center field to advance Diaz to second base. The next batter would be Motter who worked a walk to load the bases. With the bases loaded, Dan Gamache hit a hard ground ball to first baseman Peter Van Gansen who had a fielding error which allowed Diaz to score. One batter later McDonald roped a two-RBI single to right field.
Torrens started the bottom of the sixth with a single to center field and then scored on a Kohlwey double down the left-field line. Two batters later Van Gansen bashed an RBI single to right-center field to give the Sod Poodles the 5-4 lead.
The Soddies bullpen made up of Carlos Belen and Evan Miller tossed 4.1 innings scoreless innings. Belen went 2.1 innings out of the bullpen and allowed two hits as he earned his first Texas League win. Miller came on in the eighth innings and tossed two no-hit innings and struck out three batters. Miller’s efforts earned him his fifth save of the season as he slammed the door on any RockHounds protentional comeback as the Sod Poodles defeated Midland 5-4.
The Sod Poodles continue their four-game series with the RockHounds tomorrow at HODGETOWN. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.
-Amarillo Sod Poodles
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