Amarillo Drops Series Opener
September 4, 2024 - Texas League (TL)
Amarillo Sod Poodles News Release
Midland, Texas - Amarillo opened up their final roadtrip of the season with a 5-2 defeat to the Midland Rockhounds, who are now on the verge of clinching the Texas League South's second half title.
Caleb Roberts crushed his 18th home run this season and Gino Groover added a hit in his second Double-A game. Spencer Giesting pitched well, striking out seven batters and walking none. He has set down 24 batters on strikes over the course of his last three starts.
Amarillo faced off against the Athletic's number six rated prospect, Mason Barnett. They were able to load the bases in the first off of hits from Jancarlos Cintron and Gino Groover, as well as a walk from A.J. Vukovich. Unfortunately, they came up empty. Spencer Giesting gave up a pair of hits as well but also escaped unharmed.
Jean Walters reached on an error as the only baserunner for Amarillo in the second inning. Giesting set the side down in order and picked up a pair of strikeouts.
Both teams went down 1-2-3 in the third inning.
Christian Cerda drew a walk and with two outs, Kristian Robinson flew out to the deepest part of the ballpark, the wind holding in a potential home run. Giesting allowed just a single in the inning to send the game scoreless to the fifth.
Amarillo couldn't muster anything in the top half and Midland broke the scoreless tie in the inning. After allowing a leadoff double, Giesting struck out the next two batters. He broke the bat of Denzel Clarke but the baseball flared over the head of Cintron at short to drive in the game's first run.
Amarillo answered back in the top of the sixth. Groover worked a leadoff walk and Caleb Roberts laid down a sacrifice bunt to move him into scoring position. Vukovich lined a two-strike single over the second baseman's head to tie the game at one. The tie was short lived, as the leadoff hitter, Daniel Susac, blasted a solo shot to left-center to make it a 2-1 game. After recording an out, Giesting gave up three consecutive hits to make it 4-1. Chris Rodriguez came in to get the final two outs.
The Soddies couldn't strike in the seventh and Rodriguez returned the favor in the bottom of the seventh. Cerda threw out a baserunner at second base.
Roberts blasted his 18th home run of the year over the bullpen in right field to make it a 4-2 game. A Cerda walk and a pinch hit single from Jesus Valdez brought the go ahead run to the plate in Robinson. He belted a ball to deep left center field but it died in the glove of Midland's center fielder on the warning track. Luke Albright took the ball in the bottom of the eighth inning, making his first appearance since June. He allowed a solo homerun in the inning but utilized another caught stealing from Cerda to allow just one run of damage.
Jean Walters led off the ninth with a single but nothing else was going for the Sod Poodles as they couldn't score.
After a 5-2 loss in the series opener, Amarillo will continue its road trip against the Midland Rockhounds at 5:00 P.M., which will kick off a doubleheader between the two squads.
Notes:
Long Gone Roberts: Caleb Roberts bashed his 18th home run of the season in Wednesday night's defeat against Midland. His shot brought Amarillo within two runs in the eighth inning. This comes after he hit four home runs and batted .394 over the course of the teams two-week homestand that concluded on Sunday.
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