Angelo's Brilliant Start Squandered in Extras
May 25, 2025 - Texas League (TL)
Amarillo Sod Poodles News Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX. - The Amarillo Sod Poodles (20-25) fell to the Corpus Christi Hooks (16-28), 6-5, in 10 innings on Sunday night at Whataburger Field. A strong starting effort was erased by a late Hooks surge, tabbing the Sod Poodles with the series loss, four games to two.
Two scoreless frames opened the series finale as Roman Angelo punched out two batters through the first pair of innings to keep the Hooks bats at bay.
After hooking a ball with home run distance foul early in his at-bat, Christian Cerda connected with the 0-2 pitch, sending it beyond the wall in left-center for a solo shot to put the Sod Poodles on the board.
Angelo continued to deal, making his way through six scoreless innings while bringing his strikeout total to six by the end of the sixth to keep the Amarillo lead intact. The righty would have nine strikeouts in seven innings by the end of the night.
Opening the seventh with a double flared down the left field line was Manuel Pena. He eventually came around to score on a Kristian Robinson single up the middle to extend the Sod Poodle advantage to two.
Gavin Conticello followed suit, dropping a blooper into left field to scratch another Amarillo run. Later in the frame, Robinson advanced to third on a wild pitch. The Corpus Christi catcher attempted a back-pick on the play after Robinson rounded third, but the ball ended up back in left after the errant throw, allowing the Amarillo right fielder to score the fourth run of the game for Amarillo.
The Hooks came surging back in the bottom of the eighth as six consecutive batters reached base with Luis Encarnacion coming through with the game-tying single.
The Sod Poodles earned a run back in the top of the ninth as LuJames Groover collected a check-swing single through the right side to put Amarillo back in front. The Hooks equalized with two outs in their final turn at-bat with an Edwin Diaz solo shot to send the game to extras.
After Amarillo posted a zero in the top of the tenth, the Hooks walked off on a bunt that forced a throwing error, allowing Austin Deming to score the winning run, giving Corpus Christi the 6-5 victory.
The Sod Poodles return to HODGETOWN to open a six-game set against the visiting Frisco RoughRiders with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch scheduled for Tuesday night. Neither side has announced a probable starter.
POSTGAME NOTES
ROMAN WASN'T BUILT IN A DAY: Firing seven innings of shutout ball this evening was Roman Angelo, picking up nine strikeouts over the course of his outing...his second quality start of the season... has allowed three or fewer hits in four of his five starts in May...becomes one of two pitchers (Cam Schlitter, Somerset Patriots, 4/24) in Double-A baseball this season to throw seven shutout innings while striking out at least nine batters.
CERDA-FIED BALLER: Launching his fourth home run of the season to get the Sod Poodles on the board this evening was Christian Cerda ...three of his four home runs this season have come on the road...has now hit safely in three straight games, batting .273 (3-for-11) in those games.
Texas League Stories from May 25, 2025
- Mieses Homers, Frisco Falls to Midland in Series Finale - Frisco RoughRiders
- Angelo's Brilliant Start Squandered in Extras - Amarillo Sod Poodles
- Cards Blast Four Homers, Take Series-Finale on Wet Night - Springfield Cardinals
- Travs Fall Just Short in Springdale Finale - Arkansas Travelers
- Tulsa Loses Rain-Shortened Finale - Tulsa Drillers
- Lizarraga Earns First Win, Missions Send Wind Surge Packing - San Antonio Missions
- Wind Surge Come up Short Versus Missions - Wichita Wind Surge
- Blue Ghosts Battle for 3-2 Win - Corpus Christi Hooks
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