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TL Amarillo Sod Poodles

Elbis Tosses Quality Start in Losing Effort

August 30, 2024 - Texas League (TL)
Amarillo Sod Poodles News Release


AMARILLO, Texas - The Amarillo Sod Poodles were not able to overcome a shaky start. Despite a late opportunity, Amarillo dropped their Friday night game 4-2. Joe Elbis spun six straight scoreless innings after a three-run first but suffered his third loss of the year despite another quality start.

Seeing the Travs plate the first three runs of the night in the first inning, Amarillo got their first run of the night in the second. Christian Cerda drew a one-out walk and moved to third on a Kevin Graham double. Jancarlos Cintron found a gap between first and second base for a RBI single but Graham was forced to retreat to third as the deficit remained at two runs.

Graham made it a one-run game in the bottom of the fourth with his fifth home run of the year and second of the series. After the first, Elbis allowed just four base runners over the next six innings without allowing a run to help keep it a one-run game. He left the game with his third quality start in his first six games since coming to Amarillo. His final line read 7.0 IP, five hits, three runs (two earned), with a walk and four strikeouts.

Chris Rodriguez took over pitching duties in the top of the eighth and got Harry Ford to strikeout for the fourth time on the night before issuing a one-out walk. A fielder's choice erased Cole Young from the bases but kept the inning alive for Ben Williamson. Rodriguez got his second strikeout of the inning all while leaving a runner stranded on third after two stolen bases. Cerda drew his third walk of the game to keep the bottom of the eighth inning alive but a flyout sent the game to the ninth with Will Mabrey taking over on the mound for Amarillo. The Travs extended their lead with a RBI single following a one-out triple. With the infield playing in, a blooper was just out of the reach of a diving Jean Walters in shallow right field as the Travs made it 4-2. The Amarillo left-hander got through the next two Arkansas hitters to send the eight-nine-and leadoff hitters in the Sod Poodles order to the plate.

Kristian Robinson started the inning with a single and advanced an extra base with the help of a throwing error. A strikeout, groundout, and lineout gave the Travs a 3-1 series advantage.

Amarillo and Arkansas will be back in action on Saturday night with RHP Billy Corcoran (6-6, 4.56 ERA) taking the ball against RHP Michael Morales (3-1, 4.31 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

NOTES:

DIRTY DOZEN: Andy Weber extended his current hit streak to 12 games with a double in the first inning. It's tied for the longest active hitting streak in the Texas League along with Arkansas' Jared Oliva who singled in the top of the third to extend his streak. Weber's double gives him an extra-base hit in four straight games and he has a double in every game so far this series and seven of his last eight games played. His 11 doubles this month lead Double-A and are tied for the second-most in the Minors.

THE GREAT GRAHAMBINO: Kevin Graham hit his second home run of the series with a solo shot in the fourth off Juan Mercedes. Graham went 32 games between home runs from June 28th - August 28th but had to wait just five at-bats for his last two. Graham was one of two Amarillo players to have a multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-4 with a home run, double, RBI, and run scored.

MOUND DOG: Joe Elbis earned his third quality start, going seven innings while allowing five hits and three runs (two earned), and had four strikeouts on Friday night. He worked six straight scoreless innings after the first. Eight different Amarillo starters have worked seven innings or more on the mound in a game this year, with Elbis getting his second after also doing so in his Amarillo debut. Dylan File did so four times to lead the way. Billy Corcoran has done so three times with Cole Percival being the only other to have multiple 7.0 IP outings. Percival's 7.2 IP back on May 17th is still the longest any Amarillo starter has gone in a game this year.

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Texas League Stories from August 30, 2024


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