Frisco Falls in Season Finale, Eliminated from Playoff Contention
September 19, 2021 - Double-A Central League (AA Central) - Frisco RoughRiders News Release
FRISCO, Texas - The Frisco RoughRiders fell in the most exciting game of the year, 14-11 in 10 innings, to the Amarillo Sod Poodles to finish out the 2021 season, eliminating them from the playoff race.
In a crushing defeat, the RoughRiders (64-55) were knocked from postseason contention, as losses by Frisco and Arkansas opened the door for Northwest Arkansas to sneak into the playoffs with a win. The Naturals will face the Wichita Wind Surge in the best-of-five series next week.
To start the wild, back-and-forth contest, Amarillo (59-61) took the lead in the third inning on a solo home run by Jancarlos Cintron to make it 1-0.
The Riders came back to take the lead in the fifth on an RBI single from Davis Wendzel and Josh Smith crossed home on an error to vault Frisco ahead 2-1.
In the bottom of the fifth, Amarillo jumped back out in front on a grand slam by Eduardo Diaz and Luis Basabe padded the lead with an RBI single to center, putting the Sod Poodles on top 6-2.
Josh Stowers made Frisco history in the sixth, hitting a solo home run in the inning to become the first player in the franchise to collect 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in the same season. That blast cut the deficit to 6-3.
The seventh inning brought more pop from Frisco. Wendzel cracked a two-run blast, his sixth of the year and Diosbel Arias rifled an RBI double to left to tie the game at 6-6.
Diaz cracked his second home run of the game in the seventh to put Amarillo back in the lead in the seventh, but Bubba Thompson knotted the game again in the eighth with a solo home run of his own, his 16th of the season.
Thompson struck again in the top of the ninth with a two-run triple and Smith added a sacrifice fly to send the RoughRiders to a 10-7 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.
With just two outs away from Frisco's first playoff berth since 2014, the Sod Poodles tied the game when Ryder Jones belted a three-run home run to send the game into extra innings.
Arias singled home Wendzel in the top of the 10th to put the RoughRiders ahead 11-10, but Cintron tied the game with an RBI double and Stone Garrett crushed a three-run home run to win the game for Amarillo, 14-11.
Wesley Rodriguez (1-0) brought in the win for Amarillo in relief.
Daniel Robert (0-1) was handed the loss for Frisco, allowing all the runs in the bottom of the 10th.
The RoughRiders finish the season with a 64-55 record. Their first winning record since 2014.
For tickets and more information about the Frisco RoughRiders, visit RidersBaseball.com or call 972.731.9200.
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Double-A Central League Stories from September 19, 2021
- Hooks Wrap 2021 with 9-1 Win - Corpus Christi Hooks
- 2021 Season Comes to an End with a Sunday Night Loss to Corpus - San Antonio Missions
- Frisco Falls in Season Finale, Eliminated from Playoff Contention - Frisco RoughRiders
- Naturals Surge Past Cardinals and Advance to Double-A Central Championship Series - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Travs Season Ends in Regular Season Finale - Arkansas Travelers
- Naturals Headed to Double-A Central Championship Series to Face Wind Surge - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Game of the Year Ends with Garrett's Walk off Home Run in 10th - Amarillo Sod Poodles
- Goin' out in Style; RockHounds Win, 2-1 - Midland RockHounds
- Tulsa Drops Regular Season Finale - Tulsa Drillers
- Surge Close out Regular Season with Dominant Victory - Wichita Wind Surge
- Frisco Falls in Season Finale, Eliminated from Playoff Contention - Frisco RoughRiders
- Naturals Headed to Double-A Central Championship Series to Face Wind Surge - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Matias Powers Northwest Arkansas to 7-4 Win over Springfield - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Bats Back Macuare & Pen, CC Takes Lead in Final Series - Corpus Christi Hooks
- San Antonio Allows Four-Run 4th Inning in Loss to Hooks - San Antonio Missions
- "D" Leads to an "L" as the 'Hounds Fall, 5-2 - Midland RockHounds
- Drillers Win But Eliminated from Playoffs - Tulsa Drillers
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