Late Soddies Rally Falls Short in Loss to Midland
TL Amarillo Sod Poodles

Late Soddies Rally Falls Short in Loss to Midland

Published on September 9, 2025 under Texas League (TL)
Amarillo Sod Poodles News Release


AMARILLO, TX - The Amarillo Sod Poodles (68-65) fell to the Midland RockHounds (64-69), 6-5, on Tuesday night at HODGETOWN. A tight battle fell the visitors' way despite an early Sod Poodles lead.

Midland got things started from the jump as Joshua Kuroda-Grauer led off the game with a solo home run. Amarillo quickly equalized in the home half as LuJames Groover collected a solo homer of his own to left field, knotting the game at one.

Atop the mound for the Soddies was Mitch Bratt who posted three straight scoreless frames following the leadoff Midland homer. With the game still deadlocked going into the bottom of the fourth, Ryan Waldschmidt led off the inning with a single and later scored on a double off the bat of Ben McLaughlin for the Amarillo lead.

In the immediate next at-bat, Jose Fernandez drove one to straightaway center, lining the ball off the top of the wall for a two-run home run to give the Sod Poodles the 4-1 lead. The visitors inched closer in the sixth, getting a solo homer from Athletics top prospect Leo De Vries and an RBI double from Nate Nankil. Midland tied the game at four after Clark Elliott doubled to right and the RockHounds took the 6-4 lead in the following frame on a Kuroda-Grauer single and a Jared Dickey double.

Amarillo scratched a run in the bottom of the eighth on a double play to pull within a run. After Yilber Diaz struck out the side in the top of the ninth, the first two Sod Poodles reached base in the home half, bringing the winning run to second base. Will Johnston retired the next three batters in order to strand the tying and winning runs, tagging Amarillo with the 6-5 defeat.

The series continues tomorrow with RHP Jose Cabrera (8-6, 5.15) and RHP Braden Nett (6-6, 3.73) scheduled to start.

POSTGAME NOTES

SWEET BABY LUJAMES: With his first inning blast, LuJames Groover has two home runs in his most recent three games...with two knocks in the contest, he now has the second-most hits (139) in a single season in Sod Poodles history, passing Edward Olivares (138, 2019).

GRAN TORIN-O: Checking in with his first career Double-A hit was Cristofer Torin as he collected a ninth inning double...it was his 23rd two-bagger this season, smacking 22 in High-A Hillsboro this year.

Check out the Amarillo Sod Poodles Statistics

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Texas League Stories from September 9, 2025


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