Melendez Involved in Every Amarillo Run in Win
July 14, 2024 - Texas League (TL)
Amarillo Sod Poodles News Release
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - The Sod Poodles clinched their first series split of the second half with a 4-2 victory in San Antonio.
Ivan Melendez drove in the first three Amarillo runs and scored the final one. His performance highlighted by a two-run triple. A.J. Vukovich had a pair of hits and scored as many runs. Yu-Min Lin worked four scoreless innings before five different relievers combined to work five innings and allow just two.
Ryan Bergert was matched up against the Soddies, a team he has had success against in his career but allowed the first three baserunners to reach. Andrew Pintar walked and Caleb Roberts followed suit. Unfortunately, inbetween, Pintar was picked off at first base. A.J. Vukovich mashed a line drive to right field to put two runners on. Matt Beaty flew out putting up Ivan Melendez, who would have a fantastic day. He poked a ball to the opposite field that went over the head of a reaching Robert Perez Jr. It banged off the bottom of the wall and allowed Melendez to reach third with a two-run triple. Yu-Min Lin took the mound with a 2-0 lead but immediately allowed a hit. He allowed another hit in the inning but worked out of trouble while picking up his first strikeout.
After just one inning, Carter Loewen came in to replace Ryan Bergert. He induced a 1-2-3 inning. A single and a passed ball put a runner in scoring position, but Lin was able to get the outs he needed.
With two outs, Vukovich walked and then swiped his fifth bag of the season. Beaty couldn't drive him in though as he popped out to the infield. With two outs and nobody on, Line gave up a single, a hit by pitch, and a walk to load the bases before striking out Perez Jr. to strand all three runners.
Now a bullpen day, Ryan Och came in to pitch to start the fourth for the Missions. He allowed nothing but a walk to Kristian Robinson. Lin had an identical inning to his counterpart in the top half to send the game to the fifth 2-0.
With Bobby Milacki on to pitch, Logan Warmoth led off with a single. Pintar flew out and Roberts chopped into a 4-6-3 double play. After four innings, Jamison Hill came in to relieve Lin. He got an out of each variant, flyout, groundout, and strikeout in a 1-2-3 inning.
Milacki allowed a leadoff single to Vukovich and then moved him to third on two wild pitches. Beaty struck out but then Melendez drove in his third run of the game on a ground ball single to left field. The score would be 3-0 headed into the home half of the sixth. The Missions would finally get on the board on a couple singles and a wild pitch to make it 3-1.
Raul Brito set down all three Amarillo hitters he faced in the seventh. Will Mabrey came in for Hill and got two outs, but allowed two baserunners before getting pulled for Conor Grammes. Grammes hit the first two batters that he faced to plate San Antonio's second run of the game. He got a comebacker to preserve the lead.
Jason Blanchard set the Sod Poodles down in order to give his team a shot in the eighth. Kyle Amendt came in to pitch and quickly got the first out. He then picked up a strikeout and a groundout to end the frame. This extended his scoreless inning streak to 7.2 where he had not allowed a hit and just two walks.
Looking for insurance, Melendez battled in a two strike count to narrowly earn a walk. Graham pushed a ball past the first baseman and into the Sod Poodles bullpen for a double. Robinson hit a swinging bunt that nobody had a play on, but it wouldn't score Melendez. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Jancarlos Cintron hit a fairly deep fly ball to that scored Melendez. Warmoth hit a ball well, but Zach Reks made a nice running catch in center. Pintar grounded out to end the inning. Mitchell Stumpo came in for the save opportunity. He hit the leadoff batter but got the next two to strikeout and pop out. In a seven pitch battle, Stumpo got a fly out to left field to clinch a series split with a 4-2 win and his seventh save.
The Sod Poodles will have a few days off for the All-Star Break before they are back in action at home against Springfield at 7:05 P.M. Friday night.
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