Melendez's Homer Powers Soddies to Victory
May 2, 2025 - Texas League (TL)
Amarillo Sod Poodles News Release
MIDLAND, TX -- The Amarillo Sod Poodles (10-15) defeated the Midland RockHounds (13-12), 6-4, on Friday evening at Momentum Bank Ballpark. A four-run fifth, capped by Ivan Melendez's two-run blast, complemented Jose Cabrera's longest start of the season en route to the team's 10th victory in 2025.
Playing as the Midland Amigos on Friday, the home team struck first on a second-inning solo shot. Amarillo turned a heads-up, 9-4-2 double play in the frame to keep the score at 1-0.
Soddies' starter Jose Cabrera continued his strong outing, racking up five strikeouts through the first three frames and gave his offense a chance to tie things up.
Amarillo did just that in the fourth. Gavin Conticello led off the frame with a walk, stole second, and scored on a Jose Fernandez hard-hit single to tie the game. The 1-1 game didn't last long, as Midland added another solo shot in the bottom of the fourth to grab a 2-1 advantage.
Amarillo flipped the game in the top of the fifth, scoring four times in the frame. Tommy Troy tied the game on his fifth double of the season that scored David Martin. The catcher led off the inning with his first career Double-A base hit. With two outs, Conticello gave the Soddies their first lead of the night, notching his 20th RBI of the season on a single up the middle. The right fielder didn't have to stay on base long, as Ivan Melendez blasted his second homer of the year 419 feet over the right-center wall to push Amarillo's lead to 5-2.
Cabrera added two more punchouts in a clean fifth, before the Soddies went back to work in the sixth. Troy recorded his second RBI of the night on a bloop single to extend the lead to 6-2.
The Amarillo starter got some help from his defense in the sixth, working around three Midland hits to record a zero. Left fielder Caleb Roberts recorded Amarillo's second outfield assist of the night to keep the Amigos off the board. Cabrera recorded strikeouts eight and nine in the seventh and exited after throwing 100 pitches in 6.2 quality frames.
Midland scratched for one run after Cabrera was pulled, but left the bases loaded to head into the eighth down 6-3. The Amigos added another run in the ninth to inch closer at 6-4, but Jhosmer Alvarez held on to earn the save, complete the win and even the series with Midland.
The series continues with game five of the series tomorrow night starting at 7:00 p.m. in Midland. Amarillo's RHP Dylan Ray (1-3, 6.98) will take the bump opposite Midland's RHP Kade Morris (1-1, 2.11) on Saturday.
POSTGAME NOTES
TERRORIZING THE TALL CITY: The Stanford product has been a nuisance for Midland arms this series, batting .500 (7-for-14) with three RBI in the series... Tommy Troy recorded his second three-hit performance of the series on Friday...has a walk in all four games and extended his Texas League lead to 21.
FOUR FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS: The Soddies took control of tonight's contest in the fifth, scoring four times on four hits...was the first 4+ frame since scoring six runs in the seventh inning on April 22 (vs. SA).
9 + 4 + 2 = DP?: The trio of Gavin Conticello, Tommy Troy and David Martin combined to turn an unconventional 9-4-2 double play in the second inning...Conticello caught a deep fly ball in right center field, relayed the ball back to the second baseman, who threw a strike to Martin to nab Luke Mann at the plate...was Amarillo's 24th double play of the season, tied with Birmingham (White Sox) for most in Double-A.
CABRERA'S KORNER: Amarillo's starter tallied his third quality start of the season, allowed three earned runs through 6.2 innings... Jose Cabrera added nine strikeouts to his ledger, his fourth straight outing with 5+ punchouts...6.2 innings of work and nine strikeouts are single-game season-highs by an Amarillo arm...is 10th pitcher in franchise history to record a start of at least 6.2 innings and allow three runs or fewer in Midland.
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