Missions Win Friday the 13th Thriller in Amarillo

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TL San Antonio Missions

Missions Win Friday the 13th Thriller in Amarillo

June 14, 2025 - Texas League (TL)
San Antonio Missions News Release


AMARILLO, Texas - A second consecutive night with double-digit runs allowed the San Antonio Missions (34-27) to hang onto a back-and-forth 10-9 victory over the Amarillo Sod Poodles (26-35), who today played as the Calf Fries. The lead changed hands four times, and the game stood tied in the seventh, but three late tallies handed San Antonio the breathtaking win.

Kai Murphy blasted his first home run of the year, Ripken Reyes continued his tear with a three-run homer and five relievers combined to give the Missions 7.2 innings after starter Victor Lizarraga left the game in the second with an apparent injury. Jake Higginbotham ended up with the win while Manuel Castro bounced back from Tuesday's blown save with a clincher tonight.

Amarillo jumped ahead early when Gavin Conticello doubled home LuJames Groover in the first. Concern came with one out in the second, when Lizarraga exited with Missions trainer Juan Peña. This forced Ryan Och to enter way earlier than expected. The lefty allowed a run on a J.J. D'Orazio double, so the Calf Fries led 2-0 after two.

Calf Fries starter Jose Cabrera cruised through three innings before the Missions tagged him. Brandon Valenzuela tripled to get the Missions on the board, Anthony Vilar battled with two strikes to tie things up on his single and then Murphy lifted his first homer of the year, a two-run shot, onto the right field berm. When the flurry finished, San Antonio led 4-2.

Stephen Jones held the lead with a quick fourth, but the fifth became an obstacle. Manuel Peña led off the frame with a solo homer before two more reached via singles. With two on, Jose Fernandez attacked the first pitch he saw from Jones and deposited it over the left field wall, giving Amarillo the 6-4 lead. Jones gave up a walk before Jake Higginbotham took his place. Higginbotham struck out the first two men he faced, sending the game into the sixth.

San Antonio responded almost immediately. Romeo Sanabria began the sixth with a single and advanced to scoring position on a Vilar double. Cabrera briefly approached escape with a flyout from Murphy, but then Reyes swatted a three-run homer to right field that returned the advantage right back to San Antonio at 7-6. Zane Russell came on to finish the inning, but the damage had been done to the starter.

Higginbotham got another quick out to start his part of the sixth, but on back-to-back pitches, Peña doubled, and Troy singled to level the game at 7-7. The Calf Fries threatened for more, packing the bases with only one out. Higginbotham wiggled out of trouble with a strikeout and pop out, so the game stayed tied.

Alfred Morillo replaced Russell in the seventh, and Morillo walked himself into trouble after he struck out Francisco Acuña. Devin Ortiz and Valenzuela each reached via the free pass, and both runners advanced on a balk, setting up a chaotic play. Sanabria grounded to second, and Troy threw him out. However, Ortiz took advantage of the distraction to bolt home and force the first baseman Peña to make the tough throw to the plate. The attempt sailed away, letting not only Ortiz but also Valenzuela score. As the dust settled, San Antonio led 9-7 heading into the seventh inning stretch.

Higginbotham gave way to Ethan Routzahn, who made his 2025 Missions debut in the home half of the seventh. Two walks sandwiched a single, giving the Calf Fries the bases loaded with nobody out. Peña skied a ball to right plenty deep enough to score a run, but after Reyes secured the catch, he hit Sanabria with the cutoff. Sanabria turned to fire the ball towards third, where Ortiz applied the tag on D'Orazio for a huge second out. Routzahn then struck out Troy to end the threat.

The Missions added a massive insurance run in the eighth thanks to Nerwilian Cedeño's RBI double off Morillo. The Calf Fries scratched one across themselves in the bottom of the inning on a Fernandez sacrifice fly, so as the game entered the ninth, San Antonio hung on to a 10-9 lead.

Landon Sims made quick work of the Missions in the top half of the ninth, bringing the Calf Fries to the plate one last time. Manuel Castro, who blew the save on Tuesday, redeemed himself in a big way. He worked around a leadoff walk and secured an exhilarating 10-9 victory for the Missions. Combined with Midland's loss, the Missions are now a game back of first place with eight games left in the first half.

UP NEXT:

The Missions continue their six-game series in Amarillo with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch on Saturday night. Righty Henry Baez (1-2, 2.47) starts for San Antonio while righty Cesar Gomez (1-1, 2.86) goes for the Sod Poodles. Catch all the action on Country Legends KKYX, 680 AM, 104.9 FM and kkyx.com. Tickets are available at samissions.com or by calling 210-675-7275. Fans can also visit the box office at Wolff Stadium on gamedays.

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