Pena's Blast Punctuates Extra-Inning Victory
June 4, 2025 - Texas League (TL)
Amarillo Sod Poodles News Release
TULSA, OK. - The Amarillo Sod Poodles (22-31) defeated the Tulsa Drillers (23-30), 7-3, in 10 innings on Wednesday night at ONEOK Field. Amarillo's offense came alive in the 10th, scoring four times to snap a five-game skid and secure their first extra-inning affair of the season.
Amarillo scored first when Jose Fernandez came home after Ivan Melendez grounded into a double play in the second for the 1-0 lead.
The Soddies extended their lead in the third after LuJames Groover blasted a two-run shot, his second homer on the road, for the 3-0 advantage.
Avery Short kept the Drillers off the scoreboard through five frames, punching out five batters. Tulsa did cut into the Sod Poodles lead on Damon Keith's two-run shot in the sixth and narrowed the deficit to one.
Short exited after 6.2 innings of work with six strikeouts. Following the pitching change, Tulsa knotted things up at three each on an unearned run.
Reliever Luke Albright worked clean eighth and ninth innings, allowing just one walk and striking out two. His ninth-inning zero pushed tonight's ballgame to extra innings for the fourth time this season.
On the first pitch of the 10th inning, Kristian Robinson punched a RBI single into center field to give the Soddies a 4-3 lead. Groover added another run, driving home Robinson with a base hit into left to make it 5-3. Manuel Pena delivered the biggest blow of the night with a no-doubter to right-center field and extended Amarillo's lead to 7-3.
The Soddies called on Landon Sims to pitch the bottom half of the tenth. Sims struck out two, including the final batter to secure Amarillo's first extra-inning win of the season and snap a five-game losing streak.
The series continues from T-Town on Thursday, as the squads are set for a 7:00 p.m. first pitch. Amarillo will send RHP Roman Angelo (0-4, 6.26) to the hill while Tulsa counters with RHP Chris Campos (2-2, 5.09) in the third game of the six-game set.
POSTGAME NOTES
STRIKING OIL: Leaving the yard tonight were LuJames Groover and Manuel Pena ...Groover tallied his eighth round tripper of the season and his first two-run variety, while Pena added his second of the 2025 campaign...are the Soddies' first homers in four games (Jack Hurley, 5/29) and the 18th and 19th overall home runs away from HODGETOWN in 2025.
SHORT QUALITY: The remaining southpaw in the Amarillo rotation Avery Short delivered his fifth quality start of the season...threw 6.2 innings with two earned runs and six strikeouts...set a new high for innings pitched in his Double-A career...becomes the sixth pitcher in the Texas League to record at least five quality starts in 2025, joining former teammate Dylan Ray.
EXUBERANT EXTRAS: Amarillo managed four runs in the 10th inning, accomplishing that for the fourth time in franchise history...most recently on July 9, 2022 at Wichita in a 6-3, 10-inning win.
Texas League Stories from June 4, 2025
- Drillers Dropped in Extra Innings by Amarillo - Tulsa Drillers
- Zavala Drills Homer, RoughRiders Clipped by Cardinals - Frisco RoughRiders
- Pena's Blast Punctuates Extra-Inning Victory - Amarillo Sod Poodles
- Roby Wins Third-Straight, Beats Former Club - Springfield Cardinals
- Mancini Goes Seven, Travs Even Series - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Travs Post Complete Effort in Road W - Arkansas Travelers
- Drillers Win Game, But Lose No-Hit Bid - Tulsa Drillers
- Amarillo Blanked in Series Opener - Amarillo Sod Poodles
- Bats Break out in Series Opening Triumph - Corpus Christi Hooks
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