Pena's Walk-Off Bomb Completes Sod Poodles Doubleheader Sweep
TL Amarillo Sod Poodles

Pena's Walk-Off Bomb Completes Sod Poodles Doubleheader Sweep

July 31, 2025 - Texas League (TL)
Amarillo Sod Poodles News Release


AMARILLO, TX - The Amarillo Sod Poodles (51-48) defeated the Wichita Wind Surge (52-47), 7-1 and 3-2, on Thursday night in a doubleheader at HODGETOWN. The Soddies improve to 6-0 in doubleheader games this season and extend their winning streak to six straight.

The Sod Poodles were the beneficiaries of a ground ball double play in the first inning of game one this evening as Ryan Waldschmidt scored from third after doubling to lead off the game. It wouldn't be until the third when Wichita would plate their first run, doing so on a Kaelen Culpepper solo home run.

With Waldschmidt back on base in the home half of the third, Manuel Pena drove a ball deep to right, depositing it just beyond the right field wall for a two-run bomb that put the Sod Poodles up by two.

The low-scoring pitcher's duel carried on into the bottom of the fifth, but Jose Fernandez broke the game open with a three-run blast that cleared the left field wall for the 6-1 lead. He was followed immediately after by Christian Cerda who added a solo homer, completing back-to-back dingers for the home squad.

Amarillo's starting pitcher, Jose Cabrera, pitched through the sixth with the Culpepper home run being the only blemish to his performance. The righty struck out four for his evening on the hill, putting himself in line for the win.

Culpepper struck again for the Wind Surge in the seventh and final inning in game one, singling to bring home a second Wichita run, but Dan Kubiuk limited damage on the mound for Amarillo, securing the 7-2 win for the Sod Poodles.

GAME TWO

Two scoreless innings opened the nightcap before Wichita broke onto the scoreboard with Culpepper doubling to bring home Jose Salas who collected a two-bagger earlier in the frame.

The Soddies were blanked through the fifth, but Roman Angelo completed his fifth and final innings of work on the hill to keep it a one-run game, striking out seven Wind Surge batters along the way. As Amarillo gave way to the bullpen, Wichita tacked on their second run of game two in the top of the sixth with Walker Jenkins launching a solo homer to right.

In their final turn at-bat, Caleb Roberts and J.J. D'Orazio singled to bring the winning run to the plate. With one away and Manuel Pena at the dish, the designated hitter crushed the 1-0 pitch the other way, sending it beyond the left field fence for a walk-off three-run dinger to send Sod Poodles fans home happy, completing the doubleheader sweep on Thursday night.

The Sod Poodles are back in action tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. on Friday night against the Wind Surge. RHP Jimmy Endersby (2-2, 2.74) is scheduled to make the start for Amarillo while Wichita counters with LHP Connor Prielipp (0-4, 2.94).

POSTGAME NOTES

MANNY MANIA: Collecting a total of four hits across both games this evening was Manuel Pena, extending his hit streak to six games...since June 26, he is batting .354 (35-for-99) with 13 XBH, 21 RBI, a .994 OPS, and 11 multi-hit efforts across 23 games.

Check out the Amarillo Sod Poodles Statistics



Texas League Stories from July 31, 2025


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