Sod Poodles Blank RockHounds on Saturday
May 3, 2025 - Texas League (TL)
Amarillo Sod Poodles News Release
MIDLAND, TX -- The Amarillo Sod Poodles (11-15) defeated the Midland RockHounds (13-13), 4-0, on Saturday evening at Momentum Bank Ballpark. The Soddies spoiled another Midland Amigos night at the ballpark in a combined four-hit shutout, highlighted by Dylan Ray 's gem.
Pitching dominated the early frames of Saturday's contest. Ray struck out four Amigos through the opening three innings, while his counterpart Kade Morris worked around plenty of traffic on the basepaths and threw three zeroes of his own.
In the fourth, Midland's first two batters reached, creating the best scoring chance of the night. Ray got out of the frame unscathed, sitting down the next three Amigos he faced, capped by Gavin Conticello 's leaping grab in foul territory to end the inning.
Amarillo responded with three consecutive hits to break the ice and take the lead. Jack Hurley started the hit parade with a one-out triple to right-center field, before Kristian Robinson drove him home with a double inside the third-base line. Robinson scored off an errant throw on a pickoff attempt to push the Amarillo lead to 2-0 after fifth complete innings.
Ray kept the Midland bats at bay, retiring the final nine hitters he saw and exited after completing six innings of shutout baseball. He gave way to Zach Barnes, who pitched a clean seventh.
Amarillo received insurance in the eighth on Ivan Melendez 's two-run shot to left field, doubling the advantage to 4-0. The designated hitter has two hits on the road in 2025, and both have left the ballpark.
Midland loaded the bases with one out in the bottom half against Landon Sims, but the reliever caught back-to-back Amigos looking at strikes to end the threat. Alfred Morillo got a game-ending double play to finish off the four-hitter and clinch consecutive victories for the Sod Poodles.
The series concludes tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. from Momentum Bank Ballpark. A pair of southpaws, Amarillo's LHP Avery Short (1-3, 6.86) and Midland's LHP James Gonzalez (2-0, 2.59) will square off.
POSTGAME NOTES
THE THREE AMIGOS: Three Amarillo relievers finished off the first shutout of the 2025 campaign, with a combined four-hitter... Zach Barnes, Landon Sims, and Alfred Morillo each pitched a single frame in relief...this is the first shutout since a combined four-hitter on August 13, 2024 vs. the Missions.
SEVEN HEAVEN: With a second-inning single, Jose Fernandez extended his hit streak to seven games...is hitting 10-for-26 (.385) with three doubles, a home run and seven RBI over this stretch...is the sixth different Sod Poodle to record a streak of 7+ games this season.
THE ACE OF DIAMONDS: The righthander was excellent on Saturday, recording six shutout frames with eight strikeouts and earned the win... Dylan Ray notched his first quality start of the season in Midland...is the first 6+ IP scoreless start of the season for Amarillo and first since Yu-Min Lin's seven inning masterpiece at home against Northwest Arkansas on August 10, 2024.
MARVELOUS MANNY: Tallying his fourth multi-hit effort in his young Double-A career was Manuel Pena. ..the first baseman had a 2-for-4 day..has hit safely in six of his first seven games as a Sod Poodle.
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