Sod Poodles Split Doubleheader against Missions
TL Amarillo Sod Poodles

Sod Poodles Split Doubleheader against Missions

Published on August 20, 2025 under Texas League (TL)
Amarillo Sod Poodles News Release


SAN ANTONIO, TX - The Amarillo Sod Poodles (61-55) split the doubleheader with the San Antonio Missions (57-59), losing game one, 5-4, and emerging victorious in game two, 4-2. on Tuesday evening at Nelson W. Wolff Stadium. After surrendering the lead late on a Missions sixth inning home run, the Soddies scored early in game two to earn the doubleheader split behind a strong starting pitching performance.

The Missions took a 1-0 lead in the first on Francisco Acuña's RBI double. Amarillo answered in the second as Jose Fernandez snuck a solo shot inside the left field foul pole to tie the ballgame. The shortstop collected his 70th RBI, the first Texas Leaguer to reach that mark this season.

Mitch Bratt tallied three scoreless innings, retiring six straight to complete four innings. In the fifth, Christian Cerda continued his recent power surge and deposited a solo shot for a 2-1 lead. Doubles from Jack Hurley and Jean Walters, along with a LuJames Groover sacrifice fly made it 4-1 Sod Poodles.

A one-out triple jumpstarted a rally as San Antonio scored three on four hits to make it 4-4 after five. Acuña delivered a two-out, two RBI double to tie the game.

With two outs in the sixth, Albert Fabian launched a go-ahead solo blast to right field to give the Missions a 5-4 advantage.

Ryan Waldschmidt provided life for Amarillo in the seventh with a one-out triple. Groover hit a soft grounder to the left side, but Acuña made a great throw to the plate to get Waldschmidt. San Antonio got a punchout to complete the comeback victory.

Game two of the series and doubleheader will feature RHP Jose Cabrera (7-5, 5.29) and RHP Eric Yost (1-2, 3.12).

GAME TWO

Amarillo's first baseman got things going right away as Manuel Pena led off game two with a double in the left-center gap. He wound up scoring the first run for the Sod Poodles in the nightcap in Jose Fernandez 's RBI single to right for the early lead. With the bases full, Caleb Roberts worked a walk to plate another run and Christian Cerda added a sacrifice fly to give the Sod Poodles a 3-0 advantage by the end of the inning.

Gavin Conticello worked his way up to third base after a double to begin the top of the third. As Cerda stepped back up to the dish, the designated hitter grounded one towards the right side of the infield, allowing Conticello to score on a fielder's choice to extend the Amarillo lead to four.

Jose Cabrera trotted back out for his third inning of work and retired the side in order, finishing his third consecutive 1-2-3 inning to open his evening on the hill.

Going into the bottom of the sixth, the Missions were still scoreless until Damon Dues hit his first Double-A home run. Romeo Sanabria launched a solo shot later in the frame to cut the deficit to two, but Landon Sims came on to pitch the ninth for Amarillo and closed the door with a strikeout to secure the 4-2 win.

The series continues tomorrow night with RHP Roman Angelo (3-9, 5.40) and LHP Jagger Haynes (3-2, 4.20) scheduled to start.

POSTGAME NOTES

HIP HIP JOSE: With a 2-for-3 effort, Jose Fernandez notched his 31st multi-hit game of the season...the shortstop surpasses LuJames Groover for the team lead...Fernandez's .373 (19-for-51) average in August is the third best in the Texas League during the month.

POWER SURGE: Catcher Christian Cerda has four homers over his most recent two games, becoming the third Soddie all-time to accomplish that feat (Corbin Carroll, 2022 and Seth Beer, 2023).

DON'T WORRY, CABBY: Soddies' starter Jose Cabrera picked up his team-leading ninth quality start this evening, tossing six innings where he allowed two runs on three hits...since July 1, he is 5-3 with a 3.38 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP, and 36 strikeouts over 45.1 innings.

MANNY MANIA: Over his most recent seven games, Manuel Pena has five multi-hit efforts...he is batting .448 (13-for-29) with eight runs scored and five doubles over that span (since August 13).

Check out the Amarillo Sod Poodles Statistics

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Texas League Stories from August 20, 2025


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