Soddies Blank Drillers, Force Decisive Game 5
September 14, 2019 - Texas League (TL1)
Amarillo Sod Poodles News Release
Tulsa, Oklahoma - The Amarillo Sod Poodles blanked the Tulsa Drillers 3-0 in Game 4 of the Texas League Championship Series on Saturday night at ONEOK Field, forcing a decisive Game 5 on Sunday afternoon.
Amarillo starter Jesse Scholtens battled through five scoreless innings as the Soddies tied the series at 2-2. The winner-take-all game for the league title begins at 1:05 p.m. on Sunday.
Scholtens' outing was backed by early offense, as Ivan Castillo blasted a solo home run off the right field foul pole in the first inning to give Amarillo a 1-0 lead. Scholtens picked up his second win of the postseason.
In the second, Buddy Reed cranked a solo home run to right field against Tulsa starter Parker Curry as the Sod Poodles took a 2-0 advantage.
Meanwhile, Scholtens worked his way in and out of trouble. The biggest jam came in the fourth, when the Drillers loaded the bases with one out. Scholtens bounced back to strike out pinch hitter Jared Walker and induced a fly out to centerfield from Jeter Downs to end the frame.
In the top of the sixth, Amarillo scratched across another run as Tulsa made two errors in the inning. The Soddies led 3-0.
Right-hander Jordan Guerrero came out of Amarillo's bullpen in the bottom half of the sixth. He tossed a scoreless sixth and returned for the seventh, where he recorded the first two outs but then walked Tulsa catcher Connor Wong.
Left-hander Travis Radke replaced Guerrero to face lefty hitter Chris Parmalee and induced a pop out on the first pitch of the at-bat.
Radke was just getting started with his outing. He returned for a scoreless eighth inning and hurled a scoreless ninth to secure Amarillo's win and pick up his first save of the Texas League postseason. Radke threw just 16 pitches in 2.1 scoreless frames.
Edward Olivares was the only Amarillo hitter to collect two hits in the low scoring affair.
In Game 5 on Sunday, the Sod Poodles send left-hander Aaron Leasher to the hill. Tulsa counters with righty Edwin Uceta.
The game is aired on 940 AM KIXZ and via streaming platforms with Sam Levitt on the play-by-play call. Pregame coverage begins at 12:45 p.m.
• Discuss this story on the Texas League message board...
Texas League Stories from September 14, 2019
- Soddies Blank Drillers, Force Decisive Game 5 - Amarillo Sod Poodles
- Amarillo Blanks Drillers to Force Winner-Take-All Game 5 Sunday at ONEOK Field - Tulsa Drillers
- Solbach, Wong Lead Drillers to Within One Win of Title - Tulsa Drillers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
