Soddies Win in Grand Style
August 14, 2024 - Texas League (TL)
Amarillo Sod Poodles News Release
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Amarillo took a 2-0 series lead against San Antonio with a 5-3 victory on Wednesday night. With Midland losing, they gained a game in the playoff race.
Kristian Robinson hit his sixth home run of the year and Amarillo's second grand slam of the year to take a 5-1 lead in the eighth inning. Tim Tawa hit his Texas League leading 21st home run of the year to start the game's scoring in the fifth. Dylan Ray gave up one run across five innings and struck out five.
The 7th-rated prospect in the Padres organization, Henry Baez flirted with danger all night, and it started in the first inning. A.J. Vukovich singled to start the game and a groundout moved him to second. Tim Tawa walked but a pair of groundouts ended the half inning. Dylan Ray took the mound for the Sod Poodles and gave up a hit and a walk while striking out a pair in a scoreless inning.
Kevin Graham singled before a Kristian Robinson walk, but the Soddies couldn't cash in. After allowing a leadoff single, Ray induced a double play and then struck out his third batter of the game.
Andy Weber hit a two-out double and Ivan Melendez reached base for the first time since returning on a walk. Neyfy Castillo grounded into a hard out. Ray worked a 1-2-3 third inning.
For the fourth straight inning, the Sod Poodles got two baserunners on. This time coming on a Lyle Lin single and a Vukovich single with two outs, but once again they couldn't score. After a leadoff single, Lin gunned down the runner trying to steal second. Ray then got out of the inning without any damage.
Tawa started the scoring with a leadoff home run in the fifth. His Texas League leading 21st home run cut through the wind in left field. Weber added his second hit of the game in the inning. Robert Perez Jr. rifled a solo shot over the left field wall to tie the game in the home half. The first run of the series for the Missions came 13 innings in. Ray allowed a double before ending his outing on a high note, picking up his fifth strikeout.
Tied at one, the only runner the Soddies had in the sixth was from a walk from Robinson. Jake Rice pitched a 1-2-3 sixth inning striking out a pair.
In the top of the seventh, the top of the Amarillo order went down in order before Jamison Hill returned the favor.
The eighth saw the Sod Poodles offense explode for four runs, all coming from one big swing. Weber started the inning with his third hit and Melendez reached on an error. After a Castillo walk loaded the bases, Graham struck out swinging. Robinson then delivered the big blow, launching Amarillo's second grand slam of the year over the left-center field wall. Jhosmer Alvarez entered the game with a 5-1 lead. He allowed three consecutive singles followed by a walk to bring a run in and load the bases. He struck the next batter out and induced a fielder's choice to end the inning, only surrendering one.
Amarillo went down in order in the ninth. Mitchell Stumpo pitched the bottom of the ninth. He walked the first batter who moved to second on a groundout to second. Stumpo collected the second out on a strikeout before a bloop single landed inches in front of a diving Graham in left field and scored a run. A jammed single into right put the tying run on base with two outs. A walk loaded the bases but Stumpo punched out the pinch hitter to end the game.
Stumpo's ninth save secured the 5-3 win in game two of the series for Amarillo. Game three in San Antonio will be on Thursday night at 7:05 P.M.
Notes
Ray Day: Dylan Ray allowed just one run through five innings of work in his start Wednesday evening. He scattered five hits while picking up five strikeouts in the game. The D-backs 16th-rated prospect gave up his only run on a solo shot and decreased his ERA to 4.50. Across his three August starts, he is 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA. He has thrown 16.2 innings, given up five runs on ten hits and struck out 16.
Slamarillo on Tour: Kristian Robinson vaulted the Sod Poodles to a 5-1 lead in the eighth inning on his sixth home run of the year, which came in grand style. With the bases loaded and one out late in a tie game Robinson blasted a grand slam over the left-center field wall. This is the second grand slam of the year for Amarillo and the first since May 12th in Corpus Christi. Tim Tawa hit that blast earlier in the season.
Twenty One Timmy-Tanks: Tim Tawa crushed his Texas League Leading 21st home run of the year on Wednesday night. His 63 RBI's are the second most in the league, three behind A.J. Vukovich. He ended the night 1/4 with a home run and a walk. He leads Amarillo in HR's, is second in RBI's, 1st in Hits, and OPS.
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