Eight Run Inning Lifts Sod Poodles Over Travs

Amarillo, Texas (August 28, 2024) – Trailing 5-1 entering the bottom of the seventh inning, Amarillo used an eight-run inning to complete their comeback bid on Wednesday night. They used another two runs in the eighth to fend off the Arkansas Travelers and earn an 11-6 win to even the series after two games.

Spencer Giesting was lights out through the first five innings on the mound as he worked into the sixth. The D-backs' no. 27-rated prospect worked through trouble in four of the first five innings, seeing a Travs base runner in scoring position in every inning except the third. The southpaw worked around the trouble as he worked a Double-A high nine strikeouts after setting his previous high with eight last Wednesday night.

His offense gave him a lead to work with after the fourth. Amarillo loaded the bases before recording an out with the help of back-to-back singles from Caleb Roberts and Christian Cerda and a walk from Kristian Robinson. Jean Walters' productive out on the sac fly plated the night's first run. Giesting worked into more trouble in the sixth before his night came to an end. The first two Arkansas batters reached base to start the inning and a deep fly out allowed both to move into scoring position for Conor Grammes to try and navigate his way around. A walk, sac fly, and two-RBI double saw the Travs take a 3-1 lead and ended Giesting's chances at earning a decision. Arkansas added to their lead with a two-RBI single in the seventh to make it 5-1.

Amarillo's late rally started with three straight walks and a Jesus Valdez sac fly. The fourth walk issued by Travs pitchers in the inning re-loaded the bases for Ivan Melendez. The D-backs' no. 23-rated prospect was hit by a pitch to bring Amarillo within two. Roberts then promptly singled home the Soddies' fourth run and left the bases loaded for Cerda. His second hit of the night was a bases-clearing double as he picked up his first three Double-A RBI and provided Amarillo a 7-5 advantage. He was moved to third on a single to place runners on the corners before Walters' picked up his second sac fly of the night to go along with a pair of walks. The eight-run inning culminated with Andy Weber getting the fourth hit of the frame, scoring Robinson to make it 9-5.

The Travs got one run right back as a one-out single worked around the bases with the help of an error, passed ball, and RBI single for their final run of the night. Kevin Graham took over for Melendez at first base to start the top of the eighth and needed to see just one pitch in his one and only trip to the plate. He turned around a fastball and gave Amarillo an 11-6 lead after A.J. Vukovich was hit by a pitch to start the inning.

Jhosmer Alvarez worked the top of the ninth for Amarillo and allowed one hit and got a strikeout during his lone inning of work on Wednesday.

The series will resume on Thursday with D-backs' no. 7-rated prospect Yu-Min Lin (3-5, 4.50 ERA) taking the ball for Amarillo. He'll square off against the Travs and fellow left-hander Danny Wirchansky (6-6, 2.60 ERA), who enters the game as the current Texas League leader in ERA this year. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.

NOTES:

CERDA BOYS: Christian Cerda earned his first two hits since arriving in Double-A. The D-backs' no. 29-rated prospect ended the game with his first multi-hit and multi-RBI game, going 2-for-3 with a double, three RBI, two walks, and a run. His bases-clearing double in the bottom of the seventh pushed the Sod Poodles in front, and they never looked back. His two walks aren't new for the catcher. He drew 93 of them a season ago, which were the second-most by any minor league catcher only behind Arkansas' Harry Ford (103).

THE GREAT GRAHAMBINO: After replacing Ivan Melendez in the top of the eighth as a defensive replacement, Kevin Graham strolled to the plate for his lone at-bat in the bottom of the inning. Graham jumped on the first pitch he saw in the inning, taking Jake Haberer deep for his fourth home run of the season and first since June 28th on the road in Tulsa.

WALK THIS WAY: The 11 walks issued by Travs pitchers on Wednesday night were the second-most Amarillo has drawn in any game this year. The Sod Poodles drew a season-high 14 free passes on May 24th on the road against NW Arkansas.

FOUR SCORES AND 121 GAMES AGO: The four-run deficit Amarillo faced entering the bottom of the seventh marked the largest the Sod Poodles have battled back from and won a game this season. Amarillo had previously overcome five different three-run deficits, the last coming on August 18 on the road in San Antonio. Wednesday's win also marks just the eighth time the Sod Poodles have come back and won a game when trailing after the sixth this season.