Sod Poodles Defeat Travelers 15-6 Friday Night In 18-Hit Barrage

POSTGAME NOTES
Friday, August 30, 2019 vs. Arkansas Travelers
Amarillo Sod Poodles (37-30, 71-64) | Arkansas Travelers (37-28, 74-60)
 
SOD POODLES DEFEAT TRAVELERS 15-6 FRIDAY NIGHT IN 18-HIT BARRAGE
 
AMARILLO, Texas - The Sod Poodles were victorious by a final score of 15-6 in front of 6, 812 at HODGETOWN in the series opener against the Travelers. Kyle Overstreet led the Sod Poodles offensively batting 3-for-5 with a double and four RBI. Soddies starter Sam Williams made his first professional start Friday night, tossing three innings where he allowed three runs on four hits. Williams struck out seven of his thirteen batters faced while right-hander Carlos Belen notched his second win. The Sod Poodles still remain one game up on the Midland RockHounds in the Texas League second-half South Division standings with three games to go in the regular season.
 
Arkansas struck first Friday night when they scored three runs on three hits in the first inning. Donnie Walton and Jarred Kelenic hit back-to-back singles to start the ballgame and then Evan White hit a three-run home run to left-center field to take the early 3-0 lead.
 
In the bottom of the second inning, Amarillo answered back with three runs of their own to knot the ballgame up at 3-3. Owen Miller walked to start the inning followed by a Luis Torrens single to left field. Hudson Potts then singled to left field to left field to load the bases. Kyle Overstreet hit a third consecutive single to score Miller and keep the bases loaded. Ruddy Giron then grounded into a fielder's choice which scored Torrens and moved Potts to third base. The final run of the inning came when Ricardo Sánchez balked which scored Potts from third base.
 
Amarillo tacked on five runs in the third inning to take the 8-3 lead. Ivan Castillo started the inning with bunt single down the third baseline and advanced to second base via a pickoff error. Edward Olivares singled to center field advancing Castillo to third base. Miller followed the Olivares single with an RBI single through the hole at second base. Torrens followed with an RBI single to right field and moved up to second base via a throwing error. A Potts sacrifice fly scored Miller. Giron finished the inning with a two-run home run to left field.
 
The Travelers cut the Amarillo lead to 8-4 in the fourth inning. Jordan Cowan started the inning with a single through the hole at shortstop and then stole second base. Cowan advanced to third base on a Luis Liberato ground out. Nick Zammarelli hit an RBI single to right-center field to score Cowan.
 
In the fifth inning, Arkansas narrowed the Amarillo when White hit a solo home run to left field to make the score 8-5.
 
The Sod Poodles extended their lead in the sixth inning by plating three runs on three hits. After a Giron ground out to start the inning, Buddy Reed belted a solo home run to left field. Trammell followed with a double to left-center field and moved up to third base on a Castillo ground out. Olivares then crushed a two-run home run to left field to give the Sod Poodles the 11-5.
 
Amarillo added four insurance runs in the eighth inning to push to the lead to 15-5. Trammell started off the inning with a solo home run to center field. Castillo worked a walk and advanced to second on a Miller single to center field. Torrens was then hit by a pitch loading the bases. Two batters later, Kyle Overstreet roped a three-run RBI double to right-center field but was thrown out stretching the double into a triple.
 
Arkansas plated one run in the ninth inning via a Nick Thurman solo home run to right field before closer David Bednar finished off an otherwise unscathed frame. 
 
The Sod Poodles continue their last regular-season series Saturday against the Arkansas Travelers. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. 
NOTES
Tomorrow's Preview: The Sod Poodles continue their final regular-season homestand with game two against the Seattle Mariners Double-A affiliate, the Arkansas Travelers, Saturday in downtown Amarillo. 
Career First: In his first professional start and second appearance at the Double-A level, Sam Williams allowed three runs and three hits early on, but settled in quickly, allowing just one hit after with seven strikeouts over three total innings of work. 
Hits For All: Friday night marked the fourth time during the 2019 season where every Sod Poodles player collected a hit. It was the first time since July 4 against Frisco. They have met the feat every month since May. 
Five Spot: The five spot for Amarillo Friday night in the third inning marked the 9th time the team met the feat. It was the first time since 7/19 versus Northwest Arkansas. 
First Time in Double Digits: Friday night marked the first time Arkansas pitching has allowed double digits by an opposing game during the 2019 season. The highest amount of runs Travelers pitching had allowed previously was 8.
400K Reached: In the Sod Poodles 64th home game, HODGETOWN welcomed its 400,000th fan. In the span, Amarillo's community gathering place has seen a total of 407,275 fans. 
38th Sellout: HODGETOWN saw it's 38th sellout of the 2019 season in their 65th home game. 
Magic Number: The Sod Poodles magic number to clinch the second-half South Division heading into Saturday is two games since Amarillo holds the season series and tiebreaker over Midland. If Midland loses Saturday and Amarillo wins Saturday, the Sod Poodles will clinch the second-half. 
Hit Parade For Amarillo: Amarillo's 18 hits Friday night marked the most hits by the Sod Poodles in one game this season and came just one night after Amarillo set a new high of 17 on Thursday. The previous high before Thursday was 16 which they reached three times this season.  
They Were Runnin': The Sod Poodles set a new season-high in runs scored in a game as a team with 15 total of Friday night at HODGETOWN. The previous high was 13 which was recorded on May 26 against Midland. 
Starting to Heat Up: Outfielders Taylor Trammell and Buddy Reed are heating up. Trammell, who joined the Padres organization in the beginning of August, has collected multi-hit performances in three of his last five games. Since August 26, he is batted .444 (8-for-18) with four runs, a double, home run, three walks, and an RBI. Reed is batting .333 (5-for-15) on the week with three runs, a double, two home runs, and five RBI. 
The Street: Kyle Overstreet collected his second four-RBI game of the season Friday night after his 3-for-5 performance with two doubles. His first four-RBI game was recorded on July 16 against Springfield when he hit an inside-the-park grand slam at HODGETOWN. 
Playoff Picture: The Sod Poodles head into their first-ever Texas League Postseason in their inaugural season beginning Wednesday, September 4 at HODGETOWN in the South Division Championship Series. Amarillo will host the first two games on Wednesday, September 4 and Thursday, September 5. An opponent is yet to be determined but Midland currently leads the race with the second-best overall record in the South.  
Bednar's Brilliance: After 13 consecutive scoreless appearances, Amarillo reliever David Bednar allowed his first run Friday night after allowing a two-out, solo home run. Since the start of June, he has a 2.17 ERA in 28 appearances (37.1 innings) while striking out 54 batters in that span with just five walks.  
Hitting Stats: The Sod Poodles currently rank 2nd in Double-A baseball with a .263 team batting average. Amarillo sits second in all of Double-A with 644 runs scored total.
Far Out: Amarillo bats combined for four home runs for the second time in a week (Wednesday and Friday) to tie a team season-high in a game (4th time overall in 2019). Last three: 5/5 vs. ARK and 8/3 vs FRI, 8/28 vs. TUL.
PREVIOUS NOTES:
Welly Voted Best: The Texas League announced Thursday that Amarillo Sod Poodles manager Phillip Wellman has been named the 2019 Texas League Manager of the Year. It marks the veteran skipper's second Manager of the Year honor in three seasons (2017 - San Antonio). Pete Woodworth, pitching coach of the Arkansas Travelers, was selected as the Mike Coolbaugh Coach of the Year. The awards were voted on by the league's managers, staff and media. 
Hundred Mark: Buddy Reed reached the 100 career stolen base mark on Thursday. Against Tulsa, he stole two bases and now has accrued 101 stolen bags as a minor leaguer. 
GONE: In the series with Tulsa, both teams set a new HODGETOWN high of 21 total home runs in the four-game series. Tulsa hit 16 of the total with five coming off the bats of the Sod Poodles. 
30 Combined: The combined 30 hits between Amarillo and Tulsa on Thursday night marked the most by two teams during their inaugural campaign. The most previously was set on May 13 when the Sod Poodles and RockHounds combined for 28 hits. 
Lots of Runs: The combined 23 runs by Amarillo and Tulsa on Thursday at HODGETOWN set a season-high. The previous high was 21 set on May 26 with Midland. 
Series #40: In their 40th series of the 2019 season, the Sod Poodles dropped to Tulsa 1-3. It marked their 18th series loss. Overall in 2019, they hold a 19-18-3 series record. 
New High: Kyle Lloyd allowed a career-high six home runs in his 115th career minor league start. His previous high in a start was three home runs allowed, which happened three times. Two of the starts he allowed three home runs happened this season on June 3 and June 27, both at HODGETOWN. 
Postseason Stars of the Soddies: The Texas League revealed Wednesday its 2019 Postseason All-Star team, featuring a league's second-highest four (4) Amarillo Sod Poodles players. The postseason selections highlight the league's best throughout the 2019 season at each position. Sod Poodles players selected to the Postseason All-Star team are: Catcher Luis Torrens, Infielder Ivan Castillo, Outfielder Edward Olivares, and Right-Handed Pitcher Lake Bachar. 
Drillers Recap: The Sod Poodles finished their regular season with the Tulsa Drillers to HODGETOWN. Amarillo finishes with a record of 5-9. At home, the Sod Poodles went 3-4 against Tulsa with two walk-off wins on June 16 and August 28. The Sod Poodles did not fare too well in Tulsa as they went 2-5 at ONEOK Field. Eight of the 13 matchups against the Soddies and Drillers were decided by two or fewer runs this season.
 
Reed's Big Blast: Outfielder Buddy Reed knocked his 13th home run of the season Wednesday. It was his first since July 25th at Springfield and marked his first walk-off hit of 2019. 
WALK-OFF: The Sod Poodles collected their seventh walk-off victory this season and second against Tulsa this season. The team's last came on August 12 against Midland at HODGETOWN in extra innings. 
Long-Ball Parade: Amarillo and Tulsa combined for the most home runs by two teams in a game at HODGETOWN with nine total round-trippers. On Wednesday, Tulsa collected a total of five while Amarillo knocked four of their own. 
Back-to-Back: Brad Zunica and Ruddy Giron became the 4th Amarillo duo to collect back-to-back home runs in a game this season. The last duo to do it was Luis Torrens and Hudson Potts on August 3 against Frisco at HODGETOWN. 
Out-hit W: The Sod Poodles collected their 11th victory in a game this season when they were outhit. On Wednesday, they were outhit 13-11 by Tulsa. Amarillo is now 11-45 in the category. 
 
Pitchers Who Rake: Starter Lake Bachar helped his cause with a hit and RBI in game three against Tulsa, marking his second consecutive at-bat where he collected a hit and RBI. On Tuesday, reliever Blake Rogers slugged his second hit this season in big fashion with a two-out, two-RBI double in game two against Tulsa. It marked his first career extra-base hit and the ninth hit overall by a Sod Poodles pitcher this season. 
Day Games Are Good: The Sod Poodles improved to an 11-8 record in day games overall in 2019 with Wednesday's walk-off win. In the Soddies' first morning contest this season, on May 22, Amarillo won 7-6 over Corpus Christi. 
Big 6: Amarillo's big six-run frame in the third inning came one short of tying a season-high for runs scored in an inning. The Sod Poodles plated seven in an inning two times this season. The first time the Sod Poodles accomplished the feat was on April 11 vs. Corpus Christi with the second time coming on August 22 in Tulsa. 
53 Inaugural Players: In the Sod Poodles inaugural season so far, Amarillo has welcomed 53 different players - 21 players and 32 pitchers. On Wednesday, Sam Williams marked the 32nd pitcher to appear and 53rd player overall on the Amarillo all-time list. 
Largest Deficit: Monday night's game set the largest deficit the Sod Poodles have faced against Tulsa this season (seven runs). The previous largest was only two runs which came on June 23 at ONEOK Field. 
Deep Into Monday: Monday night's contest marked the longest game at HODGETOWN to date. The game one of the series with Tulsa lasted 3:35. The previous longest was 3:30 set on July 22 against Northwest Arkansas.