Amarillo Falls in Back-and-Forth Affair

Amarillo, Texas (June 15, 2023) – A game that featured five lead changes and five combined home runs did not go in Amarillo's favor on Thursday night. The Calf Fries dropped game three of the series against San Antonio 11-9.

San Antonio struck first, plating a pair of runs in the opening inning. A leadoff home run was followed by a double and a one-out single to score two quick runs off RHP Deyni Olivero.

As quickly as they trailed, the Calf Fries responded. Ryan Bliss was plunked to start Amarillo's first trip to the plate, and Jordan Lawlar made the Missions pay for the free baserunner. Lawlar launched his ninth home run of the year over the right field fence to tie things up for the time being. The second free pass of the inning came via a two-out walk drawn by Caleb Roberts. He got to race around the bases when Camden Duzenack drove him home with a double as Amarillo took a 3-2 lead.

San Antonio got more men aboard in the top of the second as the bases were loaded on two walks and a hit batter. Olivero worked out of the jam by getting a fly out to center field, keeping the one-run lead intact.

Amarillo was right back to work in the bottom of the second inning. Neyfy Castillo launched an opposite-field solo home run to start the frame. A Nick Dalesandro single and Bliss double plated Amarillo's fifth run of the night. Lawlar reached for the second time in as many innings after drawing a walk to put the fourth straight man aboard with no outs in the inning. Following a brief delay, the Missions escaped the inning without any further damage as a double play and strikeout brought an early end to the Calf Fries threat.

A five-run top of the third put Amarillo down by two. A three-run home run by Ray-Patrick Didder, who has eight RBI over the last two games, did the bulk of the damage against Olivero. A pitching change brought on Jake Rice, who worked around a walk and single to leave both remaining Missions batters on base as the left-hander struck out two in his lone inning of labor Thursday night.

Duzenack added his second hit of the night and the only hit of Amarillo's third inning as the Calf Fries left one stranded. Right-hander Jackson Goddard came on in the top of the fourth and retired all three San Antonio hitters he faced. Dalesandro tallied his second single of the game and was followed on base after Bliss was hit for the second time on Thursday night. Two strikeouts and a sharply hit line drive ended another scoring opportunity for Amarillo as the game remained 7-5 in favor of San Antonio.

Goddard made quick work of the Missions in the fifth, striking out the side in order. Duzenack reached for the third time, drawing a one-out walk. Tim Tawa added his first hit of the night to push Duzenack into scoring position. Dalesandro continued his stellar night at the plate, driving in Amarillo's sixth run of the game to cut it to a one-run deficit.

Conor Grammes was the fourth pitcher used by Amarillo and pitched the third straight clean inning, leaving two Missions stranded in the top of the sixth. Back-to-back one-out singles had Amarillo once again threatening in the bottom of the sixth. The third straight batter reached as Roberts drew his second walk of the night to load the bases. Duzenack also added his second walk of the game, this one tying the game at seven a side. Tawa then swatted his second single in as many innings to drive in the go-ahead runs. Amarillo regained the advantage for the first time since the bottom of the second.

A couple of pick off's between second and third, one by Centeno on a throw down on a failed bunt, and another by Grammes removed some traffic on the bases for Amarillo. Left-hander Kyle Backhus entered the game with two outs in the seventh with two still aboard. A bases-clearing double tied the game as the go-ahead run advanced to third on the throw to the plate. San Antonio re-took the lead as Backhus was called for a balk to send the runner home.

The seventh walk of the game by San Antonio put Bliss on first for the third time in the game before San Antonio once again made a call to their bullpen. A double play and ensuing ground out ended Amarillo's seventh inning. A one-out solo shot extended the Missions' lead back to two runs. Backhus responded by retiring each of the next two, ending the top of the eighth with a punchout.

Deyvison De Los Santos singled to begin the bottom of the eighth. Roberts switched places with him after grounding into a fielder's choice. Amarillo wasn't able to cut into the lead before the eighth came to a close. Mitchell Stumpo headed to the mound to try and keep it a 11-9 game and did just that. He got a flyout, ground out, and strikeout to work a 1-2-3 frame for Amarillo.

The back-and-forth tilt came to an end as Amarillo was not able to get a runner on board in the bottom of the ninth in hopes of some late-game heroics.

The series will continue on Friday night with Amarillo sending RHP Jeff Bain (1-2, 6.55 ERA) to the mound to square off against RHP Nolan Watson (3-3, 2.87 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

NOTES:

THOSE BALLS ARE GONE: Arizona's top-rated prospect and the no. 8-overall in baseball launched his ninth home run of the campaign. It was his third in the first inning of a game this year and his second in a Calf Fries uniform. Trailing at the time, it also marked his sixth home run when Amarillo was behind. Of his nine home runs, all have come when Amarillo has trailed or been tied. Neyfy Castillo also launched an opposite-field homer on Thursday night, his fourth of the year. It was his second in his last three games.

FIREMAN feat. Lil' NEYne: Neyfy Castillo extended his hit streak to eight games. Over the stretch, the outfielder is hitting 13-for-32 (.406) with two home runs, a double, triple, seven RBI, and six runs scored. The stretch also includes a fourth straight game with a RBI which is currently the second-best in the Texas League, trailing only Ryan Bliss, who recorded his sixth-straight game with a run driven in on Thursday. Even past the seven-game streak, which is second on the team currently behind Tim Tawa's 10-gamer, Castillo is hitting .295 (18-for-60) over 16 games since May 11.

ONE IS NICE, DUZE BETTER: Camden Duzenack picked up a pair of hits, his first multi-hit game since game one of the doubleheader versus Springfield on June 3rd. For Duzenack, it was his fourth multi-hit game in 18 games played for Amarillo this season. He also drew the game-tying bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the sixth inning. Duzenack finished the game 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI, two walks, and a run scored.

THREE-HIT NICK: Nick Dalesandro saw his first action of the series and picked up a trio of hits in the game. It marked his fifth multi-hit effort of the season and his first since May 11 against Midland. Dalesandro went 14 games in between multi-hit efforts, ending the longest such spell of any current Amarillo player. It was his first three-hit game of the year and his first since June 4, 2022 against Midland. The do-it-all utility man for Amarillo is now riding a seven-game hit streak dating back to May 28. During this stretch, the Illinois native is hitting .450 (9-for-20).

TIMMY 10-GAMES: Playing in his first game of the series and first since June 9th in Midland extended his current hit streak to double-digits with a single in the fifth. He also drove in the go-ahead runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and a walk. It's currently the longest active hit streak in the Texas League. Tim has now had multiple double-digit hit streaks for Amarillo after having 10 straight games with a hit from Sept. 3-16 at the end of the 2022 season. The current 10-game stretch ties his career-long for consecutive games with a hit.

RISPY BUSINESS: Despite a collective 20 runs and 24 hits, the two teams combined to go just 5-for-22 with runners in scoring position on Thursday night. Amarillo left 10 runners on base while the Missions left nine of their own.