Amarillo Holds Off Wichita for Fourth Straight Win

Amarillo, Texas (July 25, 2024) – The Amarillo Sod Poodles carried a shutout bid into the ninth inning and held off a late Wind Surge rally to win their fourth straight game. Three early runs were enough in a 3-2 win as the Sod Poodles have now taken the first three against Wichita to secure at least a series split.

Both starting pitchers worked three-up, three-down opening frames on Thursday night. Dylan File worked around a two-out single in the top of the second. Christian MacLeod wasn't as fortunate. The first Double-A hit he allowed gave Amarillo a 1-0 lead as Tim Tawa hit a leadoff homer in the second for his 17th of the year. The long ball was back in force for the Sod Poodles in the bottom of the third. A.J. Vukovich extended the lead, hitting a two-run homer, his 10th of the season.

File dominated the game once again. The right-hander worked six scoreless innings where he allowed just three hits and added four strikeouts with a walk. The leadoff double he allowed in the top of the fourth inning was the only baserunner he allowed to get into scoring position.

Jhosmer Alvarez worked two innings in relief of File and struck out four of his own over allowing just one hit. Jesus Valdez extended his hitting streak to eight games with a double in the home half of the fifth, but he and Jancarlos Cintron were left stranded in scoring position.

Cintron and Tawa provided the final two Amarillo hits of the game - both singles - one in the seventh and one in the eighth but couldn't add any more insurance.

Kyle Amendt rode his 10 game scoreless streak into the ninth. A leadoff walk and wild pitch saw just the second Wind Surge batter make it into scoring position for the game. Amendt got the first out via a pop up to Ivan Melendez at first base before seeing the first hit allowed off him since June 16th placing runners on the corners. Tanner Schobel followed with a two-run RBI triple and served as the tying run 90 ft. away. Amendt then buckled down getting a groundout that didn't allow Schobel to break home before punctuating Amarillo's fourth straight win with a strikeout of Noah Cardenas.

Christmas will come early for the HODGETOWN faithful as the Sod Poodles will host their Christmas in July game on Friday night. RHP Billy Corcoran (5-3, 4.03 ERA) will get the start on the bump against the Wind Surge and RHP Marco Raya (0-3, 5.83). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

NOTES:

TAWA PAWA: Tim Tawa got Amarillo on the board with his 17th home run of the season and 44th overall with Amarillo. It is the second home run for Tawa of the series after also leaving the yard in the series opener on Tuesday night. His 17 trips around the bases are now just one off the current Texas League lead held by Ivan Melendez.

Timmy Taters taste terrific this Thirsty Thursday pic.twitter.com/AsGNSxvsdw

— Amarillo Sod Poodles (@sodpoodles) July 26, 2024

THERMO VUKLEAR: A.J. Vukovich continued his post-All-Star Break tear, finishing Thursday night 1-for-4 with another two RBI as he reached double-digit homers for the second straight season with Amarillo. His two RBI night give him six straight games with an RBI and 11 in his last six games played since the start of the Springfield series. Like Tawa, Vukovich also left the yard in the opener on Tuesday night and has five XBH in his last six games.

THURSDY NIGHT VUK NUKE ‼️ pic.twitter.com/ubhyuHOmFD

— Amarillo Sod Poodles (@sodpoodles) July 26, 2024

SEVENTH HEAVEN: After collecting a double in the bottom of the fifth inning, Jesus Valdez has now had an XBH in seven straight games, the most by any player in the Texas League this season. He broke a tie with Tulsa's Damon Kieth who had a six-game stretch with extra bases from June 23-30th. He joins Caleb Roberts (8), Ryan Bliss (7), and A.J. Vukovich (7) as the only Sod Poodles players to hit for extra bases in seven straight games. Roberts set the record from June 24th through July 3rd last year. He also now holds the longest hitting streak by any Sod Poodle this year, hitting safely in each of his last eight games dating back to July 5th. During the stretch Valdez is hitting .481 (13-for-27) with a home run, six doubles, a triple, three RBI, and has drawn two walks while striking out just five times.

FILED AWAY ANOTHER ONE: Dylan File tossed his third straight quality start and his fifth in his last six games after giving the Sod Poodles six scoreless innings where he allowed just three hits and added four strikeouts. Over his last six games, File owns a 3-1 record with a 2.37 ERA and has surrendered 31 hits over 38.0 IP with 32 strikeouts and five walks. Thursday night was his eighth overall quality start this season, placing him in a three-way tie for the most quality starts in a single-season by an Amarillo pitcher. He joins Brandon Pfaadt (2022) and Slade Cecconi (2022). Billy Corcoran will have a chance to join that list on Friday night as he sits at seven entering his start on Friday night. The five wins by File this year match Corcoran for the most by an Amarillo player this season.