File Tosses Seven Scoreless in Amarillo Win

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (May 9, 2024) – A day after being shut out, the Amarillo Sod Poodles nearly returned the favor to the Corpus Christi Hooks on Thursday night. Dylan File tossed his second quality start of the year, going seven scoreless innings while scattering just five hits without a free pass issued in Amarillo's 2-1 win.

File worked his first 4.2 IP before seeing a Hook get into scoring position. It wasn't until the bottom of the fifth that the Amarillo right-hander allowed more than one base runner in an inning. The two-out single off File was the final of the five hits he allowed for the night before rattling off seven straight outs to end his outing.

The Sod Poodles were held in check by Julio Robaina through their first five innings as well. A.J. Vukovich was the only Soddie to reach scoring position over the span with a leadoff double in the top of the second. His single in the fourth came with two outs and after Deyvison De Los Santos was caught trying to steal his way into scoring position after leading off the inning with a single.

Tim Tawa broke the scoreless tie with a towering solo shot on the first pitch in the top of the sixth. With each of the next four Sod Poodles hitters being retired by Robaina into the seventh, Wilderd Patiño doubled the Amarillo advantage with an opposite-field solo blast of his own to make it 2-0.

Right-hander Luke Albright took over on the mound for the Sod Poodles in the bottom of the eighth and retired the side in order on just 12 pitches. Gerardo Gutierrez was called on to close the game in the ninth. After sitting down the first two batters he faced, Collin Price picked up the first hit allowed by Gutierrez since being promoted to Double-A with a solo home run to make it a one-run game. The Amarillo right-hander responded by striking out Ryan Wrobleski to earn his second save in as many tries with Amarillo.

With a series lead in hand, Amarillo will look to make it back-to-back wins when the series continues on Friday night from Whataburger Field. RHP Jamison Hill (0-2, 7.20 ERA) will take the ball for the Soddies. RHP Miguel Ullola (1-1, 4.88 ERA) will counter him for the Hooks. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m.

NOTES:

THE DYLAN FILE(S): Dylan File matched his season-high with his 7.0 IP on Thursday night in Corpus Christi. The right-hander allowed just five hits over his seven scoreless innings en route to earning his second win and quality start of the season. Over his last three starts, File has worked a combined 19.0 IP while allowing just two earned runs and has eight strikeouts to just one walk.

TIMMY TANKS: Playing in his 200th career regular season game for Amarillo, Tim Tawa blasted his fifth home run of the season. His sixth-inning solo home run was the 32nd of his Amarillo career, placing him back into a tie with Deyvison De Los Santos for the most ever by an Amarillo player. Tawa is already the franchise's all-time leader in hits (180), runs scored (118), walks (88), total bases (310), and XBH (65). He is second in RBI (109), and ranks third in doubles (32).

GONE WILD(ERD): Sod Poodles outfielder Wilderd Patiño collected his first hit of the series with an opposite-field solo homer in the top of the seventh. It was his second round-tripper of the year and first since leading off the game with a home run on April 10th on the road in Midland.

ALBRIGHT, ALBRIGHT, ALBRIGHT: Luke Albright made his fourth relief appearance of the season. The right-hander worked a 1-2-3 eighth inning, his third scoreless appearance out of the bullpen in his four outings. Over seven innings out of the bullpen, Albright has allowed just five hits and four runs with all four runs and four of those hits coming last Saturday night against Midland.

IN GUTEY WE TRUST: Gerardo Gutierrez collected his second Double-A save for Amarillo. The right-hander made his eighth appearance since being promoted from High-A Hillsboro and a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the ninth was the first hit he had allowed over his first seven innings. Of his eight appearances, Gutierrez has now finished the game seven times and has seven strikeouts without a walk issued to go with his one hit and earned run surrendered.