Jamison Hill Goes Seven Quality Innings in Loss

AMARILLO, Texas (May 4, 2024) – Amarillo dropped their Star Wars Night game against the Midland RockHounds 6-0 on Friday night. Jamison Hill delivered a quality start, going a season-high seven innings and allowed just two earned on five hits with four strikeouts. The Amarillo right-hander was outdueled by Midland's Gunnar Hoglund who also went seven scoreless and limited Amarillo to just two hits with eight strikeouts.

Hill retired nine of the first 10 he faced, allowing just a two-out single in the top of the second. Midland's Cooper Bowman scored the night's first run, hitting a first-pitch solo shot over the left field wall. Hill responded by retiring each of the next three batters he faced. Hoglund retired each of the first 14 he faced, but surrendered a two-out walk before a double gave Amarillo their first hit of the night. J.J. D'Orazio was cut down at home trying to level the score at one a piece on Wilderd Patiño's first hit of the series.

Back-to-back singles off Hill in the top of the sixth put runners on the corners ahead of a ground out that scored Midland's second run. A two-out single kept the RockHounds at the plate before Hill ended the threat by inducing a flyout. Kristian Robinson led off the Sod Poodles half of the sixth with an infield single, his second hit of the week. Robinson was left on second as each of the next two in the Amarillo order failed to bring him home.

In his final inning of work, Hill sat down each of the three RockHounds he was tasked to face. Hoglund struck out two of the final three batters of his outing en route to matching his career-high in strikeouts, a mark he set and matched against Amarill in his two appearances this year.

Conor Grammes was tasked with pitching the top of the eighth for Amarillo. The right-hander saw a leadoff walk followed by a RBI double to the first two batters he faced. Grammes earned a pair of outs ahead of consecutive walks to load the bases and forced a pitching change after 33 pitches. Taylor Rashi was the next man out of the bullpen for Amarillo. A wild pitch, walk, and two-RBI single added to the Midland lead before Rashi could get Amarillo out of the top of the eighth.

Tim Tawa picked up Amarillo's third and final hit of the night with a two-out single but a double play swiftly brought an end to any new hope the Amarillo dugout may have had.

Amarillo will need a win in the series finale to secure a series split and avoid dropping consecutive series against their Oil Pan Cup rivals to start the 2024 season. First pitch on Sunday is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. After the final out, the team hits the road to start a series against the Corpus Christi Hooks beginning Tuesday, May 7.

NOTES:

THIS IS THE HILL THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR: Jamison Hill set his new season high by working 7.0 IP on Saturday night. The right-hander set his career-high with 8.0 IP in his second to last start of the 2023 season against the RockHounds. It was Hill's 10th career quality start and just the second time he did not receive a win in the effort and the only time he has taken a loss despite turning in a QS. It was the third quality start by an Amarillo pitcher this season - all coming in the last seven games Amarillo has played in.

Y'ALL GOT ANY MORE OF THEM RUNS: Saturday's shutout loss marked the first time in team history that the Sod Poodles have been shutout in back-to-back games at HODGETOWN. It is only the seventh time in team history being shut out at home with the RockHounds being able to stake claim to four of those shutouts since 2019. Over the last 18.0 IP, Amarillo has been held to just six hits, and have succumbed to 18 strikeouts. After advancing to second on a ground out in the bottom of the sixth, Kristian Robinson was the only Sod Poodle to be in scoring position for the night. The Sod Poodles are 0-for-13 with RISP over the last two games.