Kristian Robinson Homers, Drives in Two Runs

Amarillo, Texas (June 4, 2024) – Los Pointy Boots de Amarillo started their series against the visiting Tulsa Drillers with a 4-2 win on Tuesday night at HODGETOWN. Kristian Robinson finished the night with a pair of hits including his second round-tripper of the season and drove in the game-winning run as part of a multi-RBI performance. Pitching was again stellar for Amarillo, limiting the Drillers to three hits on the night.

Fresh off a career-high 10-strikeout night last Wednesday, Cole Percival toed the rubber on Tuesday night against a former club. The Amarillo right-hander made 17 relief appearances for the Drillers during the 2022-23 seasons. A couple of walks were a non-factor as Percival got three fly balls to throw a zero on the scoreboard in the first inning.

The first two Amarillo batters reached base in the bottom of the frame but the Drillers and their starter, Jared Karros, escaped the frame without allowing the first run to cross the plate. That came just two pitches into the top of the second with Jose Ramos putting the Drillers in front with a leadoff solo shot. Percival left a one-out double stranded on the bases by retiring each of the next two batters and ended the second with the first of his eight strikeouts on the night.

Like Ramos did in the second, Robinson didn't wait long to square up the baseball. The D-backs no. 17-rated prospect launched the second pitch of his leadoff at-bat in the bottom of the third to even the score at one apiece.

Brendon Davis started the Drillers fourth with another solo shot off Percival. The towering opposite-field home run could have swung the momentum back in the Drillers' favor but instead proved to be the final hit of the game allowed by the Amarillo pitching staff. Percival responded to the homer by striking out each of the next three batters he faced to send his offense back to the plate. Consecutive singles started the frame before a groundout placed runners on the corners for Amarillo. S.P. Chen got enough of the ball in his at-bat to score A.J. Vukovich from third and sent Robinson back to the plate. Working the count full and giving J.J. D'Orazio a head start, Robinson laced a ball that bounced around near the Sod Poodles bullpen. It gave D'Orazio enough time to score the go-ahead run from first base and the Sod Poodles a lead they would not relinquish.

Percival retired nine straight after surrendering the homer in the top of the fourth to put a stamp on his night. He ended the ballgame with his fourth straight quality start after working six innings where he allowed a pair of runs on three hits and had eight strikeouts. The bullpen trio of John Matthews, Gerardo Gutierrez, and Mitchell Stumpo worked the final three innings in relief of Percival without allowing a hit. The pitchers were helped out by some leather larceny behind them. The first was a double play turned by the Sod Poodles in the top of the eighth after a leadoff walk was issued by Gutierrez.

Stumpo took over on the mound in the top of the ninth protecting a two-run lead after A.J. Vukovich delivered an insurance run in the eighth. Tim Tawa reached via error and moved into scoring position on a passed ball before motoring home on the flare job off the bat of Vukovich. Stumpo was helped out by Chen who made a diving stop and throw from the hot corner for the second out in the ninth. Stumpo did the rest of the work himself en route to his team-leading fourth save of the year.

Amarillo and the Drillers will continue the series on Wednesday night. RHP Dyle File (2-3, 4.73 ERA) will get the start for the Soddies. On the other side, LHP Justin Wrobleski (3-2, 3.73 ERA) will go for the Drillers. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

NOTES:

STOPPING THE SKID: Cole Percival ensured that the Sod Poodles losing streak wasn't making it to three games. The right-hander turned in his fourth consecutive quality start and lowered his season ERA to 4.75 after allowing two runs on three hits over his six quality innings on Tuesday night. Over the course of his last four starts, Percival has set career-highs in innings pitched (7.2, 5/17 vs. FRI), strikeouts (10, 5/29 at ARK), and pitches thrown (99, 5/29 at ARK). In his last 26.2 IP, he has allowed seven earned on 19 hits with 27 strikeouts. He suffered a couple of tough-luck losses in his previous two starts, losing both games despite turning in a quality outing. His four quality starts are tied for the most by an Amarillo starter this year, doing so in just eight games.

K-POP**:** Kristian Robinson blasted his second home run of the season and ended the game 2-for-3 with a pair of XBH and RBI. Tuesday night was his fourth multi-hit game of the year in 30 games played. He has started to swing the bat better over the last 10 games. His four hits last week against Arkansas were tied for the most by any Sod Poodle for the series and his .265 AVG over the last 10 games is T-3rd on the club. He has a pair of homers and doubles each to go along with six of his season's 11 RBI. He was one of three Sod Poodles to record a multi-hit game. A,J. Vukovich (2-for-4, RBI), and Wilderd Patiño (2-for-4, SB) had the others.

GOT (LESS THAN) FIVE ON IT: Holding the Drillers to just three hits for the game, it is the 11th time this year the Amarillo pitching staff has not yielded more than five hits. Eight of those have come in the last 13 games played. Despite losing the series last week to the Travs, Sod Poodles' pitching had four games where they allowed five or fewer hits. Tuesday was the 22nd time in 52 games that the Sod Poodles have held their opponent to three or fewer runs for the game and improved to 13-9 in such games.