Nelson Adds Quality Start In Sod Poodles Extra Innings Loss

Wednesday, August 18, 2021 @ Midland RockHounds [OAK]

Amarillo Sod Poodles (41-50) | Midland RockHounds (45-47)

Midland, Texas — The Amarillo Sod Poodles scored runs in the seventh and eighth innings to send Wednesday's game to extra innings where the team ultimately fell to the RockHounds by a score of 4-3. The Soddies loaded the bases in the extra frame but could not push a run across.

As they did on Tuesday night, the Amarillo Sod Poodles jumped out in front of the RockHounds with a run in the top of the first inning. After seeing the first two batters go down on strikes, Ryder Jones hit a solo home run to right field, giving the Soddies a 1-0 lead.

With the early lead, D-backs' No 18 rated prospect Ryne Nelson took the mound coming off back-to-back wins in his last two outings. Midland was able to tie the game in the bottom of the first. A pair of singles placed runners on the corners before a wild pitch from Nelson knotted the game at a run a piece.The RockHounds tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the second on three straight singles and a sacrifice fly.

Each team managed to get just one runner into scoring position over the next three innings. Dominic Miroglio singled with one out in the top of the fifth and was moved to second on a walk. Both runners were left stranded as the next two batters struck out for Amarillo. Midland hit a two-out double off Nelson but the right-hander induced a fly out to get out of the bottom of the fifth.

Jones picked up his second hit of the night, a single to lead off the top of the 6th inning but was also left stranded on second base. The Sod Poodles cut into the two run deficit in the top of the seventh inning. Midland made a pitching change after their starter, Brady Feigl, went six innings and gave up four hits and one run with a season-high 10 strikeouts. Luis Basabe singled to start the inning for Amarillo. A walk and two wild pitches moved Basabe to third, allowing him to score on Dominic Fletcher's sacrifice fly, making it a 3-2 game in favor of the RockHounds.

Joe Jones replaced Nelson on the mound for the Soddies after Nelson gave Amarillo six innings where he allowed three runs on a season-high eight hits. Jones allowed a two-out double and walk, giving Midland a pair of runners. A ground ball force out got Jones through the inning and sent Amarillo back to the plate for the top of the eighth.

Buddy Kennedy drew a walk with one out, sending D-backs' No. 3 rated prospect Geraldo Perdomo to the plate. Perdomo smacked his third triple into right field, scoring Kennedy and tying the game at 3-3. Perdomo was stranded at third when Basabe flew out to left field. Justin Lewis pitched a hitless eighth inning for Amarillo with two strikeouts in the frame.

Fletcher singled with two-outs in the top of the ninth and moved into scoring position after the fourth wild pitch of the night by Midland arms. Fletcher was left standing on second base when Dominic Canzone lined out to the Midland second baseman.

Lewis gave up a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth but got a pop up into foul territory to send the game to extra innings.

Jones pushed Canzone over to third with a ground ball, giving the Sod Poodles a runner on third with just one out to start the 10th. Kennedy drew his third walk of the night for runners on the corners. Perdomo struck out before a second walk in the inning loaded the bases and forced Midland to make a pitching change. After jumping ahead in the count 3-0, Basabe took a strike then fouled off a ball, working the count full. The Sod Poodles were unable to push any runs across the plate as Basabe struck out to end the prime scoring threat.

Like Amarillo did in the top of the inning, The RockHounds pushed the designated runner to third with a ground out. A sacrifice fly into center field by the next batter was deep enough to score the runner, giving the RockHounds the walk-off victory.

Amarillo and Midland continue their series Thursday night from Momentum Bank Ballpark. Right-hander and newest Sod Poodles' pitcher Brandon Pfaadt makes his Double-A debut after being promoted from High-A Hillsboro prior to this series.

Notes:

Jones-y: Infielder Ryder Jones was one of two Amarillo players with a multi-hit game on Wednesday night. Jones got the scoring started with his solo home run in the top of the first inning. The blast was Jones' fourth of the year in Double-A and first since August 3rd on the road in Frisco. Jones picked up his second hit of the ballgame when he led off the sixth with a single. It was Jones' ninth multi-hit game with Amarillo and fourth in 13 games played in August. Jones finished the Corpus Christi series with back-to-back multi-hit games, giving him three in his last four games played. His current four game hit streak matches the longest such stretch of his season so far. Jones is hitting .438 (7-for-16) with just one extra base hit and RBI, each coming in Wednesday's loss.

Quality Stuff: Sod Poodles starter and D-backs' No. 18 rated prospect Ryne Nelson picked up his fourth quality start of the season. Nelson fired six innings and allowed eight hits but just three runs - all of which were earned. The eight hits marked a career-high for Nelson, topping the seven hits he allowed against Midland on July 13th. It was the first time since his Double-A debut on June 30th that Nelson had allowed more than two runs in a start. His four quality starts for Amarillo place him in a tie for the team-lead with RHP Matt Tabor who also had four quality starts in his 10 outings with Amarillo before being promoted to Triple-A Reno on July 31st. It was the 24th quality start of the year for Amarillo arms and their seventh in the month of August.

Free Baseball: Amarillo drops to 3-5 in extra innings games in 2021 after Wednesday's 4-3 loss to the RockHounds. After winning their first two extra innings games of the year, Amarillo has lost their last four in extras and five of their last six. Amarillo has dropped two straight in extra innings in Midland after the RockHounds took down the Soddies in the 10th on July 18th, making Amarillo 1-2 in extras against the Hounds in 2021. The Sod Poodles finished the inaugural 2019 campaign 3-5 in extra innings games.

Go, Go, Perdomo: The Arizona Diamondbacks No. 3 rated prospect Geraldo Perdomo has continued to produce a t the plate for the Soddies since his activation from the Development list. Since his return, Perdomo has hit .282 (11-for-39) with five extra base hits while driving in six runs and drawing six walks in 11 games. In 47 games prior he also had five XBH and 11 RBI while hitting just .151.

These Boots: Buddy Kennedy drew three walks in a game for the first time in Double-A and 7th time this season for an Amarillo player. Former Soddie Alek Thomas did it twice this year while Geraldo Perdomo also had two such games. Dominic Miroglio and Michael De La Cruz also each had a three walk night for the Soddies. Rodrigo Orozco is the only Amarillo Sod Poodle to draw four or more walks in a game, getting four free passes against Northwest Arkansas on July 22, 2019.

Race for the Oil-Pan Cup: Amarillo falls behind 9-11 in the series long chase for the Oil Pan Cup between Amarillo and Midland. The Sod Poodles took the first season-series 17-12 in 2019. The Sod Poodles will now have to win three of the final four games in the series to keep the Oil Pan Cup at HODGETOWN for at least another season.

Later Third: Despite the last comeback attempt, the Sod Poodles record drops to 5-40 when trailing after the 7th inning. Amarillo was able to tie the game in the top of the 8th, making them now 5-5 when tied heading into the last inning.

Walked Off: Amarillo was walked off for the 6th time in 2021. It was the third walk off loss for the Sod Poodles in extra innings. The club also suffered six walk off defeats in 2019 but had seven walk off victories. So far in 2021, the Sod Poodles have just two walk off wins.