Patiño Collects Three Hits in Sod Poodles First Win
MIDLAND, Texas (April 10, 2024) – The Amarillo Sod Poodles used a five-run third inning en route to earning their first win of the 2024 season. Multi-hit efforts from four players and a dominant showing from the bullpen provided an all-around effort in the 7-4 win over the Midland RockHounds
MIDLAND, Texas (April 10, 2024) – The Amarillo Sod Poodles used a five-run third inning en route to earning their first win of the 2024 season. Multi-hit efforts from four players and a dominant showing from the bullpen provided an all-around effort in the 7-4 win over the Midland RockHounds on Wednesday night.
It took all but two pitches for Wilderd Patiño to put Amarillo in front early. The outfielder collected his first Double-A homer and the 18th leadoff home run in Sod Poodles history.
As they did a night ago, the RockHounds answered with a run of their own to bring things all square after the first inning. Midland then got a solo home run off Jamison Hill in their second trip to the plate to take a one-run lead over the Sod Poodles - but would not see the lead again.
Five Amarillo hits in the top of the third inning put five runs across the plate. Consecutive one-out singles and a throwing error helped Amarillo knot things up at 2-2. With runners on the corners, Ivan Melendez scorched a double into the left field corner, easily scoring both runners. With Melendez still standing on second and two outs, A.J. Vukovich joined the hit party with a double of his own and then scored on a RBI single from Caleb Roberts to give Amarillo the 6-2 lead.
After a clean fourth inning, Hill found himself in a bit of a jam in the RockHounds half of the fifth. A pair of one-out hits, a single and a double, chased Hill from the game after 4.1 IP and 81 pitches. Left-hander Emailin Montilla relieved Hill and inherited the pair of runners. A sacrifice fly scored Midland's third run of the night before a passed ball brought them within two runs of Amarillo's lead. With the bases now cleared, a walk and single put more traffic on the bases for Montilla to navigate around. The southpaw buckled down with a punchout to end Midland's threat.
Patiño used his 60-grade speed for an infield single and his third hit of the night in the top of the seventh. A passed ball allowed him to easily move into scoring position and then score on Logan Warmoth's RBI single as Amarillo increased their cushion to 7-4.
The three-run advantage was all that the bullpen combination of Montilla, Will Mabrey, Mitchell Stumpo, Taylor Rashi, and Christian Montes De Oca would need to secure Amarillo's first win of the season. The quintet worked 4.2 IP with just two hits allowed and six strikeouts. Montes De Oca earned his first save of the year after finishing with nine during the 2023 season.
Amarillo's starting rotation turns back over to D-backs no. 4-rated prospect Yu-Min Lin (0-0, 3.00 ERA) when the Sod Poodles aim to take the series lead over the RockHounds on Thursday night. Lin will be countered by RHP Gunnar Hoglund (1-0, 0.00 ERA). First pitch from Momentum Bank Ballpark is slated for 7:00 p.m.
NOTES:
STARTS AT THE TOP: Wilderd Patiño started the game off with his first Double-A home run. The center fielder notched the first leadoff home run for Amarillo this year and the first since Camden Duzenack started Game Two of the Texas League Championship with a home run at HODGETOWN on Sept. 26, 2023. Amarillo had 11 leadoff home runs a season ago, led by Ryan Bliss who tallied six of them. For Patiño, it is his first home run since August 20, 2023 when he was with High-A Hillsboro. For his career, Patiño now has 20 home runs in 316 career minor league games. He has hit in the leadoff spot all five games so far for Amarillo and is riding a five-game hit streak to start the season where he is hitting .455 (10-for-22) with a homer, a pair of doubles, two RBI, and three runs scored. He now has multi-hit efforts in three of the five games.
ON THE HILL: Sod Poodles starter Jamison Hill began his 2024 campaign by going 4.1 IP, matching the most by an Amarillo starter through the first five games of the season. The right-hander finished the 2023 season T-9th in strikeouts in the D-backs organization with 104 and fanned seven in his first start of 2024, matching his most in any of his 25 starts from last year. Hill allowed eight hits on Wednesday night to the RockHounds which also tied his career-high but saw just four runs come across against him as he left the game without a decision.
DOUBLE THE FUN: Sod Poodles prospects Deyvison De Los Santos (#14) and A.J. Vukovich (#15) each tallied their first doubles of the season on Wednesday night. De Los Santos has hit safely in all five games to start the 2024 season while Vukovich has picked up a hit in each of his last four games. The two hit 16 and 19 doubles respectively for Amarillo during the 2023 season.
GOT FIVE ON IT: Amarillo's five runs in the top of the third inning marked the highest-scoring half-inning by the Soddies through the first five games. Amarillo was only able to muster at most two runs in their opening weekend series against San Antonio. The five hits in the top of the third on Wednesday were also the most hits the Sod Poodles have strung together in an inning to date in 2024.
EL OSO: Christian Montes De Oca was the final arm used by the Amarillo bullpen that limited the RockHounds to just two hits over the final 4.2 IP on Wednesday night. Montes De Oca was T-2nd in the D-backs organization with nine saves during the 2023 season and has now converted on 22 of his 26 save opportunities for his career. His 22 saves since the start of the 2022 season led the organization and are six more than the next closest. Up to 10 saves since arriving in Amarillo, he ranks 4th all-time in Sod Poodles history, trailing Blake Rogers (26), David Bednar (14), and Kyle Backhus (13).
Minor League Baseball partners with Circle K
Minor League Baseball announced a new national partnership with Circle K, which will see the convenience store giant become the “Official Convenience Store of Minor League Baseball.” During the 2025 season, the Circle K brand will be integrated into the MiLB in-stadium experience through in-game video board assets at most
These 15 moments led to season No. 15 of Minor League road trips
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
MiLB podcast crew makes Opening Day predictions
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Everything you need to know for Triple-A Opening Day
First, there was big league Opening Day. Now it's Triple-A's turn to take the spotlight. The Minor League season opens Friday when the Triple-A International League and Pacific Coast League seasons get underway for the first of MiLB’s two Opening Days. And right out of the gates, several of baseball's
Top prospects to watch at Triple-A -- one for each organization
It’s Triple-A’s turn up to bat on Friday. The regular season begins for the Minor Leagues’ highest level one day after the action starts on the Major League side. Fun fact: it’ll be the earliest start to a Minor League season since 1951 (March 27). Double-A, High-A and Single-A will
Here's where every Top 100 prospect is expected to start the season
The 2025 Opening Day prospect roster announcements began last week when the Cubs informed Matt Shaw (MLB No. 19) he was making the trip overseas to compete in the Tokyo Series. Roki Sasaki (No. 1) also received the good news, but his assignment was much less of a surprise. Now
Nationals prospect King joins MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Here are the 2025 All-Spring Breakout Teams
Fifteen games, several jersey swaps and countless highlights later, the second edition of Spring Breakout has officially concluded – and it lived up to its billing. Of the 16 contests sprinkled across four days, only one game (Dodgers vs. Cubs) was rained out. Coincidentally, the Cubs were one of two
Rox young sluggers aim to bring pop back to Coors Field
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Coors Field may provide the best run-scoring environment in Major League Baseball, but the Rockies haven’t taken advantage of it in recent years. Even without adjusting for Coors, they have fielded offenses worse than the league average the past three seasons, and they scored the fewest runs
Astros brass sees potential in consistently 'underranked' farm system
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The last time the Astros landed in the top 10 of MLB Pipeline’s farm system rankings was before the 2019 season. Since those rankings expanded to all 30 teams ahead of the 2020 season -- 11 lists in total -- they’ve never ranked higher than
Complete results and highlights from Spring Breakout
The second edition of MLB Spring Breakout is complete, and there was no shortage of highlights from the future stars of Major League Baseball over the four-day showcase. Here's a complete breakdown of the 16-game exhibition:
Southpaw Spring Breakout: White Sox future on display with Schultz, Smith
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If all goes as planned for the White Sox, left-handers Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz won’t spend much time following each other to the mound in a single game. Schultz, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 16 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and Smith, who is
In first pro game, Rainer offers pop, promise to Tigers fans
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Bryce Rainer’s pro career consisted of workouts and batting practice until Sunday.
'Me and Brady on the dirt again': House, King reunite at Spring Breakout
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The 2025 Spring Breakout was a flashback for Brady House and Seaver King. Over 10 years ago, the infielders were travel ball teammates in Georgia who shared the dream of making it to the Major Leagues. Now, they are top prospects in the same organization,
Lambert -- 'an adrenaline guy' -- hoping to be next Mets bullpen gem
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Ryan Lambert loves throwing hard. He relishes the idea of getting to two strikes and blowing hitters away. “Get me in a game,” Lambert said, “cool things will happen.”
Stewart embraces Spring Breakout: 'What's not to love?'
PHOENIX -- Sal Stewart was one fired-up Reds prospect. On Sunday in the first inning during the organization's 9-7 Spring Breakout win over Brewers prospects, Stewart lifted a 2-2 pitch that sailed over the center fielder's head to the wall. Already not known as a speedster, he stumbled running between
Prospect Peña quietly drawing raves in Brewers' farm system
PHOENIX – Jesús Made was at the top of the Brewers’ lineup for Sunday’s 9-7 loss to the Reds in the finale of MLB’s four-day Spring Breakout, a fitting perch when you consider that the 17-year-old infielder is under a bright spotlight as MLB Pipeline’s No. 55 prospect. Made could
Brecht -- in 1st outing since '24 Draft -- wows at Spring Breakout
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Sunday's Spring Breakout showcase was the perfect unveiling for Rockies No. 5 prospect Brody Brecht. A right-handed pitcher from the University of Iowa whom the Rockies selected 38th overall last summer, Brecht had a nice collegiate resume, an interesting backstory as a former wide receiver for the
Braves prospects show promise in Spring Breakout
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- As Terry Pendleton prepared to serve as the manager of the Braves prospect team that played the Tigers prospect team in a Spring Breakout game on Sunday afternoon, he said fans should be patient with John Gil and Luis Guanipa, a pair of teenagers who have
Yanks' Lagrange flashes triple-digit heat in Spring Breakout
SARASOTA, Fla. -- There was an audible “Ooh” from the crowd at Ed Smith Stadium, and Carlos Lagrange quickly glanced beyond the right-field wall, checking the velocity of the pitch he’d just thrown in Saturday’s 5-4 Spring Breakout loss to the Orioles. It had registered in the triple digits, and
Bradfield dedicates Spring Breakout performance to late friend
SARASOTA, Fla. -- It was about more than playing in the national spotlight. More than the dinner bet placed with an old college teammate earlier in the month. More than a game. As Enrique Bradfield Jr. slid home to score a run during the first inning of Saturday night’s Spring