RoughRiders Rally to Beat Soddies in Series Finale

Frisco, Texas — The Amarillo Sod Poodles fell to the Frisco RoughRiders 8-7 on Sunday evening, as Frisco infielder Dio Arias won the game with a walk-off two-run single in the bottom of the ninth inning. Frisco's victory secured a series split for the RoughRiders in the six-game set.

The RoughRiders jumped out to an early 3-0 lead against Soddies starter Tommy Henry, who allowed four hits in the opening frame. Henry would settle down, ultimately tossing six innings on five-run ball.

The Soddies got on the scoreboard in the second against Frisco starter Cole Ragans, who gave up a solo shot to Buddy Kennedy. Kennedy's eighth homer made it a 3-1 game.

Amarillo then exploded for a six-run frame off Ragans in the fourth. With the bases loaded, Geraldo Perdomo lined a bases clearing triple down the right field line to give Amarillo a 4-3 lead. Dom Canzone brought Perdomo home with an RBI single.

After the RoughRiders' second error of the inning allowed Dominic Miroglio to reach base, Sod Poodles designated hitter Lyle Lin belted a two-run homer to left field. It was Lin's first professional homer in his Double-A debut. The Sod Poodles took a 7-3 lead on Lin's blast.

The score stayed 7-3 until the sixth, when Henry allowed a leadoff long ball to Anderson Tejeda and then walked Arias. A groundout from Bubba Thompson scored Arias to make it a 7-5 ballgame.

Blake Workman replaced Henry in the seventh, and allowed a two-out solo shot to Sam Huff. Huff's second homer in as many nights cut Amarillo's lead to 7-6.

In the bottom of the eighth, Sod Poodles reliever Matt Brill allowed back-to-back singles. Brill proceeded to escape the inning with no runs allowed, inducing an inning ending double-play from Thompson.

In the last of the ninth, righty Blake Rogers came out of Amarillo's bullpen searching for his second save of the series. Rogers allowed a one-out walk, followed by Blaine Crim's single to put two runners on. He then struck out Huff, but walked Tejeda to load the bases.

With two outs and the bases loaded, Arias grounded a game-winning single into center field to score a pair of runs.

Frisco's bullpen provided key contributions to the Riders' victory, combining for five scoreless frames.

Following a day off on Monday, the Sod Poodles return to action on Tuesday night at HODGETOWN. First pitch of the series opener against the Corpus Christi Hooks is at 7:05 p.m.