Sod Poodles Blanked In Springdale, Series Evens

Springdale, Arkansas (April 21, 2023) – The Amarillo Sod Poodles dropped game four of their six-game series against the NW Arkansas Naturals on Friday night. Five runs in the bottom of the fifth would be the only runs scored as the series evened at two games a piece.

Right-hander Jamison Hill surrendered just two baserunners early, a leadoff hit batter, and a leadoff walk in the second inning but worked around them with a trio of strikeouts.

The Naturals were able to load the bases in the bottom of the third with a pair of hits and a walk. Hill locked in, leaving all three stranded as he collected his fifth and sixth strikeouts to end the scoring threat.

Amarillo stranded a pair of their own through the first three innings. Tristin English recorded the first Amarillo hit of the game with a two-out double in the top of the first. Ryan Bliss notched a two-out knock of his own, a single in the third.

Each club was retired in order in the fourth. Hill picked up his seventh punch out of the night while working quickly through the Naturals order. Amarillo had an opportunity to strike first after Neyfy Castillo singled and stole second base with two outs. Nick Dalesandro drew a walk to send it back to the top of the Sod Poodles order. Bliss picked up his second hit of the night but Castillo was cut down at the plate as the game would remain scoreless.

Four singles and a pair of walks broke the game open for the Naturals. Austin Pope came in to relieve Hill and recorded the first out of the inning with a strikeout. A two-RBI single saw the fifth run of the inning come across. With the bases loaded, a double play brought an end to the inning and helped keep the deficit at 5-0 for Amarillo.

English was able to reach base once again, this time drawing a walk before advancing into scoring position on a wild pitch. He would once again be left stranded in scoring position with the next two Amarillo hitters being retired via the strikeout. Pope worked a 1-2-3 inning in the home half of the sixth, adding another two strikeouts to his total.

Amarillo would add two more singles over the final three innings, however, neither would be able to make it to second base.

Jackson Goddard and Hugh Fisher would each work hitless innings of relief for the Sod Poodles.

Amarillo will look to bounce back after being held scoreless for the first time this season. Chad Patrick will take the mound for the Sod Poodles on Saturday night in his third start of the season. First pitch from Arvest Ballpark is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.

NOTES:

DEB-HUGH: After being added to the roster earlier in the day, left-hander Hugh Fisher made his Double-A debut for the Sod Poodles on Friday night. He ended his lone inning of work with his first Double-A strikeout. Fisher, a 10th-round selection by the Diamondbacks in 2021 makes his way to Amarillo after just 57 games played between Low-A Visalia and High-A Hillsboro. Through his first five games with the Hops to begin 2022, Fisher went 2-0 with a 3.68 ERA and picked up 10 strikeouts to just three walks over 7.1 IP.

BACK IN THE BLISS: Ryan Bliss picked up another two hits on Friday after being held hitless for the first time in 2023 just a night ago. The former 2nd-round pick went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles in the game. He's hitting .404 (23-for-57) and holds a two-hit lead for the top spot in all of Double-A. His 23 hits are T-10th best in all of the minors currently.

HILLCLIMBER: Jamison Hill recorded his season-high for strikeouts with seven. The six hits off of him Friday night matched his total allowed through the first two starts of the season. Now up to 16 strikeouts on the season, Hill ranks 4th in the Diamondbacks' farm system.