Sod Poodles Sweep Frisco In Wednesday Doubleheader

Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2021

Frisco RoughRiders (62-53) | Amarillo Sod Poodles (57-59)

AMARILLO, Texas - Amarillo overcame a five run deficit in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader to win a back-and-forth slugfest 10-9. In what was a pitcher's duel in the second game, Amarillo leaned on it's shutdown pitching and a few key defensive plays to get the 3-0 shutout win.

Amarillo allowed a season-high seven home runs to the RoughRiders in the series opening loss on Tuesday night. Game one of Wednesday's doubleheader saw Frisco score four runs in the first inning on back-to-back home runs. Frisco added to their lead with a run in the top of the second.

Three straight singles began the home half of the second inning to load the bases. Outfielder Eduardo Diaz drove in Amarillo's first run of the game with a sacrifice fly into center field, scoring Buddy Kennedy who started the string of hits. Amarillo's fourth single of the frame cut the deficit to three runs. A double and Frisco error allowed another two runs to score giving Amarillo a four run inning of their own.

Frisco responded with two runs in the top of the third on four hits to push their lead back out to three runs.

Kennedy once again started a string of three straight singles for Amarillo. Outfielder Dominic Canzone scored Kennedy and gave the Soddies runners on first and second base. Dominic Miroglio's 11th home run of the year scored not only himself but the other two Dominic's that were on base. The Sod Poodles second straight four-run inning propelled the Soddies ahead 8-7 after three innings.

Right-hander Blake Workman replaced Amarillo starter Tommy Henry in the top of the fourth and spun a scoreless inning with a walk and single allowed. Frisco led off the seventh with a ground rule double but Workman pitched around that by striking out the final two batters of the frame.

A hitless Amarillo fifth inning sent Blake Rogers to the mound for the sixth. The Lewisville, TX native has been the minor league saves leader since August 1st. He walked the first batter he faced but struck out the next two RoughRiders. Blaine Crim put the Riders ahead with his eighth Double-A home run and the Riders' third of the game.

Ben DeLuzio singled with two outs in the bottom of the sixth but was thrown out at second base trying to swipe the bag. A three-up-three down top of the seventh sent the Soddies back to the plate chasing one run to tie.

D-backs No. 9 rated prospect Geraldo Perdomo singled to lead off the inning. Stone Garrett then doubled into the gap in right-center, allowing Perdomo to race around the bases and tie the game. Garrett then stole third with one out. D-backs' No. 19 rated prospect Dominic Fletcher finished the comeback when he roped a ball past the Frisco infield that was playing shallow. It was Fletcher's second walk off hit for Amarillo this year and gave the Soddies the 10-9 win.

GAME TWO:

Left-hander Kenny Hernandez started game two for Amarillo. He started nine games for Amarillo after his promotion from High-A Hillsboro but has made his last three appearances out of the bullpen. The lefty allowed four hits over his first four innings but did not surrender a run with a strikeout and walk issued.

Frisco sent right-hander Noah Bremer to the mound. He retired four of the first five batters he faced via the strikeout. Ryder Jones picked up the first hit off Bremer with his two-out double in the second inning. Jones was left stranded in scoring position with the next batter flying out to left field. Bremer finished his outing with a season-high eight strikeouts.

Amarillo finally got something going when Jancarlos Cintron drew a one out walk. Two wild pitches allowed Cintron to move all the way to third. A RBI single off Perdomo's bat put Amarillo ahead 1-0.

Eduardo Diaz kept Frisco from taking a lead in the second inning, cutting down a runner at home with a throw to the plate from center field. He threw out another runner trying to tie the game in the top of the 5th from a similar position in the outfield.

A hit batter put the leadoff man aboard for the Soddies in the bottom of the fifth. Cintron then hit a two-run home run just two pitches later to give Amarillo a three-run cushion.

Right-hander Tyler Jones replaced Hernandez on the mound in the sixth. The first two RoughRiders singled with the third straight batter reaching on an error to load the bases. Jones responded by striking out the next three batters.

Matt Brill came on for the save opportunity in the seventh. The hard-throwing right-hander struck out the first batter he faced. A walk and single sent the potential tying run to the plate. A wild pitch allowed both runners to advance into scoring position. Brill picked up his second strikeout of the inning. He induced a ground ball to Ryder Jones at third base who then tossed the ball to first to complete the doubleheader sweep.

The series continues on Thursday with game four of this seven game series. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM with RHP Drey Jameson (3-1, 3.79 ERA) taking the mound for Amarillo. Jameson is currently the D-backs' No. 17 rated prospect and will face Rangers' No. 3 rated prospect Cole Winn (3-3, 2.40 ERA).

Notes:

Streaks Intact: Six players for Amarillo entered Wednesday's doubleheader riding hit streaks of at least five games. Dominic Canzone, Geraldo Perdomo, Dominic Miroglio, and Ben DeLuzio all extended it during the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader. Eduardo Diaz was the lone Soddie who played in game one with a streak that did not extend. Ryder Jones did not play in the first contest but did extend his streak as he went 1-for-3 with a double in game two. Canzone's streak came to an end after not recording a hit in the second game.

Twin Bills: With Wednesday's sweep of the doubleheader, Amarillo sits at 5-3 in twin bill's this season. The other three doubleheaders this year had all come against San Antonio (Double-A, San Diego). The Soddies split their first doubleheader, swept the second, and got swept in the third. Other doubleheader highlights included the no-hitters tossed by Matt Tabor on July 11th, and Luis Frias on August 1st against the Missions.

Dom Train: Amarillo backstop Dominic Miroglio blasted his 11th homer of the season in the third inning of game one. Miroglio is hitting .339 (40-for-118) with seven doubles, two triples, seven home runs, and has 23 RBI since July 23rd. His home run not only scored himself but fellow Dominic's, Fletcher and Canzone who each singled ahead of Miroglio's blast.

Walk It Off: Amarillo earned their fourth walk off win of the 2021 season with the 10-9 comeback win over the RoughRiders in game one Wednesday night. Arizona Diamondbacks' No. 19 rated prospect Dominic Fletcher was the hero for Amarillo as he plated Stone Garrett who tied the game with his double earlier in the inning. It marked the second time this year that Fletcher has been the walk-off hero. He gave Amarillo their very first walk off win of the year when he hit a RBI single in the 12th inning against Midland back on May 19th.

Danger Pitching In The Canzone: Canzone had the longest active hitting streak come to an end at 11 games. Still, the Ohio State product is hitting .452 (19-for-42) with three home runs, a double, and 10 RBI in his last 12 games. The longest hitting streak of his career came earlier this season. Canzone had a 17-game hit streak end on August 3rd. At the time of his promotion to Amarillo he had a 12-game hit streak with Hillsboro and then hit safely in each of his first five games in Double-A.

League Leader Look-In: Outfielder Stone Garrett is in a battle for the league lead in RBI for the season. He entered Wednesday's contests one behind Tulsa's Ryan Noda by one. Garrett delivered the game-tying RBI in game one. Noda picked up a pair RBIs in the Drillers' 6-4 win over Midland on Wednesday and now holds a two run lead over Garrett. The Houston-area native leads Amarillo in AVG, home runs, and RBI this year for the team's triple crown with four games to play.

2021 AD-L: D-backs' No. 9 rated prospect Geraldo Perdomo continued to produce at the plate for Amarillo since his return from the Development List. The Dominican Republic native is hitting .333 (41-for-123) with 13 XBH and 20 RBI in 32 games since August 5th. Dialing it in even more, Since the calendar turned to September, Perdomo has 11 RBI in his last 13 games. In his first 47 games before the development list, he had 11 RBI total.

Dos From Diaz: Amarillo outfielder Eduardo Diaz threw out two runners at the plate in game two of the twin bill. He had one in the second inning and one in the fifth. It was Diaz' 23rd outfield assist in his career so far and the first time with two or more in the same game.

Home Cookin': Jancarlos Cintron's fifth inning home run was the Puerto Rico native's seventh home run of the year. All seven have come at HODGETOWN. His seven home runs are now tied for the second most in any single season during his career. He hit eight home runs in 2019 with Visalia.

Brill Thrill: Right-hander Matt Brill recorded his fourth save for the Soddies in game two of Wednesday's doubleheader against Frisco. Since July 29, Brill has only allowed two runs in 14 appearances (14.2 IP) and struck out 19. In the span, he is 1-1 with a 1.23 ERA.