Leandro Cedeno continues to shine as Sod Poodles enter road series against Wichita
The Amarillo Sod Poodles designated hitter Leandro Cedeno started the second half of the 2022 season with an explosive week at the plate that included a stretch of hitting a home run in three straight games.
Cedeno finished the six-game home series against the Northwest Arkansas Travelersby going 11-for-19 (.579) with 11 RBI, nine runs scored and three home runs last week. The Venezuelan slugger leads Amarillo in RBI while sitting in the top three of batting average, on-base percentage and runs scored.
His hot stretch has been welcomed with open arms following Arizona's No. 1 prospect Corbin Carroll being placed on the injured list on June 28.
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Amarillo won four of six last week against Northwest Arkansas in a series that was bookended by a pair of losses.
Following a walk-off win Thursday night, Amarillo has now been a part of eight walk-off finishes this season. The Soddies have lost five games by way of walk off and won three games that way so far this year.
Amarillo owns a 36-39 overall record and will square off against the Wichita Wind Surge — the affiliate of the Minnesota Twins — for the first time this season.
Wichita enters the week coming off of an 3-3 road trip against the Springfield Cardinals.
The Twins' top-rated prospects include outfielder/shortstop Austin Martin (No. 2) and the pitching duo of Simeon Woods Richardson (No. 4) and Matt Canterino (No. 5).
Martin was the fifth overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft out of Vanderbilt. He has appeared in 63 games this season while batting 58-for-233 (.249) with one home run, 18 RBI and 44 runs scored.
The 2018 second rounder (48th overall) Woods Richardson has started 11 games this season while compiling a 2-3 overall record with a 3.40 ERA. In 53 innings, he has allowed 41 hits with 53 strikeouts. Canterino has started 10 games this season (0-1) with an excellent ERA (1.83).
Wichita (38-36) is in third-place in the Texas League North Division, while the Sod Poodles are sitting in third in the South Division.
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Amarillo is 15-21 on the road this season while the Wind Surge have compiled an 17-16 record at home.
For results from the contests, visit www.amarillo.com/sports.
This week's series
• Opponent: Wichita Wind Surge
• Schedule: 6:35 p.m. Monday; Wednesday-Friday 7:05 p.m.; Saturday 6:05 p.m.; Sunday 1:05 p.m.
• Where: Riverfront Stadium, Wichita
• Records: Sod Poodles 36-39; Wind Surge 38-36
• What to know: Wichita ranks sixth in the Texas League in team batting average (.248) with Amarillo ahead of them and leading the league (.274). The Sod Poodles are second in home runs (100) with the Wind Surge behind them in sixth (88). Wichita is eighth in runs scored (387) with the Soddies remaining at the top of the league leaderboards (476). The Wind Surge pitching staff ranks second in team ERA (4.48) with the Soddies sitting last (6.28).
SOD POODLES STAT LEADERS
HITTING
• Average: Corbin Carroll .313; Leandro Cedeno .298; Blaze Alexander .289
• OBP: Corbin Carroll .430; Leandro Cedeno .375; Blaze Alexander .369
• Doubles: Eduardo Diaz 14; Jorge Barrosa, Corbin Carroll, Andy Yerzy 11
• Triples: Corbin Carroll 8; Eduardo Diaz 2; Blaze Alexander, Jorge Barrosa, Ti'Quan Forbes 1
• HR: Corbin Carroll 16, Leandro Cedeno 16; Jorge Barrosa, Eduardo Diaz 8
• RBI: Leandro Cedeno 53; Eduardo Diaz 47; Corbin Carroll 39
• Runs: Corbin Carroll 62; Leandro Cedeno 46; Jorge Barrosa 44
PITCHING
• ERA: Brandon Pfaadt 4.25; Slade Cecconi 4.36
• Innings pitched: Brandon Pfaadt 78 1/3; Slade Cecconi 74 1/3; Bryce Jarvis, Deyni Olivero 54
• Wins: Jeff Bain, Brandon Pfaadt 5; Slade Cecconi 4; Blake Rogers 3
• Saves: Blake Rogers 5; Junior Garcia 4; Jeff Bain, Blake Workman 2
• Strikeouts: Brandon Pfaadt 105; Slade Cecconi 70; Bryce Jarvis 57
• Walks: Bryce Jarvis 30; Deyni Olivero 24; Blake Walston 18
Sod Poodles Roster moves
June 28: RHP Brent Teller transferred from High-A Hillsboro to Amarillo
June 28: INF Tristin English transferred from High-A Hillsboro to Amarillo
June 28: INF Jose Curpa reinstated from IL
June 28: OF Corbin Carroll placed on IL
June 29: C Shane Muntz transferred from High-A Hillsboro to Amarillo
June 29: LHP Dillon Larsen transferred from High-A Hillsboro to Amarillo
June 29: Yorvin Pantoja placed on IL
June 29: OF Eduardo Diaz placed on IL
July 1: SS Blaze Alexander reinstated from Amarillo IL
July 1: LHP Jake Rice reinstated from Amarillo IL
July 1: LHP Yorvin Pantoja reinstated from Amarillo IL
July 1: C Nick Dalesandro placed on IL
July 1: RHP Slade Cecconi placed on IL
Looking back
TUESDAY, JUNE 28
NATURALS 20, SOD POODLES 6
Top performers
Sod Poodles: Andy Yerzy 2-5, HR, 1 R, 3 RBI; Nick Dalesandro 2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI; Ty Tice 1 IP, 2 SO
Naturals: Seuly Matias 3-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 6 RBI; John Rave 2-4, HR, 4 R, 5 RBI; Zack Phillips 2 2/3 IP, 1 H, 3 SO
Highlights: The Naturals scored eight runs in the first two innings and capped off the contest with eight runs in the ninth to crush the Soddies to open the series.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29
SOD POODLES 10, NATURALS 4
Top performers
Sod Poodles: Jorge Barrosa 3-5, 3 R, 2 RBI; Leandro Cedeno 3-4, 1 R, 2 RBI; Brandon Pfaadt 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 9 SO
Naturals: Tyler Gentry 2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI; Nick Loftin 1-3, 1 HR, 1 R, 1 RBI; Jonah Dipoto 1 2/3 IP
Highlights: Amarillo held a 7-2 run following the fourth inning and held on for their first win of the week over the Naturals.
THURSDAY, JUNE 30
SOD POODLES 5, NATURALS 4
Top performers
Sod Poodles: Leandro Cedeno 1-4, 1 R, 4 RBI; Andy Yerzy 1-3, 1 R, 1 RBI; Dillon Larsen 3 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 SO
Naturals: Nick Loftin 1-2, 1 HR, 2 R, 1 RBI; Jake Means 1-4, 1 R, 1 RBI; Angel Zerpa 7 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 9 SO
Highlights: The Sod Poodles won on a walk-off sacrifice fly by catcher Andy Yerzy that scored Tim Tawa in the bottom of the ninth.
FRIDAY, JULY 1
SOD POODLES 11, NATURALS 10
Sod Poodles: Drew Stankiewicz 2-4, HR, 1 R, 3 RBI; Leandro Cedeno 3-4, HR, 4 R, 1 RBI; Josh Green 3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO
Naturals: Tyler Gentry 3-4, HR, 3 R, 4 RBI; Robbie Glendinning 2-4, HR, 1 R, 3 RBI; Walter Pennington 2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
Highlights: Northwest Arkansas scored four runs in the top of the ninth, but the Soddies did just enough to hold off the Naturals and notch another one-run victory.
SATURDAY, JULY 2
SOD POODLES 13, NATURALS 12
Top performers
Sod Poodles: Leandro Cedeno 3-3, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI; Juan Centeno 2-4, 3 R, 3 RBI; Jeff Bain 3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO
Naturals: Maikel Garcia 3-6, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI; Robbie Glendinning 2-6, HR, 1 R, 2 RBI; Jonah Dipoto 1 2/3 IP, 1 BB, 2 SO
Highlights: For the second straight night, the Sod Poodles held the Naturals off following a four-run ninth inning for a one-run win.
SUNDAY, JULY 3
NATURALS 10, SOD POODLES 4
Top performers
Sod Poodles: Jorge Barrosa 2-5, HR, 1 R, 1 RBI; Tristin English 1-4, 1 R, 1 RBI; Mack Lemieux 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
Naturals: Robbie Glendinning 3-5, 2 HR, 3 R, 3 RBI; John Rave 2-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI; Yefri Del Rosario 2 1/3 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 3 SO
Highlights: After the Sod Poodles built a 4-3 lead following the first inning, the hometown team did not plate another run and was outscored by the Naturals 7-0 over the final eight innings.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Leandro Cedeno continues to shine as Sod Poodles enter road series against Wichita
