Looking to rebound: Amarillo heads into third series against Midland
The Amarillo Sod Poodles won two road games against the Arkansas Travelers last week and are now 4-11 through their last 15 games.
Amarillo owns a 20-25 overall record and is set to face the Midland RockHounds — the affiliate of the Oakland Athletics — for the third time this season. The two teams kicked off the 2022 season against each other with a three-game series in Amarillo and played a six-game series in Midland earlier this month. Amarillo is 4-5 overall against Midland through those nine games.
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Midland enters the new week coming off of a 2-4 homestand against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. The RockHounds are also on a cold streak and have just three wins over the past two weeks.
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The Athletics' top-rated prospects currently playing in Midland are the right-handed pitcher duo of J.T. Ginn (No. 6) and Ryan Cusick (No. 8) along with the infielder trio of Zack Gelof (No. 12), Jordan Diaz (No. 18) and Logan Davidson (No. 19).
Gelof was the A's second-round pick (No. 60 overall) back in the 2021 MLB Draft. He is 53-for-168 (.315) with four home runs, 23 runs scored, and 26 RBI through 39 games played this season. Ginn (0-2, 6.48 ERA) has started five games and allowed 15 hits while totaling 23 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings pitched this season. In seven starts, Cusick (1-5, 8.13 ERA) has allowed 46 hits and struck out 31 batters in 27 2/3 innings.
Midland (21-24) is in third-place in the Texas League South Division, while the Sod Poodles are sitting fourth.
Amarillo is 9-12 at home so far this season while the RockHounds have compiled an 8-13 record on the road.
For results from the contests, visit www.amarillo.com/sports.
This week's series
Opponent: Midland RockHounds
Schedule: 7:05 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; 6:05 p.m. Sunday
Where: HODGETOWN Stadium, Amarillo
Records: Sod Poodles 20-25; RockHounds 21-24
What to know: Midland ranks second in the Texas League in team batting average (.274) with Amarillo just ahead of them and leading the league (.278). The Sod Poodles are second in home runs (68) with the RockHounds behind them in sixth (51). Midland is fourth in runs scored (261) with the Soddies remaining at the top of the league leaderboards in first place (297). The RockHounds pitching staff ranks eighth in team ERA (5.87) with the Soddies rotation trailing behind them in ninth (6.10).
SOD POODLES SEASON LEADERS
HITTING
• Average: Dominic Fletcher .346; Leandro Cedeno .317; Jancarlos Cintron .311
• OBP: Corbin Carroll .429; Dominic Fletcher .408; Blaze Alexander .374
• Doubles: Jancarlos Cintron 13; Eduardo Diaz 9; Andy Yerzy 8
• Triples: Corbin Carroll 4; Eduardo Diaz, Dominic Fletcher 2
• HR: Corbin Carroll 12; Leandro Cedeno 10; Dominic Fletcher 7
• RBI: Dominic Fletcher 34; Eduardo Diaz 33; Leandro Cedeno, Jancarlos Cintron 28
• Runs: Corbin Carroll 44; Eduardo Diaz 29; Jancarlos Cintron, Dominic Fletcher 28
PITCHING
• ERA: Brandon Pfaadt 4.10; Slade Cecconi 5.27; Bryce Jarvis 6.35
• Innings pitched: Slade Cecconi 42 2/3; Brandon Pfaadt 41 2/3; Bryce Jarvis 39 2/3
• Wins: Jeff Bain 3; Slade Cecconi, Drey Jameson, Bryce Jarvis, Justin Lewis, Brandon Pfaadt, Blake Workman 2
• Saves: Junior Garcia 4; Blake Rogers, Blake Workman 2
• Strikeouts: Brandon Pfaadt 54; Slade Cecconi 41; Bryce Jarvis 40
• Walks: Bryce Jarvis 21; Brett de Geus 15; Slade Cecconi, Deyni Olivero 11
Sod Poodles Roster moves
May 24: INF Dairon Cuevas transferred to Amarillo from High-A Hillsboro
May 24: RHP Austin Pope transferred to Amarillo from High-A Hillsboro
May 24: LHP Jake Rice transferred to Amarillo from High-A Hillsboro
May 24: LHP Cam Booser reinstated from IL
May 24: INF Jancarlos Cintron promoted to Triple-A Reno
May 24: RHP Ryan Weiss promoted to Triple-A Reno
May 24: RHP Blake Workman promoted to Triple-A Reno
May 24: RHP Justin Vernia released
May 24: RHP Kai-Wei Lin released
May 25: RHP Justin Lewis promoted to Triple-A Reno
May 26: INF Dairon Cuevas transferred to Extended Spring Training
May 26: OF Roby Enriquez transferred to Amarillo from High-A Hillsboro
May 28: C Juan Centeno promoted to Triple-A Reno
Looking back
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25
SOD POODLES 2, TRAVELERS 0
Top performers
Sod Poodles: Blaze Alexander 1-4, 1 RBI; Eduardo Diaz 1-4, 1 RBI; Brandon Pfaadt 7 IP, 4 H, 9 SO
Travelers: Jack Larsen 2-4; Taylor Dollard 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 SO
Highlights: The Amarillo pitching trio of starter Brandon Pfaadt and relievers Junior Garcia and Blake Rogers combined to allow six hits and strike out 10 in a collective shutout victory.
THURSDAY, MAY 26 (GAME ONE)
TRAVELERS 6, SOD POODLES 0 (F/7)
Top performers
Sod Poodles: Blake Walston 4 1/3 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO
Travelers: Zach DeLoach 3-3, 2 R, 1 RBI; Jack Larsen 2-4, HR, 2 R, 1 RBI; Connor Jones 7 IP, 3 BB, 8 SO
Highlights: Arkansas starting pitcher Connor Jones threw a seven-inning no-hitter and the Travelers scored at least one run in five straight innings.
THURSDAY, MAY 26 (GAME TWO)
TRAVELERS 2, SOD POODLES 0 (F/7)
Top performers
Sod Poodles: Blaze Alexander 1-3; Andy Yerzy 1-2; Josh Green 3 IP, 1 H, 4 SO
Travelers: Joe Rizzo 2-3, HR, 1 R, 1 RBI; Cade Marlowe 1-3, 1 RBI; Devin Sweet 2 IP, 1 BB, 2 SO
Highlights: Amarillo had only two hits in the second game of its Thursday doubleheader and was 1-for-3 with a runner in scoring position.
FRIDAY, MAY 27
SOD POODLES 4, TRAVELERS 1
Sod Poodles: Nick Dalesandro 2-5, 1 R, 1 RBI; Roby Enriquez 1-4, HR, 1 R, 2 RBI; Slade Cecconi 6 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 SO
Travelers: Jake Scheiner 2-3, 2 BB; Patrick Frick 1-4, 1 R, 1 BB; Levi Stoudt 5 1/3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 8 SO
Highlights: Amarillo scored three runs in the top of the 12th inning of a low-scoring extra innings battle with Arkansas to win on Friday night. Sod Poodle pitcher Junior Garcia increased his save count to a team-leading four saves.
SATURDAY, MAY 28
TRAVELERS 8, SOD POODLES 4
Top performers
Sod Poodles: Jeison Guzmán 1-2, HR, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB; Roby Enriquez 1-4, 2 RBI; Bryce Jarvis 5 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO
Travelers: Kaden Polcovich 3-5, HR, 1 R, 3 RBI; Jake Anchia 3-4, 2 R, 2 RBI; Stephen Kolek 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO
Highlights: Amarillo second baseman Jeison Guzmán hit his first home run at the Double-A level with a solo shot in the fifth inning. The Soddies committed two errors and the Travelers recorded seven more hits (12) than Amarillo (5).
SUNDAY, MAY 29
TRAVELERS 5, SOD POODLES 3
Top performers
Sod Poodles: Nick Dalesandro 1-4, 2 RBI; Ti'Quan Forbes 1-4, 1 R, 1 RBI; Deyni Olivero 5 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO
Travelers: Jack Larsen 3-4, 1 R, 1 RBI; Kaden Polcovich 2-5, 1 R, 1 RBI; Emerson Hancock 4 IP, 1 H, 4 SO
Highlights: Arkansas jumped out to a 5-0 lead and the Sod Poodles did not record a run until the seventh inning. Starting pitcher Deyni Olivero's (8.89 ERA) record fell to 0-4 this season before the reliever trio of Ty Tice, Keegan Curtis, and Jeff Bain tossed three hitless innings to close out the week.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo Sod Poodles head into third series against Midland RockHounds in Minor League Baseball
