The Amarillo Sod Poodles had a long bus ride home Sunday afternoon after dropping the final game of their series at Midland.
However, they return to town this week knowing that they have an even stronger hold on their second half lead in the Texas League South Division than they did when they left town.
After already having a clinched a series win over the Midland RockHounds with three straight wins and four wins in their first five games at Midland, the Sod Poodles came down to earth with a 9-2 loss in the series finale. When they left Midland, though, the Sod Poodles (24-15) had a seven-game lead over the RockHounds, which was two games more than at the start of the series.
The Soddies opened the series with a 6-2 win Tuesday, breaking it open with four runs in the top of the seventh inning to snap a tie. Jack Hurley started the inning with a solo home run and Jose Fernandez capped it with a two-run double.
It was also another stellar performance from the bullpen, as Eli Saul, Phillip Abner and Landon Sims combined to throw 4 1/3 scoreless innings to close out the game.
Midland came back and won 7-1 on Wednesday, but that was the only time the RockHounds were even with the Soddies the rest of the series. The Sod Poodles won 5-1 on Thursday to take the series lead and never looked back.
The Sod Poodles then won 7-2 on Friday and 5-1 on Saturday to secure the series win. Friday’s win featured another tremendous start from right-hander Jimmy Endersby, who just over a month after he was signed by the Sod Poodles major league parent club Arizona Diamondbacks out of the Mexican League, has established himself as a top-notch starter.
Endersby pitched 6 2/3 innings, scattering eight hits and giving up only one earned run in improving his record to 4-2 with a 2.27 ERA, particularly impressive pitching in the Texas League.
Saturday night, the bullpen came through again to clinch the win and take the series. Jonatan Bernal, who has been moved from the starting rotation, threw 4 1/3 innings of relief to earn the victory.
The Sod Poodles got on the board Saturday thanks to two recent additions to the lineup. Ben McLaughlin, who joined the team a week earlier in Amarillo, had an RBI double in the top of the second and scored on a single by outfielder Junior Franco, who was called up from Hillsboro the day before, to give the Sod Poodles a 2-0 lead.
Making his Sod Poodles debut Sunday was Gavin Logan, who was moved to Amarillo from Triple A Reno. Logan will catch and be a designated hitter.
In other roster moves, right-handed reliever Jhosmer Alvarez was placed on the seven-day injured list, and right-hander Victor Morales was called up from Hillsboro. While Hurley got off to a good start in the series with his Tuesday night homer, he ended it rough as he was placed on the seven-day injured list Saturday and figures to miss most, if not all of the upcoming home series against Corpus Christi.
The Sod Poodles return to Hodgetown on Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. for a six-game series against the Corpus Christi Hooks. They’ll conclude the series with a 1:05 p.m. start time Sunday, the first of three Sunday afternoon games to conclude their remaining series at Hodgetown this season.
This home series will be particularly special in terms of postgame entertainment on the last two nights. Friday and Saturday will feature drone shows and fireworks following both games. It will be the third and fourth time the Sod Poodles have conducted postgame drone shows this season, with the first two taking place at Hodgetown on June 13-14.
Start making 2026 plans
Last week the Sod Poodles released their home schedule for 2026. They’ll open their season at Hodgetown on April 3 with a three-game series against Springfield.
In June, the Soddies will have what’s been a rarity in recent memory, as they’ll host back-to-back six-game series at Hodgetown. The Sod Poodles will host Midland on June 16-21 before entertaining Frisco on June 23-28.
They’ll finish the 2026 regular season by hosting San Antonio on Sept. 8-13.
