After getting almost identical results in their two road series over the last two weeks, the Amarillo Sod Poodles have to be glad they’re coming back to Hodgetown for six games starting Tuesday.
The Sod Poodles had won three straight series (two at home and one on the road) before embarking on their most challenging road trip of the season two weeks ago, as they headed to Springfield, Mo. to take on the Springfield Cardinals for six games. When that series concluded, they made the longest possible Texas League road trip, as they headed far south to take on the Corpus Christi Hooks in a series which concluded Sunday night.
At least the Soddies will be back home for a bit, which is welcome news considering the results of both series. At both Springfield and Corpus Christi, the Sod Poodles lost the first two games, won the next two, then lost the final two to assure a series loss.
The way they finished their series at Corpus had to be especially frustrating. They were one outs from getting a series split when the Hooks tied it with a home run in the bottom of the ninth, then scored in the bottom of the 10th to hand the Sod Poodles a 6-5 loss and pull out the series win.
Tuesday, the Soddies (20-25) will try to snag their third straight series win at Hodgetown, as they host the Frisco RoughRiders in a 7:05 p.m. start on Taco Tuesday to open the series.
They can only think of what might have been after Sunday’s loss. The Sod Poodles led the entire game until the 10th when pitcher Zane Russell misplayed a sacrifice bunt by Rowdey Jordan and threw the ball away, allowing placed runner Austin Deming to score from second and give the Hooks a walk-off win.
Corpus rallied from a 4-0 deficit with four runs in the bottom of the eighth. The Soddies rallied with two outs in the top of the ninth when Tommy Troy tripled and scored on LuJames Groover’s single for a 5-4 lead.
Russell retired the first two Hooks in the ninth, but Edwin Diaz homered to center to tie it and force extra innings.
There were three straight one-run games to close the series. Corpus Christi won 3-2 on Saturday to take the series lead one night after the Sod Poodles may have gotten their best overall pitching performance of the season.
Friday night, left-hander Avery Short went five innings and the bullpen made it hold up the rest of the way for a 1-0 victory. Relievers Zach Barnes, Alfred Morillo, Philip Abner and Landon Sims threw four shutout innings to preserve the win, with Sims earning the save.
The Soddies got their only run in the game in the top of the sixth when Caleb Roberts hit a two-out double to drive home Groover.
Sunday’s game was actually the second 10-inning loss of the series for the Sod Poodles. The Hooks won Wednesday’s matinee game, also by a 6-5 count, when Bryce Willits drove home the game-winning run with a single.
All of this week’s games against Frisco will be 7:05 p.m. starts with the exception of the series finale Sunday at 1:05 p.m.
Discounted hot dogs are the highlight of Wiener Wednesday, and select beverages will cost only $2 for Thirsty Thursday. Friday night will feature postgame fireworks, as the Sod Poodles will become the Yellow City Pigweeds for one night.
Saturday night will be a Groover t-shirt giveaway, which is appropriate considering that Groover is tied for the team lead with seven homers and a .295 average.