Sod Poodles Win Final Home Game of 2022

September 11, 2022 – Texas League (TL) – Amarillo Sod Poodles News Release

Amarillo, TEXAS – The Amarillo Sod Poodles defeated the Arkansas Travelers 3-1 on Sunday to win their final home game of 2022.

The Sod Poodles scored all three runs in the 4th and were led by a dominant performance by starter Ross Carver. Arkansas did not score until there were two outs in the top of the 9th.

Both starters kicked off the game with a 1-2-3 1st with two strikeouts apiece. The Travelers led off the 2nd with a hard-hit double to left field, but Carver stranded the runner and ended the inning with another strikeout.

Deyvison De Los Santos and Blaze Alexander led off the bottom of the 2nd with back-to-back walks. De Los Santos advanced to third after tagging up on a fly ball, but they were both left stranded. Carver racked up two more strikeouts in the 3rd and retired the side in the 4th.

Eight Sod Poodles were retired in a row after the walks in the 2nd, but they drew back-to-back walks again with two outs in the 4th. AJ Vukovich came through in the big spot and laced an RBI single to right field to plate the first run of the game. Tim Tawa followed him with a clutch two-RBI single of his own to make it 3-0, Amarillo.

Newly up by three, Carver continued his dominance with a scoreless 5th. He retired 10 Travelers in a row before a two-out single in the inning, and the runner was stranded in scoring position after advancing on a passed ball. Carver allowed just three baserunners through the first five innings. Arkansas led off the 6th with a double, but Carver retired the next three for another scoreless frame.

Amarillo loaded the bases but failed to score in the bottom of the 6th. De Los Santos led it off with a double, Alexander followed him with his third game walk, and Vukovich loaded the bags with a single. De Los Santos took off from 3rd after a wild pitch but was tagged out at home before a popout ended the frame.

Jake Rice relieved Carver in the 7th, ending the starter’s line at 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, BB, and 5 K. Rice allowed a single and retired the next three batters.

The Sod Poodles threatened again in the bottom of the 7th but couldn’t score in a hectic inning. After a leadoff strikeout, Jorge Barrosa doubled and stole third. He bounced around on the bag, threatening to steal home, as Roby Enriquez drew a walk to put runners at the corners. He took off for home in an attempted double-steal and was tagged out at the plate on a bang-bang play after a 1-4-2-5-2…