Sod Poodles Eight-Run First Inning Not Enough In 18-9 Game Two Loss To Drillers

AMARILLO, Texas - The Sod Poodles fell to the Tulsa Drillers 18-9 in front of 5,809 in the final game at HODGETOWN in game two of the Texas League Championship Series. Despite taking an 8-3 lead after the first inning, the Drillers continued an offensive ride that could not be stopped, plating 15 more runs in all but two innings on 15 hits, including a Tulsa professional baseball-high nine home runs. The series will now head to Tulsa with the series tied at 1-1. 
Taylor Trammell led the Sod Poodles offensively going 2-for-5 with a triple, home run, three RBI, and a run scored. Both of Trammell's hits came in the first inning.     
 
Tulsa started the scoring early on, taking a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning courtesy of two home runs and a sacrifice fly. On the very first pitch of the game, Jeter Downs hit a solo home run. Connor Wong followed with a double to right-center field and advanced to third base on a Chris Parmelee fly out. Wong scored on a Cody Thomas sacrifice fly to center field. Donovan Casey capped off the inning with a solo home run to center field. 
 
But, in the bottom half, the Sod Poodles answered back, exploding with eight runs on six hits. Taylor Trammell started the inning with a triple down the right-field line and scored on an Ivan Castillo double. Edward Olivares followed with an RBI single to left field while Owen Miller continued the rally with a single to right and Luis Torrens reached on a fielding error to load the bases. Olivares then came in to score on a Hudson Potts sacrifice fly. After Kyle Overstreet walked to reload the bases and Buddy Reed popped out to first base, Soddies starting pitcher Jacob Nix roped a two-RBI single to right-center field. Trammell capped off the inning with a three-run home run to left field in his second at-bat to give the Sod Poodles an 8-3 advantage.   
 
In the second inning, the Drillers retook a 9-8 lead plating six more runs on five hits. Omar Estevez worked a leadoff walk to start the inning. Carlos Rincon followed with a flyout and Luis Vasquez struck out on a bunt attempt. Estevez then advanced to second on a wild pitch and Downs then walked to place runners on first and second. One batter later, Wong roped a two-RBI double to right-center field while Parmelee and Thomas would homer. After Casey hit a single to center field, Nix was relieved by Blake Rogers who would allow the sixth run to score before finishing out the half. 
 
Tulsa added to their lead in the third inning when they plated three runs when Casey hit a three-run home run to left field with two outs to extend the Drillers lead to 12-8.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Amarillo cut the Drillers lead to 12-9 via an Olivares solo home run to right field.
 
The Drillers extended their lead to 14-9 in the fifth and sixth innings with a pair of solo home runs from Downs and Rincon.
 
Tulsa tacked on two runs in the eighth inning to stretch their lead to 16-9 when Estevez hit a two-run home run to left field to plate Casey, who doubled to start the frame. Then, in the ninth, the Drillers added two final runs on Downs' solo home run and Wong's third double of the night to make it a commanding 18-9 score, which was too far out for Amarillo to come back from. 
  
The Sod Poodles continue the Texas League Championship Series in Tulsa Friday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.