Sod Poodles Win Series Finale Over Hooks, Take Series

POSTGAME NOTES
Saturday, April 20, 2019 vs. Corpus Christi Hooks
Amarillo Sod Poodles (7-10) | Corpus Christi Hooks (8-9)
 
SOD POODLES WIN SERIES FINALE OVER HOOKS, TAKE SERIES
 
AMARILLO, Texas - The Amarillo Sod Poodles were victorious in the rubber match with the Corpus Christi Hooks by a final score of 6-3. Starting pitcher Reggie Lawson was dazzling as he tossed five strong innings, allowed only one earned run on just four hits, and striking out seven Hooks batters. Jorge Oña led the team offensively on his 3-for-4 night with two home runs. 
                                
The Hooks struck the board first Saturday night at HODGETOWN when in the second inning Ronnie Dawson hit a sharp single to left field that scored J.J. Matijevic to give Corpus Christi the early 1-0 lead. The Sod Poodles answered right back in the bottom of the inning as Oña crushed a three-run home run to straightaway center field that put Amarillo in front of Corpus Christi by a score of 3-1.    
 
Amarillo starter Lawson was brilliant Saturday night tossing five innings of four-hit baseball. He allowed only one earned run and struck out seven Corpus Christi batters en route to his first win of the season.             
 
In the sixth inning, the Sod Poodles tacked on two more runs as Kyle Overstreet hit an RBI double to the left field corner which allowed Luis Torrens to score. Three batters later, Edward Olivares roped an RBI double to center field bringing home Overstreet and extended the Amarillo lead to 5-1.
 
The Hooks kept the game in reach as in the seventh inning they scored two runs to cut the Amarillo advantage to 5-3. The first run for the Hooks came via an Abraham Toro ground out that brought home Carlos Canelon. Then a wild pitch by Sod Poodle reliever Emmanuel Ramirez allowed Stephen Wrenn scurry home.     
 
In the bottom of the seventh, the Sod Poodles lengthened their lead over the Hooks when Oña slugged his second home run of the game to left center field to make the score 6-3.
 
The Hooks would go quietly into the night as Sod Poodles reliever Ramirez shut down the Corpus Christi bats as he only allowed one hit in a three-inning save appearance which was his first of the year. The bullpen work from Ramirez and Andres Munoz would preserve the 6-3 victory for the Sod Poodles and a series win over the Hooks.                       
 
The Amarillo Sod Poodles will hit the road starting Monday night as they begin an eight-game road trip which will start in Springfield Missouri. The Sod Poodles will face off against the Springfield Cardinals for the first four games of the road trip, and then Amarillo will travel to North Little Rock, Arkansas as they will clash with the Arkansas Travelers for the final four games of the road trip.    
 
 
NOTES
 
Set the Hook: The Sod Poodles won their second straight series over the Corpus Christi Hooks Saturday night by a final score of 6-3. In the two series, the Sod Poodles have combined for four wins in six games. Amarillo also outscored Corpus Christi by a total of 46-41.   
 
Stay Hot: Jorge Oña hit his fourth and fifth home runs of the season Saturday night against the Corpus Christi Hooks. Ona is tied for second on the team with five home runs alongside Brad Zunica. Buddy Reed leads the squad with six big flies.        
Making Himself at Home: Since being transferred to Amarillo on April 18, batted .417 over three games, recording at least a hit in each. He recorded his first Double-A hit and a home run in his first game with Amarillo while collecting three RBI. In three games, he is 5-for-12 with four runs scored, a double, home run, five RBI, three walks, and only three strikeouts.   
 
Ridiculous Reggie: Amarillo's right-hander Reggie Lawson was brilliant Saturday night tossing five innings of four-hit baseball. Lawson allowed only one earned run and struck out seven Corpus Christi batters in route to his first win of the season on Saturday night.
Friendly Confines: After the Sod Poodles victory on Saturday night, they have improved their record at HODGETOWN to 6-4. Five of their six wins at home have come against the Corpus Christi Hooks plus a lone victory against the Midland RockHounds back on April 9 when they won by a final score of 8-2.           
 
Bullish Pen: The Amarillo bullpen Saturday night made up of Andres Munoz and Emmanuel Ramirez combined for four innings and only allowed two earned runs while fanning seven Hooks batters.          
                                    
Amarillo Bombers: The Sod Poodles have slugged 25 home runs this season in 17 games which leads the Texas League. The Tulsa Drillers are two home runs behind the Sod Poodles with 23 home runs. Buddy Reed has collected six home runs for Amarillo, followed by Brad Zunica and Jorge Ona with six big flies, Edward Olivares each have three homers, Owen Miller has belted two homers, and Hudson Potts with one long ball for the Sod Poodles.
 
Movin'On Up: After batting .273 with nine hits, two home runs, six walks, and four RBI in just ten games with the Sod Poodles, Peter Van Gansen was promoted to Triple-A El Paso Thursday afternoon. This is Van Gansen's second stint in Triple-A the other was in 2017 when Van Gansen played 21 games with El Paso.                  
On the Road Again: The Amarillo Sod Poodles will hit the road starting Monday night as they begin an eight-game road trip which will start in Springfield Missouri. The Sod Poodles will face off against the Springfield Cardinals for the first four games of the road trip, and then Amarillo will travel to North Little Rock, Arkansas as they will clash with the Arkansas Travelers for the final four games of the road trip.