Vukovich Homers Twice in Loss
AMARILLO, Texas (April 6, 2024) – The Amarillo Sod Poodles fell to the visiting San Antonio Missions 18-5 on Saturday night at HODGETOWN. Three-hit nights from A.J. Vukovich and Deyvison De Los Santos carried the offense that outhit the Missions in a lopsided defeat. For the second consecutive game to
AMARILLO, Texas (April 6, 2024) – The Amarillo Sod Poodles fell to the visiting San Antonio Missions 18-5 on Saturday night at HODGETOWN. Three-hit nights from A.J. Vukovich and Deyvison De Los Santos carried the offense that outhit the Missions in a lopsided defeat.
For the second consecutive game to open the season, the Sod Poodles found themselves in an early deficit after the Missions' first trip to the plate. RHP Luke Albright worked two quick outs but saw a two-out free pass come around to cross the plate on a RBI double off the bat of Cole Cummings. Ending the first inning with his second strikeout, Albright added another two punchouts to keep San Antonio at bay in the second.
Amarillo worked two of their own onto the base paths with two outs in the home half of the frame. J.J. D'Orazio singled and was followed aboard by a Neyfy Castillo walk. Both were able to advance into scoring position but were left stranded as San Antonio's Robby Snelling picked up his third strikeout of the game.
A pair of home runs, including a grand slam in the top of the third did all of the damage for San Antonio as they extended their lead to 8-0. Two more runs crossed the plate for the Missions in the fourth.
Leadoff home runs by the Sod Poodles, one in the bottom of the fourth from Vukovich and another from De Los Santos in the bottom of the sixth provided Amarillo their first two runs of the game. Vukovich was back at it in the bottom of the eighth. The D-backs' no. 15-rated prospect hit his second home run of the contest, this time a two-run shot onto the right field berm.
A second Mission's grand slam in the game was also the second home run for San Antonio's Ray-Patrick Didder in as many trips to the plate. The second gave him six RBI for the night before the game moved to the bottom of the ninth.
Vukovich's offensive efforts carried into the final half inning where he tallied his third hit and fourth RBI.
Amarillo will aim to avoid a three-game slide to start the 2024 season when the two teams wrap up the series on Sunday afternoon. Amarillo will send Yilber Diaz to the mound against Ryan Bergert. Diaz is currently ranked as the D-backs no. 16-rated prospect while Bergert checks in at no. 10 in the Padres' organization. First pitch is slated for 1:05 pm.
NOTES:
BETTER IN PAIRS: After pacing the Sod Poodles in home runs during the 2023 season with 24, A.J. Vukovich collected his first and second home runs of the new season on Saturday night. His first hit of the season was a solo home run to start the bottom of the fourth and then added a two-run homer in the eighth. Now up to 28 career home runs in Amarillo, the D-backs no. 15-rated prospect has surpassed Tim Tawa for the second-most home runs as a Sod Poodle all-time. He now sits two home runs shy of tying Leandro Cedeño for the most all-time. The Mukwonago, WI native had two multi-HR efforts during the 2023 season and was the first Soddie to notch a multi-HR game last year when he did so on June 10th on the road in Midland.
V̶u̶k̶ N̶u̶k̶e̶
— Amarillo Sod Poodles (@sodpoodles) April 7, 2024
TWO VUK NUKES pic.twitter.com/a0UNNff4F5
DEYVISON, PAUL, & MARY: Deyvison De Los Santos led the Sod Poodles with 37 multi-hit games in 2023 and has now collected his first multi-hit effort of this season after going 3-for-5 with three runs scored and a solo home run, his first of the young season. The D-backs no. 14-rated prospect had six three-hit games last year and smacked 20 home runs, one of just five players who have hit 20+ home runs in a season as a Soddie. The 20-year-old infielder tied Dominic Fletcher for fifth all-time on the Sod Poodles home run list with his solo home run on Saturday night.
De Los has left the building 🚀
— Amarillo Sod Poodles (@sodpoodles) April 7, 2024
1⃣0⃣7⃣ MPH
4⃣1⃣2⃣ feet pic.twitter.com/Q8ONuIq9CS
TWO J'S, TWO H'S: J.J. D'Orazio was the other Sod Poodle player to record a multi-hit effort on Saturday night. He recorded eight multi-hit games in the 37 games he played with Amarillo at the end of the 2023 season. His two-hit night was the first for the catcher since August 31, 2023.
SLAM THE BARN(ES) DOOR: After appearing in just two games for Amarillo in 2023, Zach Barnes made his first appearance of 2023 on Saturday night. The right-hander went 1.1 IP and did not yield a run against him with just one hit issued.
LONG EXPOSURE: The Sod Poodles and Missions completed their 21-hit, 23-run game in 3:20 minutes. Amarillo played in four 3:20+ hour games in 2023 with the last coming in Game 1 of the Texas League South Division Championship Series against San Antonio on Sept. 19 at HODGETOWN.
FREEBIES: The Sod Poodles set a franchise-high with 14 walks issued in the game on Saturday night. The previous high was 13, set on August 6, 2023, against Corpus Christi.