Eighth inning homer lifts Amarillo past Frisco
AMARILLO, Texas (July 9, 2025) - The Frisco RoughRiders were upended by the Amarillo Sod Poodles 5-3 on Wednesday night from HODGETOWN. Box Score Abimelec Ortiz started the scoring when he clipped a two-run home run in the top of the fourth, giving Frisco (5-9, 43-39) a 2-0 lead. Amarillo
AMARILLO, Texas (July 9, 2025) - The Frisco RoughRiders were upended by the Amarillo Sod Poodles 5-3 on Wednesday night from HODGETOWN.
Abimelec Ortiz started the scoring when he clipped a two-run home run in the top of the fourth, giving Frisco (5-9, 43-39) a 2-0 lead. Amarillo (8-6, 40-43) then answered in the bottom of the fifth when Kristian Robinson drilled a two-run blast, tying the game at two.
In the top of the sixth, Cam Cauley demolished a solo homer to regain a 3-2 lead.
After a pair of singles in the bottom of the eighth, Ivan Melendez snuck a go-ahead three run homer over the fence in right centerfield, giving the Sod Poodles a 5-3 advantage.
Amarillo reliever Zane Russell worked a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save. Sod Poodles reliever Jhosmer Alvarez (3-2) secured the win with two scoreless innings.
Frisco reliever Josh Mollerus (1-1) took the loss, yielding the Melendez homer. RoughRiders starter Daniel Missaki sparkled, striking out seven while allowing just two hits and a walk across four scoreless innings.
Notes to Know:
-Ortiz is now tied with Luis Mieses for the team lead in homers (11). His seven homers at HODGETOWN are the most by any opposing player since the start of 2024.
-Cauley now ranks tied for second in the Texas League with 28 extra base hits.
-Since 2024, the RoughRiders have lost just 13 games when leading in the seventh inning or later. Frisco is 120-13 in those situations during that timeframe.
The RoughRiders and Sod Poodles reconvene at 7:05 p.m. on Thursday night from HODGETOWN. Frisco RHP Josh Stephan (5-4, 5.86) takes the ball against Amarillo RHP Roman Angelo (1-8, 6.01).
For tickets and more information about the Frisco RoughRiders, visit RidersBaseball.com or call 972.731.9200.
About the RoughRiders
The Frisco RoughRiders are the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers and the 2022 Texas League champions. In 2023, the team celebrated its 20th anniversary and has consistently finished in the top five among all Double-A franchises in attendance yearly. In August 2014, the RoughRiders were purchased by an ownership group led by Chuck Greenberg. Since then, the new ownership group, together with the City of Frisco, has spearheaded numerous major franchise enhancements, investing over $8 million in a wide array of facility upgrades and improvements, including a state-of-the-art HD video board, sound system, Bull Moose Saloon, Bullpen Bar, Riders Outpost Team Store and the world's largest water feature in a sports facility, the massive Lazy River. These enhancements earned the Riders and the City of Frisco Ballpark Digest's prestigious "Best Ballpark Renovation" award for two consecutive years (2015 and 2016). More than 210 former RoughRiders players have gone on to play Major League Baseball including current Rangers Josh Jung, Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford. For more information on the Frisco RoughRiders, please visit RidersBaseball.com or contact [email protected].