Amarillo Forces Game 5 With Win Over Hounds

Amarillo Sod Poodles 5, RockHounds 1                                                                  
Game 4, Texas League South Division Championship Series
Saturday, September 7, 2019
Security Bank Ballpark
A strong performance from starter Jess Scholtens and a key two-run single from Peter Van Gansen helped the Amarillo Sod Poodles defeat the RockHounds, 5-1, in Game 4 of the Texas League South Division Championship Series Saturday night at Security Bank Ballpark.
With the win, Amarillo forces a fifth and deciding game, Sunday afternoon (2:00), at Rocky Town.
Scholtens retired the first 11 batters he faced and pitched 6⅔ scoreless innings, allowing just four hits, for the win. The RockHounds threatened against the right-hander in the fifth with a leadoff walk by Tyler Ramirez and a single from Dan Gamache putting two men on base with no outs, but Scholtens got the next three batters, the last two on strikeouts, to escape.
The 'Hounds cut a 3-0 deficit to 3-1 on Chase Calabuig's RBI single in the seventh but the Sod Poodles came back to score twice in the eighth on back-to-back RBI hits from Owen Miller (double) and Luis Torrens (single) to build the advantage to 5-1.
Notable
The visiting team has won all four gams to date in the series.
The North Division Championship Series is also going to a fifth and deciding game. Arkansas defeated the Drillers, 4-1, at Tulsa Saturday to square the series. Game 5 is at 1:00 Sunday at ONEOK Field in Tulsa.
Left-hander Aaron Leasher will start Game 5 for Amarillo and the RockHounds will counter with right-hander James Naile.
Leasher spent virtually all season with Lake Elsinore of the (Advanced-A) California League before making one appearance with the Sod Poodles (seven runs on four hits and four walks in 2⅓ innings). He was 10-7, with a 3.15 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP in 22 games with the Storm.
Naile went 8-7, with a 5.54 ERA and 1.59 WHIP in 24 games (21 starts) with the RockHounds. He also went 2-0, 4.41 in three starts with the (Triple-A) Las Vegas Aviators.   James has a remarkable "pedigree" in postseason play - - he was the winning pitcher in the title-clinching games of both the 2016 and 2017 Texas League Championship Series'.
Texas League South Division Championship Series / Game 4
Sunday, September 8 vs. Amarillo Sod Poodles
Security Bank Ballpark           First pitch 2:00 p.m.     
Half-price hot dogs
- Best-of-5 series is tied, 2-2
- Radio: NewsTalk 550 with Bob Hards ... airtime 1:47 p.m.