Go Ya One Better ... Amarillo Wins, 6-4

Amarillo Sod Poodles 6, RockHounds 4

Tuesday, June 15, 2021

HODGETOWN Amarillo, Texas

In the top of the fifth inning Tuesday night at Amarillo, Jeremy Eierman ripped a two-run home run to give the RockHounds a 3-1 lead.

In the home half the inning, Stone Garrett answered … with a grand slam … as the Sod Poodles scored five times in the frame and went on to a 6-4 win in the opener of a six-game series in the Panhandle.

Starter Brady Feigl had allowed just one hit through the first four innings, a triple by Michael de le Cruz that turned into the games’ first run in the second inning.

The ‘Hounds tied the game in the fourth on a walk to Kyle McCann, a single by JJ Schwarz, and Chase Calabuig’s sacrifice fly. Devin Foyle then walked with one out in the fifth and Eierman (see “Kibbles & Bits,” below) followed with his fourth home run of the season.

Three singles, the last of them an RBI bunt from Osvaldo Abreu, brought the Sod Poodles within 3-2 in fifth and a walk to Jake McCarthy loaded the bases for Garrett. The Sugarland, Texas, native continued a red-hot month of June (see below) with the go-ahead … and eventual game-winning … slam.

Amarillo picked up its third consecutive win while the RockHounds’ road struggles continued. The club dropped its fifth straight and is 1-6 on the current (12-game) road swing.

Kibbles & Bits

Jeremy Eierman (2-for-4, HR, walk) extended his hit streak to nine games. He is hitting .343 (12-35) in the streak with two home runs and six runs batted in. After hitting .188 in May, the top 20 A’s prospect is hitting .327 since the calendar turned to June.

Stone Garrett is as hot as any batter in the Double-A Central, hitting .444 (16-36) with four home runs and 12 RBI in a current seven-game hitting streak. The native of Sugarland (TX) was originally selected by the Miami Marlins in the eighth round of the 2014 draft (George Ranch HS in Richmond, Texas) and signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks (Amarillo’s MLB parent club) in March of this year.

Next Game

Wednesday, June 16 vs. Amarillo Sod Poodles

HODGETOWN Amarillo, Texas

First pitch 7:05 p.m.

• Second of a six-game series and eighth of a 12-game road trip

Probable Starters

AMA: Ryan Weiss (RH, 2-1, 4.19)

RH: Chase Cohen (RH, 1-1, 1.93)

Next at Rocky Town

The RockHounds return home Tuesday, June 22, to host the Wichita Wind Surge (AA affiliate of the Minnesota Twins) in a six-game homestand at Momentum Bank Ballpark (Tuesday-Sunday, June 22-27).