Hounds Fall to Amarillo in Series Finale

Amarillo Sod Poodles 4, RockHounds 1
Wednesday, July 3, 2019
Security Bank Ballpark
As a member of the San Antonio Missions in 2017, Kyle Lloyd threw a nine-inning no-hitter against the Frisco RoughRiders. The Missions are now the Amarillo Sod Poodles, but Lloyd returned to his '17 form, retiring the first 12 batters he faced and allowing just one (unearned) run on three hits over seven strong innings to lead Amarillo to a 4-1 win in the finale of a three-game series Wednesday evening at Security Bank Ballpark.
Brad Zunica, who continues to scorch the RockHounds (see below) provided all the offense Lloyd would need, driving in the first two runs of the game with a solo home run to the short porch in right field in the third and adding an RBI single in the fifth. The home run was the only run allowed in four innings by Grant Holmes while the RBI single came off A.J. Puk, who pitched one inning in his second appearance with the RockHounds. Taylor Kohlwey coaxed a walk against the lefty to open the (fifth) inning and stole second base before scoring on Zunica's single to left.
Owen Miller was hit by a Daulton Jefferies pitch leading off the seventh. He was running on a 2-1 pitch to Hudson Potts and came around to score when Potts ripped the delivery into right-center for a double.
The clubs then exchanged unearned runs to close the scoring. Taylor Motter drove in the 'Hounds only run with a line drive single to left in the seventh and Ivan Castillo, the Texas League's leading hitter (.339) closed the scoring with an RBI single to right in the eighth (Castillo entered the game in the eighth, replacing Miller).
Evan Miller pitched two perfect innings (with four strikeouts) to close the game and earn the save.
                                                                                                                                         
Amarillo snapped the RockHounds' six-game win streak (matching the club's season long streak) but the 'Hounds took the series, 2-1.
Texas League South
Frisco and Corpus Christi lit up the scoreboard again at Dr Pepper Ballpark. After scoring 24 runs Tuesday (a 13-11 RoughRiders win), the clubs put 21 more on the board Wednesday night in a wild, back-and-forth game. The Hooks broke out to a 6-0 lead … Frisco scored seven times in the sixth … the Hooks came right back with two in the seventh … the Riders responded with four in the eighth … and Corpus rallied once more with four in the ninth. If your calculator ran out of batteries, that all adds up to an 11-10 Frisco win.
The RockHounds (9-4) lead the Hooks and Sod Poodles (both 5-8) by four games and the RoughRiders (4-8) by 4½ in the early stages of the second half race.
Notable
Check out Brad Zunica's crazy season splits:
Versus the RockHounds, Zunica is hitting .381 (24-for-63) with seven home runs and 19 RBI
Versus Amarillo's other six opponents, combined, he's hitting .193 (35-for-181) with six home runs and 19 RBI
Grant Holmes took the loss, allowing one run (on Zunica's short porch home run) but lowered his ERA to 2.63 (he went four innings for the second consecutive outing).
The RockHounds' home stand lasted three games and the club was IN town for almost precisely 67 hours. The 'Hounds arrived home from Frisco at 4 a.m. Monday and the bus departed for Corpus Christi Wednesday night at 11.
The 'Hounds and Hooks meet in Corpus Christi for a four-game Independence Day weekend series.
Next Game
Thursday, July 4         vs. Corpus Christi Hooks
Whataburger Field      Corpus Christi, Texas
First pitch 6:15 p.m.   
- Final of a four-game series and road trip
- Radio: NewsTalk 550 with Bob Hards ... airtime 6:05 p.m.
Probable Starters                
CC: Yohan Ramirez (RH,      0-2, 9.45)
RH: Matt Milburn     (RH,      5-4, 4.23)
Next at Security Bank Ballpark
The RockHounds return Monday, July 8, to open a seven-game homestand:
Amarillo Sod Poodles (July 8-9-10) and the Corpus Christi Hooks (July 11-12-13-14).