Big Days at the Plate From AOA, Torin Secure Series Victory in Tulsa
TULSA, OK (August 23, 2026) -- The Amarillo Sod Poodles (28-23, 64-55) defeated the Tulsa Drillers (29-22, 75-45), 7-4, on Sunday afternoon at ONEOK Field. All nine Sod Poodles in the lineup tallied a hit as the top of the order led the way for Amarillo to secure a series
TULSA, OK (August 23, 2026) -- The Amarillo Sod Poodles (28-23, 64-55) defeated the Tulsa Drillers (29-22, 75-45), 7-4, on Sunday afternoon at ONEOK Field. All nine Sod Poodles in the lineup tallied a hit as the top of the order led the way for Amarillo to secure a series victory.
After both teams traded zeroes on the scoreboard in the first two innings, the Soddies used a bit of a two-out rally to get on the board in the top of the third. Following a double to left field by Cristofer Torin, Avery Owusu-Asiedu went the other way with a 2-2 breaking ball from right-hander Roque Gutierrez at the bottom of the zone, driving it beyond the right field wall for a two-run home run.
REMEMBER THE NAME ‼️
— Amarillo Sod Poodles (@sodpoodles) August 23, 2026
AVERY OWUSU-ASIEDU HOMERS AGAIN.
HE'S UNBELIEVABLE. 😱 pic.twitter.com/MXl4Cc7t4q
Amarillo failed to plate leadoff baserunners in the next two frames, but were able to get back in the run column in the top of the sixth. Danny Serretti and Gavin Logan reached in back-to-back plate appearances against left-handed reliever Evan Shaw, leading Tulsa to opt for another southpaw in Christian Suarez.
He struck out the first batter he faced for the second out of the frame, but surrendered an RBI single to center field by Angel Ortiz in the next at-bat. Torin followed suit with a hard hit ball through the left side to double the Soddies lead to 4-0.
Adding to our lead 😤 pic.twitter.com/cODTgkcO3y
— Amarillo Sod Poodles (@sodpoodles) August 23, 2026
The Drillers could not produce quite as much traffic on the bases throughout the afternoon, in large part to the effort by Amarillo starting pitcher Wellington Aracena. The Diamondbacks No. 15 prospect was very successful pitching to contact in his second start of the week against Tulsa, holding the hosts scoreless over 4.2 innings pitched on four hits in just 68 pitches.
Logan Mercado maintained the shutout for the Sod Poodles until the seventh inning, where a Kole Myers solo homer put the Drillers on the board.
Amarillo got that run back and then some in the top of the eighth, extending its lead with a trio of insurance runs. Tulsa’s Alex Walsh inherited a pair of runners with one out before Torin ambushed his first offering to load the bases. Owusu-Asiedu could not be cooled down as he sent a two-run ground-rule double into the Drillers bullpen, and Jansel Luis made it a 7-1 game on an RBI single to left field.
AOA Ground-Rule Double to extend the lead 🔥
— Amarillo Sod Poodles (@sodpoodles) August 23, 2026
Second RBI XBH of the day. He literally won't stop hitting. pic.twitter.com/psXSXf1iOP
A Josue De Paula solo homer in the eighth off Antonio Menendez and a Chris Newell two-run shot in the ninth against Alfred Morillo brought the Drillers within three runs, but Morillo settled in and retired the next three batters to end the game.
POSTGAME NOTES
GRAN TORIN-O: Cristofer Torin posted his third game with 4+ hits this season on Sunday, continuing a big month of August...over 16 August games, the shortstop is batting .388 (26x67) with 18 runs, five doubles, two home runs, and a .983 OPS...he was tied with Midland’s Casey Yamauchi for first in the Texas League in runs scored this month at the conclusion of Amarillo’s game on Sunday.
AOA-OK: With his go-ahead two-run home run in the top of the third inning, Avery Owusu-Asiedu extended his hit streak to 12 games...since joining the Sod Poodles on August 11, he is batting .468 (22x47) with 13 runs scored, four doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 21 RBI and a 1.658 OPS...between Amarillo and High-A Hillsboro, he has now hit safely 19 straight contests.