HODGETOWN Draws 22nd Consecutive Sellout, Sod Poodles Take Game Three Over RoughRiders

POSTGAME NOTES
Saturday, August 3, 2019 vs. Frisco RoughRiders
Amarillo Sod Poodles (24-17, 58-51) | Frisco RoughRiders (19-21, 52-57)
 
HODGETOWN DRAWS 22ND CONSECUTIVE SELLOUT, SOD POODLES TAKE GAME THREE OVER ROUGHRIDERS
 
AMARILLO, Texas - The Amarillo Sod Poodles bounced back with a 7-4 victory over the Frisco RoughRiders in game three of the four-game set in front of 6,674 fans to mark the 22nd consecutive sellout at HODGETOWN. 
Jesse Scholtens made his 15th start for the Sod Poodles, earning his fifth win after tossing five innings of seven-hit, four-run ball with just one walk allowed and four strikeouts. Relievers Kazuhisa Makita and Evan Miller combined for three innings of one-hit magic while David Bednar shut down the ninth to record his ninth save of the season. 
The Sod Poodles combined for 10 hits with six of the total coming off the bats Edward Olivares, Owen Miller and Luis Torrens. The three recorded two hits each while they and Peter Van Gansen all homered to tie a season-high of four home runs hit as a team in one game. 
  
Amarillo got down to business offensively in the second inning. Luis Torrens started things off with a leadoff single and, following two consecutive outs by Hudson Potts and Brad Zunica, Peter Van Gansen made it a 2-0 score with his eighth home run of the season. 
The Sod Poodles continued their momentum into the bottom of the third with another two-out rally. Edward Olivares got the frame started with a base hit and, after stealing second, was plated on Owen Miller's single. Torrens and Potts capped off the half with back-to-back home runs to extend the lead to 6-0. 
Frisco closed within two runs, making it a 6-4 contest with a pair in the top of the fourth and fifth innings. In the fourth, the RoughRiders plated two on a walk and two hits, including a double by Preston Beck, to make it a 6-2 contest. In the fifth, they added on following a single and two consecutive doubles.
Miller made it a three-run game in the bottom half of the fifth thanks to his solo home run, extending Amarillo's lead to 7-4. 
The opposing offense would stop there as Amarillo pitching would only allow a single hit over the final frames, giving the Sod Poodles a 2-1 series advantage heading into the final game Sunday. 
 
The Sod Poodles complete their four-game series with the RoughRiders tomorrow at HODGETOWN. First pitch is at 6:05 p.m.
NOTES:
 
Sod Poodles Assemble: The Sod Poodles head into the series finale Sunday against the Frisco RoughRiders, looking for their 16th series win. Right-hander Lake Bachar will take the mound for the Sod Poodles and face off against Edgar Arredondo. 
Flame On: Sod Poodles catcher Luis Torrens extended his hit streak to 16 games after his two-hit performance Saturday. During the 16-game streak, he is batting .446 (56 AB) with 5 HR, 16 RBI, 14 R, and a .500 OBP. Torrens' longest career hit streak is 21 games, which was recorded in 2014 (6/28-7/26 with Staten Island). His hit streak is the third-longest in the Texas League and tied for fourth in Double-A this season. 
BAM! POW!: Luis Torrens and Hudson Potts hit back-to-back home runs in the third inning Saturday night against the RoughRiders. The Sod Poodles have now hit three pairs of back-to-back home runs this season: Miller/Torrens (4th, 4/24@SPR), Olivares/Potts
(4th, 5/5 vs. ARK).
Sellout Streak: Following Thursday's game of 6,674 fans at HODGETOWN, the Sod Poodles have hosted 22 straight sellouts and 32 overall so far during the 2019 season in 52 home games.
 
Saving The Day: David Bednar recorded his ninth save of the season Saturday night against Frisco. Bednar's save ranks first among the Sod Poodles pitching save and tied for third in the Texas League in the category. 
 
Peter "Parker" Van Gansen: Sod Poodles outfielder Peter Van Gansen belted his eighth home run of the season Saturday night at HODGETOWN. 
Up, Up, And Away: In his last 10 games, Buddy Reed is batting .290 (9-for-31) with a home run, five RBI and five runs with three stolen bags. 
  
Buddy "The Flash" Reed: Sod Poodles outfielder Buddy Reed stole his 15th base of the season Saturday night. Reed is seven stolen bases away from 100 career stolen bags.
 
I have The Power: Jesse Scholtens recorded his fifth win of the season after his four-run, seven-hit performance with four strikeouts. 
 
It's Clobbering Time: The Sod Poodles four home runs on Saturday night tied a season-high in home runs hit as a team in one game. The last time they reached the feat was on May 5 against Arkansas at HODGETOWN.
 
Back On The Bump: Blake Rogers made his first appearance with the Sod Poodles since June 21 at Tulsa where he tossed four shutout innings.
 
Free Pass: MacKenzie Gore walked a career-high four batter Friday night against the RoughRiders. Before Friday night Gore held a career-high of three walks three times with the last coming on July 2nd at High-A Rancho Cucamonga.
 
First Hit: Padres number three overall prospect, Taylor Trammell recorded his first hit with the Sod Poodles Friday night as he reached on an infield single to third base in the sixth inning.
 
Season Best: Starter Kyle Lloyd collected a season-high nine strikeouts on Thursday in the series opener against Frisco. He earned his sixth win (third consecutive) after allowing four runs on six hits and one walk.  
 
Hosed: Buddy Reed recorded his 14th outfield assist Saturday against the RoughRiders. Reed leads the team with his 14 outfield assists. Reed has recorded nine of the twelve assists from center field, two from right field, and now three from left field.
 
Starting Strong: Sod Poodles starting pitching has recently been excellent. In the last eight games, Amarillo starters have allowed just 16 ER in 54.1 IP, which totals a 2.66 ERA.
 
1,200 Wins: Sod Poodles inaugural manager Phillip Wellman earned his 1,200-career regular-season win as a Minor League Baseball manager Tuesday night. Wellman currently sits 13th in total wins among active MiLB managers. Wellman is in his 20th season as a minor league manager. Wellman's managerial career began in 1992 with the Baltimore Orioles Gulf Coast League affiliate. He has also managed Winston-Salem (Cincinnati Reds High-A) of the Carolina League (1996), Burington (Cincinnati Class A) of the Midwest League (1997-98), Chattanooga (Cincinnati AA) of the Southern League (1999, 2001-2003), Mississippi (Atlanta AA) of the Southern League (2007-2010) and Arkansas (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim AA) of the Texas League (2014). He spent the 2016-2018 seasons as the manager of the San Antonio Missions (San Diego Padres AA), before being transferred to Amarillo with the change in affiliate locations.
  
July Joy: Amarillo went 18-10 in the month of July, which was the best record in the month of July among Texas League teams. It's the best month of the season for the Sod Poodles. In May the Soddies went 16-11, which was the team's only other winning month this season.
 
Double-A Leaders: The Sod Poodles lead all of Double-A baseball with a .266 team batting average this season. They rank second in runs scored this season (541), trailing only the Corpus Christi Hooks (551).
 
Among the TL's Best: The Sod Poodles have four players among the Texas League's top-10 in batting average: Ivan Castillo (.327 - 1st), Luis Torrens (.303 - 4th), Edward Olivares (.298 - 5th), and Owen Miller (.292 - 7th).
  
Swing And A Miss: The Sod Poodles pitching staff ranks third in all of Double-A with 1027 strikeouts this season. Amarillo trails fellow Texas League foes Corpus Christi (1089) and Arkansas (1045). Four of the top five clubs in the category are from the Texas League with Springfield ranking in fourth place with 1023 strikeouts.
  
300K+: The Sod Poodles have welcomed a total of 329,491 fans so far during the inaugural season and are the second team in the Texas League to reach over 300,000 fans.
 
Olivares' Big July: In the midst of putting together one of the Texas League's finest seasons at the plate in 2019, outfielder Edward Olivares is hitting .356 with 5 home runs, 18 RBI, and a .991 OPS.
  
Three Bags for Zunica: Brad Zunica hit his second triple of the season Friday night against the RoughRiders. Zunica's last triple came on June 17 at Northwest Arkansas. Last season with Lake Elsinore Zunica hit a career-high three triples.
 
Upcoming: Amarillo will head back on the road for a seven-game road trip following the four games at home against Frisco, taking them through Midland and back to face up against Frisco.