Late Inning Runs Not Enough In Sod Poodles 8-7 Loss

Amarillo, Texas - The Sod Poodles and Frisco RoughRiders battled back and forth on Saturday night as Amarillo aimed to secure at least a series split over the Texas League South Division foes.

The top of the first inning was kept alive after a glove malfunction for first baseman Tristin English on what would have been the second out of an inning-ending double play. Blaine Crim made it hurt, hitting his fifth home run of the series as the Riders took a 2-0 lead. Amarillo starter Slade Cecconi bounced back, ending the inning with his first strikeout of the game.

Following a one-run top of the fourth, Amarillo finally found themselves on the scoreboard. Singles from Jorge Barrosa and Leandro Cedeño brought English to the dish. A two-RBI double that hugged the left field line cut the Sod Poodles deficit to just one run.

Cecconi remained in the game through the seventh inning, racking up a total of five strikeouts over his 7.0 IP. The D-backs' No. 11 prospect allowed seven hits and three runs (one earned), working around a pair of walks.

Tim Tawa singled and stole second base to start the bottom of the seventh inning. With one out, Nick Dalesandro hit a go-ahead two-run home run to right-center field. His second blast of the season gave Amarillo a 4-3 lead headed into the 8th inning.

Lefty Kyle Backhus took over on the mound for Cecconi and began his outing with a walk and a hit batter that moved the tying run into scoring position. A single tied the game and placed runners on the corners. Backhus' second walk loaded the bases. He then got a strikeout for the first out of the inning but his second hit batter put the RoughRiders back in front and sent Soddies skipper Shawn Roof out for a pitching change as he called on RHP Brent Teller. The first batter he faced singled up the middle as two more RoughRiders came around to push their lead to three. An error allowed another two to score as Frisco took an 8-4 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning.

Amarillo was aided by their own leadoff walk and a single that put two Soddies aboard for Ti'Quan Forbes. Now with two outs, Forbes launched the first pitch he saw over the left-center field wall and cut the Frisco lead to one. Teller retired Frisco in order in the top of the ninth and turned it over to the top of the Amarillo order chasing one run.

Jorge Barrosa and Jordan Lawlar were retired as Cedeño stepped to the plate. After falling behind 1-2, he fouled off a pitch and took another ball. The sixth pitch of the at-bat was rocketed into center field and looked like it might get down in the right-center gap for extra bases but a diving catch made by Kellen Strahm ended the Sod Poodles comeback bid.

The series concludes on Sunday as the Soddies will look to tie the series and keep Frisco in their sights battling for a playoff spot. LHP Blake Walston (6-3, 5.48) gets the ball for Amarillo. LHP Antoine Kelly (0-0, 4.05) will go for Frisco. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 PM.

Notes:

Class Is In Session: Tristin English picked up two RBI in the loss, going 2-for-4 with a double. In 51 games since being promoted to Double-A, English is hitting .283 (54-for-191) with nine doubles and 25 RBI.

DELI DINGER: Nick Dalesandro hit just his second career out-of-the-park home run and his first since April 14 against Tulsa. It was a stretch of 143 days between home runs for Dalesandro. Saturday marked his 239th career game played in the pros. He hit an inside-the-park home run last season while with Hillsboro in a game on June 9 for his first career professional home run. Dalesandro carries a career .274 batting average with 33 doubles, two triples, 100 RBI, 102 walks, 74 stolen bases, and now three home runs.

Sladerade: RHP Slade Cecconi turned in another quality start for the Sod Poodles. After going 7.0 IP with three runs (1 ER) on Saturday, Cecconi earned his 7th quality start this season and his second in his last three starts going back to last week and his outing on August 23 in Corpus Christi. It marked just the second time he had gone 7.0 IP this year, and the first since an 8.0 IP start back on June 8 against Frisco. Over his last three starts, the D-backs' No. 11 rated prospect is 1-0 with a 1.00 ERA in 18.0 IP.