Soddies Outpaced By Naturals In Quick Thursday Night Contest

AMARILLO, TX (May 21, 2026) -- The Amarillo Sod Poodles (21-20) fell to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (21-20), 6-4, on Thursday night at HODGETOWN. Home runs in the fifth and sixth innings by the visitors doomed the Soddies as they drop their second in a row.

Jose Cabrera worked quickly to kick things off this evening, facing the minimum as he got help from the Amarillo backstop on a “strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out” double play that ended the top of the first.

After Jean Walters bunted his way aboard to begin the home half, Cristofer Torin belted a no-doubt home run to left field, his fourth of the year, to give the Soddies the early advantage.

Cabrera worked a perfect second inning, but found himself in a bit of hot water in the third as Omar Hernandez singled, stole second, and eventually scored on a balk, allowing the Naturals to cut their deficit in half.

Both sides went silent at the dish over the next few frames until Justin Johnson drove a ball deep to left to plate Hernandez and give Northwest Arkansas the 3-2 lead in the fifth.

The Soddies starter trotted back out for his sixth inning of work, but was hit hard to open the inning as four straight hits, including a Jorge Alfaro two-run blast, led to the Naturals gaining a four-run advantage.

Amarillo started to chip away in the bottom of the sixth. Following a Walters triple into the triangle in right-center field, Torin roped a double down the right field line to bring their run total to three.

An inning later, Druw Jones collected a leadoff two-bagger and came around to score later in the frame on a groundout that put the Soddies down by two with two innings left to play.

The Soddies brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth after Junior Franco singled, but Oscar Rayo was able to strike out the next two batters for his first save on the year.

Avery Short toes the rubber tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. for Amarillo while Northwest Arkansas counters with LHP Hunter Patteson.

POSTGAME NOTES

GRAN TORIN-O: Putting together a four-hit night this evening was Cristofer Torin...it is the shortstop’s first four-hit game as a Sod Poodle and the second time this season he has reached base safely at least four times in a game...his most recent four-hit night entering play this evening was on August 5 while he was with the High-A Hillsboro Hops.

JEAN POOL: Scoring a run in all five of his games as a Soddie so far this season is Jean Walters as the second baseman scored twice tonight...he has two triples and two home runs over those five games.