Soddies Score Six Unanswered To Stun Frisco In Extras

AMARILLO, TX (April 16, 2026) -- The Amarillo Sod Poodles (3-9) defeated the Frisco RoughRiders (7-5), 13-12, in 10 innings on Thursday night at HODGETOWN. In an absolutely wild game from start to finish, the Soddies staged a miraculous late-inning comeback.

It was a productive first frame for the home squad as Amarillo starter Josh Grosz faced the minimum in the top of the inning. The Soddies got straight to work in the home half after Jansel Luis swiped second base and scored on Manuel Pena’s double to the left-center gap. Grosz found himself in a jam after three straight singles by RoughRider batters opened the second inning to load the bags. A walk, a hit batsman, and a sacrifice fly to center field scratched three runs for the Riders lead.

Amarillo sparked a two-out rally in the second before MLB Rehabber Lourdes Gurriel Jr. smacked a three-run bomb to put the Soddies back in front. They got right back to work in the third as Pena continued to stay scorching hot at the dish by launching a solo homer to right to lead things off. Ben McLaughlin checked in later in the frame with a solo shot of his own to pad the Sod Poodle lead.

The Texas League looks good on you, Lourdes! 🤠@Dbacks outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. drills a homer during his @sodpoodles rehab stint: pic.twitter.com/EbkMzbxvkF

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) April 17, 2026

Frisco fought back in the fourth, using a Frainyer Chavez three-run homer to knot the game at six apiece. The offensive production from the visitors rolled over into the fifth after a Corey Joyce RBI knock and a Marcus Lee Sang three-run dinger propelled the Riders to a three-run advantage. Both sides traded runs in the sixth with Rodriguez doubling home a run and McLaughlin collecting his second long-ball of the night. The same story would be told in the seventh with both home and away squads collecting a run, making it 12-8 in favor of Frisco.

A Danny Serretti solo blast in the eighth cut into the deficit, giving the Soddies a fighting chance when the bottom of the ninth rolled around and they loaded the bases with two outs. McLaughlin stepped up to the dish and delivered a bases-clearing double to tie the game at 12, sending it to extras.

The swing that tied it up 😍#EmbraceTheAnimal pic.twitter.com/ENtwW8EOcB

— Amarillo Sod Poodles (@sodpoodles) April 17, 2026

Landon Sims tossed a scoreless top half of the 10th with help from an incredible catch at the wall in center field by Druw Jones. The Soddies got to work in the home half, executing a successful sacrifice bunt to give Angel Ortiz a chance to be the hero. The pinch-hitter came through with a chopper to first that allowed Serretti to sprint home to score the winning run, giving the Soddies their first home victory of the season by a score of 13-12.

The Soddies walk it off at home! #EmbraceTheAnimal pic.twitter.com/mcim8a2S7F

— Amarillo Sod Poodles (@sodpoodles) April 17, 2026

POSTGAME NOTES

PENA POWER: Making Sod Poodles history this evening was Manuel Pena as he becomes the first Amarillo batter in club history to homer in five consecutive games...his three doubles are the most by a Sod Poodle since he last did it himself on September 10 last year against Midland...it is only the seventh instance of a Soddie collecting three two-baggers in a game and he is the only one to do it twice.

I’M McLAUGHLIN IT: Checking in with a pair of homers and five RBI this evening was Ben McLaughlin, setting a new career-best in runs driven in with five.