CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (KFDA) – The Amarillo Sod Poodles and Corpus Christi Hooks split a Friday night doubleheader at Whataburger Field.
Amarillo rallied from behind in the final inning to take game one, then was held scoreless in the nightcap.
Game one: Sod Poodles rally in seventh for 4-3 win
Amarillo left runners on base in each of its first three at-bats, while Corpus Christi ran into early trouble of its own.
A leadoff hit by Cameron Sisneros in the second inning was erased when he was tagged out attempting to stretch it into a double. Walker Janek reached on a ground-rule double but was thrown out at third base trying to advance on a ground ball.
The Hooks broke through later in the second when Janek drove in a run with a single to left field.
Alberto Hernandez attempted to score from first on the play, but a relay throw from Junior Franco, which had trickled into foul territory, was backed up by Sod Poodles starter Junior Sanchez, who threw out Hernandez at the plate to hold Corpus Christi to one run.
Sanchez worked six innings, allowing three hits and two walks while facing the minimum in his final two frames.
Hooks starter Brett Gillis matched him, going six innings and surrendering three hits and two walks.
Seventh-inning comeback
Corpus Christi turned to reliever Joey Mancini to close out the win, but Amarillo strung together a rally.
After a leadoff popout, the Sod Poodles put together a base hit and a hit by pitch before Gavin Logan singled to right field to tie the game.
Jean Walters then laid down a drag bunt on a squeeze play, beating the tag from catcher Jason Schiavone to put Amarillo ahead.
Trent Youngblood followed with a two-run single to center field, extending the lead to 4-1.
Carlos Rey entered to close out the bottom of the seventh but walked a batter and hit another after recording two outs.
Kenni Gomez grounded a ball up the middle to make it a 4-3 game with Yamal Encarnacion coming to the plate.
Rey struck out Encarnacion on an off-speed pitch to secure the win.
Game two: Hooks blank Amarillo, 2-0
Trent Youngblood reached base to lead off the nightcap on an errant throw by the Corpus Christi second baseman. He stole his first Double-A base and advanced to third on a wild pitch, but was left stranded.
Brian Curley made his second career start in an Amarillo uniform, working efficiently through the first inning and stranding two baserunners in the second with a strikeout and a double play.
Hooks break through in fifth
The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth, when Will Bush doubled on a misplayed fly ball by right fielder Angel Ortiz. Bush attempted to advance on the next out but was thrown out at third base by Ortiz to end the inning.
Curley ran into trouble again in the fifth, hitting a batter and issuing a walk. Kenni Gomez then tripled to score both runners, giving Corpus Christi a 2-0 lead.
Hooks close it out
Amarillo retired 10 consecutive batters heading into the seventh inning.
Hooks reliever Amilcar Chirinos entered with a save opportunity and retired the side in order, completing the 2-0 shutout.
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