AMARILLO, TX (June 21, 2026) -- The Amarillo Sod Poodles (36-32) fell to the Midland RockHounds (32-36), 14-8, on Sunday night at HODGETOWN. With the First Half of the 2026 regular season now in the rear-view, the Sod Poodles go into the latter half of the year with a fresh start, using the momentum of a 5-1 series win over the RockHounds.
As the Sod Poodles began their quest in search of their first six-game sweep at home in club history, Junior Sanchez toed the rubber for the home squad. While two of the first three Midland batters he faced reached base, the righty retired the next two RockHounds on strikes to escape the jam and post a zero in the opening frame. He also worked efficiently in his next inning of work, facing the minimum in the second.
The Amarillo backstop, Alberto Barriga, brought the boom to lead off the home second, going deep to left-center field to propel the Soddies into the lead. The blast was the first of what would become a four-run inning for the Sod Poodles as both Junior Franco and Anderdson Rojas contributed with RBI singles and Rojas later scoring on a wild pitch.
In the top of the third however, Midland closed the gap entirely on a pair of two-run home runs from Leo De Vries and Devin Taylor. With two outs, the RockHounds added another long ball, a solo shot from Euribiel Angeles to cap the five-spot and put the Sod Poodles down by one.
Amarillo put together a rally of sorts to answer in the bottom of the third, loading the bases on a hit, an error, and a walk. The scoring chance would come and go however, as the Sod Poodles went into the fourth still trailing by a run. Clark Elliott took advantage of the missed opportunity, smacking Midland’s fourth homer of the night to right-center in the fourth.
The left fielder’s blast would be the first blemish in a second consecutive five-run frame for the visitors as back-to-back run-scoring doubles and a Bobby Boser homer saw the RockHounds run total soar to double-digits.
Midland scored for the third straight inning in the fifth, plating two runs. They were held off the board in sixth, allowing Jansel Luis to cut the deficit in half on one swing, launching a grand slam off the batter’s eye in the bottom half. While it looked as if the Sod Poodles had worked their way back into the game, Taylor collected his second homer of the night to extend the Midland advantage to six.
The only other run the Soddies were able to muster came in their final turn at-bat with Jesus Valdez roping an RBI double down the left field line, but that would be all as the Soddies were defeated in the series and Texas League First Half finale by a 14-8 score.
POSTGAME NOTES
LUIS YOURSELF: Smacking a home run for the second consecutive night in the First Half finale was Jansel Luis...his grand slam in the sixth inning was his ninth home run of the year and the fourth grand slam hit by a Soddie...with one more home run this season, he will become the 20th Sod Poodle all-time with a 10+ HR and 10+ SB season...three Sod Poodles hit those marks last season (Fernandez, Robinson, Troy).
RAISING THE BAR-RIGA: With a second-inning blast, Alberto Barriga swatted his 10th home run of the year combined between Amarillo and High-A Hillsboro...since joining the Sod Poodles, all three of his hits have gone for extra bases.