SAN ANTONIO, TX (July 3, 2026) -- The Amarillo Sod Poodles (4-6, 40-38) fell to the San Antonio Missions (5-5, 36-43), 3-0, on Friday night at Nelson Wolff Stadium. Runs continued to come at a premium for Amarillo in the first four games of the series in San Antonio as the Soddies were shut out for the first time in 2026.
The Missions had used plenty of situational hitting to manufacture runs in the first three games of the week, and the fourth was no different. San Antonio scratched across a run in the bottom of the first inning after a leadoff single by Carson Tucker, who advanced to second when Soddies catcher Matt O’Neill couldn’t handle the transfer as he tried to throw behind the runner. A grounder to the right side moved Tucker to third, allowing him to score on a Tirso Ornelas sacrifice fly.
The trend of quiet bats for Amarillo in this series also continued, with three pitchers combining to blank the Sod Poodles. It was a bullpen game for the Missions, who, after four scoreless innings in a spot start from Andrew Thurman, saw relievers Harry Gustin and Bernard Jose combine to retire the next 10 Soddies batters in a row.
Amarillo’s pitching and defense had to deal with a lot more traffic on the basepaths, consistently bending but not breaking to hold San Antonio to its lone run as the game headed into the late stages. However, once Logan Mercado entered the game in the bottom of the seventh, the Soddies would hold firm no longer.
Despite Mercado’s recent dominance over his last four outings, he was uncharacteristically wild and walked the first three batters he faced. He almost pulled a rabbit out of his hat when he induced a pop-up and swinging strikeout to the next two hitters, but ultimately gave pinch-hitter Ethan Salas a free pass in a full count for the Missions to double their lead.
Salas’ walk ended Mercado’s night, and the Sod Poodles opted for Roman Angelo out of the bullpen. Jake Cunningham ambushed the fresh arm for a base hit on the first pitch that plated a run before Salas was thrown out attempting to go from first to third.
The Sod Poodles offense showed some life in the top of the eighth and ninth innings, getting a hit in each frame. Junior Franco was stranded at third after his one-out double in the eighth, while Ben McLaughlin couldn’t advance past first as Jose retired the next two hitters to polish off his nine-out save.
POSTGAME NOTES
THE SANCHIZE: Although he was charged with the loss, Junior Sanchez returned to the form he showcased in his Sod Poodles debut on June 10...after giving up a run in the first inning, Sanchez held the Missions scoreless over his next 3.2 IP on four hits and two walks.
FRANCO, MY DEAR...: There weren’t many bright spots in the batting for the Sod Poodles on Friday, but Junior Franco had one with his double in the eighth inning...Amarillo’s only extra-base hit of the night was Franco’s tenth hit of the season against San Antonio, and he now has the highest batting average (.345), slugging percentage (.517), and OPS (.904) of any active Sod Poodles player in 2026 vs. the Missions.