Fernandez Drives in 4 More, Bratt and McLaughlin Make a Great Impression

The new faces for the Sod Poodles showed out as they picked up another win in the series opener on Tuesday night in Midland. 

Left-handed starter Mitch Bratt, recently acquired in the Merrill Kelly trade, made his debut for Amarillo against the Rockhounds. Although he wasn't at his peak performance, Bratt still managed to strike out at least 8 batters for the fourth time this season in just 4.2 innings, with his off-speed pitches effective throughout the game. The lefty induced 16 swings and misses, marking the second-highest of his season, while issuing only one walk on a rare 4-pitch walk.

Jose Fernandez put the Sod Poodles ahead in the first inning with a 2-run single, bringing in Manuel Pena, who extended his hitting streak to double digits with a single. That double placed the Sod Poodles shortstop at the top of the Texas League in RBIs for the season. The Rockhounds responded with a Jared Dickey single, narrowing the Amarillo lead to 2-1. Afterward, Bratt struck out 8 in his next 4 innings, allowing just one more earned run before being relieved in the fifth inning. 

Bratt wasn’t the only newcomer who made an impression on Tuesday. First baseman Ben McLaughlin picked up where he left off in his Double-A debut on Sunday and arguably one upped it in the series opener, going 3/3 with a double and a RBI, reaching base four times on the night. McLaughlin has now started his career as a Sod Poodle 5/7 with 2 extra base hits and 2 RBI.

Jack Hurley helped kick start an explosive seventh inning to break the tie, as the outfielder cracked his fifth home run of 2025 , and his second extra base hit in his last 3 games. The Soddies weren’t done yet as LuJames Groover and Gavin Conticello would single in front of Ryan Waldschmidt who was intentionally walked by new pitcher CD Pelham after working a 3-1 count. That brought McLaughlin to the plate smacking his single to extend the lead to 4-2 Amarillo. Jose Fernandez picked up two more RBI with a double to push the score to 6-2 where it would stay the rest of the night. That gave Fernandez his second 4-RBI night in his last 3 games and extended his lead in RBI to 4 runs with 63.

The bullpen combination of Eli Saul, Phillip Abner, and Landon Sims didn’t allow a run outside of the one that Saul inherited from Bratt, and were overall really solid on the evening. 

Jose Cabrera Pitcher of the Month:

The Sod Poodles right-hander who has been a mainstay on the roster since Opening Day had a heck of a July. Cabrera earned Texas League Pitcher of the Month honor posting a 3-1 record and a 2.56 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 25 K, 11 BB, and held opponents to just a .198 BAA. He will take the mound tonight against the Rockhounds in game two of the series as the Sod Poodles look to extend their lead in the Texas League South.