AMARILLO, Texas (August 3, 2025)—The Wichita Wind Surge exploded for 10 runs in the ninth in a 16-8 victory over the Amarillo Sod Poodles at HODGETOWN. After scoring their most runs in a game all year last night, Wichita replicates that feat by bringing home 16 runs on 16 hits in the series finale.
Jose Fernandez sent a solo shot out to left field in the bottom of the second to give Amarillo an early 1-0 lead.
Ricardo Olivar and Hendry Mendez hit back-to-back jacks in the top of the third. Olivar’s 13th of the year was a two-run homer to left while Mendez drove a solo shot to the left center alley for his first with the Wind Surge.
After a solo home run by Manuel Pena and an RBI double to right by LuJames Groover in the home half of the third, the game stood tied 3-3. Each team scored in each half of the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly by Walker Jenkins and a solo homer to left by Amarillo newcomer Ben McLaughlin.
Ryan Waldschmidt and Jack Hurley plated two more for the Sod Poodles in the bottom of the fifth on a double and a single, then Rubel Cespedes homered to the berm in right center on the second pitch of the top of the sixth to make the score 6-5 Amarillo.
Mendez struck a run-scoring single to right before the stretch in the seventh to tie the game. Caleb Roberts put the Sod Poodles ahead 8-6 on a two-run blast in the bottom of the eighth.
Wichita put up a 10-spot in the top of the ninth inning on eight hits, anchored by an opposite-field two-run home run from Kala’i Rosario to the berm in right-center to claw ahead to a 16-8 advantage. The Wind Surge as a collective sent 13 men to the plate, hit for the cycle in the frame, and scored the most runs that they have in a single inning this season.
Kade Bragg threw a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth to finish the night. Ricky Castro earned the win in relief and evened up to 3-3 on the year, giving up two earned runs on three hits with a walk and a strikeout over three innings.
POSTGAME NOTES
- Ahead of the game, Walker Jenkins was named the Twins Minor League Player of the Week.
- Wichita ties scores 16 runs, their most in a game in 2025, for the second consecutive night.
- The Wind Surge record a new season-high for runs in an inning (10).
- Hendry Mendez finishes with four RBI and an outfield assist from left field.
- Wichita heads home for a series with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals next week.