AMARILLO, Texas — The Wichita Wind Surge (14-14) powered their way to a 9-4 victory over the Amarillo Sod Poodles (14-14) in the opener of a six-game series Tuesday night at Hodgetown behind four home runs and a dominant no-hit start from Sam Armstrong.
All seven of Wichita’s hits went for extra bases, including four home runs. Kala’i Rosario launched a solo homer, while Ricardo Olivar homered twice and drove in four runs. Olivar has now homered nine times over his last 11 games. Kyle DeBarge also went deep during a multi-RBI performance, and Garrett Spain recorded a triple and a double in his fifth multi-hit game of the season.
Armstrong led the way on the mound, tossing four no-hit innings while striking out three and walking two in his second scoreless outing of 2026.
THE RUNDOWN
Armstrong opened the night with a scoreless first inning, working around two walks while striking out a pair.
The Wind Surge struck first in the second inning when Kala’i Rosario launched a solo home run to left-center field and into the Hodgetown parking lot. Jose Salas later added a sacrifice fly to give Wichita a 2-0 lead.
Wichita extended its advantage in the third when Olivar blasted a solo home run, his eighth of the season, to make it 3-0.
Meanwhile, Armstrong continued to dominate, finishing his outing with four hitless innings and three strikeouts.
Amarillo answered in the fifth, stringing together four hits, including a two-run single, to cut the deficit to 3-2.
After a scoreless sixth inning, Wichita broke the game open in the seventh. Salas led off with a double and stole third before Jake Rucker drove him in with a sacrifice fly. Spain followed with a triple off the wall, and DeBarge capped the inning with a two-run home run, his third of the season, extending the lead to 6-2.
Amarillo added a run in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI base hit and another in the eighth after loading the bases and scoring on a sacrifice fly, but William Fleming danced out of danger to preserve Wichita’s lead.
The Wind Surge added insurance in the ninth when Spain doubled and Olivar followed with a three-run home run, his second homer of the night and ninth of the season, pushing the lead to 9-4.
Sam Ryan closed out the victory with a scoreless ninth inning.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Wichita recorded seven hits, all of which went for extra bases.
- CF Garrett Spain recorded his fifth multi-hit game of the season.
- SS Kyle DeBarge hit his third home run of the year and recorded his third multi-RBI game of 2026.
- LF Ricardo Olivar hit his team-leading ninth home run of the season.
- Olivar has homered nine times in his last 11 games.
- Olivar recorded his second multi-homer game of the season and drove in four runs.
- RF Kala’i Rosario hit his sixth home run of 2026.
- 2B Jose Salas recorded a hit, run and RBI.
- SP Sam Armstrong did not allow a hit over four innings and recorded his second scoreless outing of the season.
- RHP Sam Ryan recorded his fourth scoreless appearance of the year.
- Outfielder Hendry Mendez and CJ Culpepper were promoted to Class AAA St Paul before the game
STAT OF THE DAY
9 — Ricardo Olivar has homered nine times in his last 11 games.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Wind Surge continue their 12-game road trip Wednesday with game two of a six-game series against the Amarillo Sod Poodles at 11:05 a.m. at Hodgetown Stadium. Games can be heard on windsurge.com and viewed on MiLB.TV and Bally Sports Live. For tickets, visit windsurge.com/tickets.