STWF Sports | AMARILLO, Texas | June 25, 2026 — The Frisco RoughRiders will look to shake off a narrow extra-inning loss and regain control of their series against the Amarillo Sod Poodles on Thursday night at HODGETOWN.
Frisco RoughRiders: Aiming for Victory in Game Three
Frisco meets Amarillo, the Double-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, at 7:05 p.m. for the third game of a six-game set. Left-hander Josh Trentadue is slated to start for the RoughRiders, entering at 2-2 with a 7.85 ERA. Amarillo will counter with right-hander Ashton Izzi, who comes in at 3-2 with a 4.20 ERA.
The series is tied 1-1 after the Sod Poodles walked off the RoughRiders 7-6 in 10 innings on Wednesday night. Frisco had a late lead, but Amarillo tied the game in the ninth and won it in the 10th on an Alberto Barriga single.
The loss dropped the RoughRiders to 1-1 in the second half and 40-30 overall. Still, Frisco enters Thursday with plenty of momentum from a strong first half and one of the most productive offenses in the Texas League.
Wednesday’s game started well for the RoughRiders. Frisco took the first lead in the second inning when Max Wagner worked a bases-loaded walk against Amarillo starter Adonys Perez. The Sod Poodles responded in the third when Demetrio Crisantes launched a three-run home run off Blake Townsend to put Amarillo in front 3-1.
Frisco answered in the fourth behind RBI hits from Keith Jones II and Frainyer Chavez, tying the game at 3-3. Amarillo quickly reclaimed the lead when Matt O’Neill hit a solo homer in the bottom half of the inning.
The RoughRiders trailed 5-3 entering the seventh before Malcolm Moore delivered another big swing. Moore blasted a two-run home run to tie the game, giving him homers in back-to-back games for his first two Double-A long balls. He now has 12 home runs this season between High-A Hub City and Frisco.
Frisco moved ahead 6-5 in the eighth on an Arturo Disla sacrifice fly, but Amarillo refused to go quietly. The Sod Poodles tied the game in the ninth and completed the comeback an inning later.
Despite the loss, the RoughRiders’ lineup continued to produce. Jones II reached base four times with two hits and two walks. Chavez and Marcus Lee Sang also added multi-hit games, continuing a trend of consistent traffic from a lineup that has been dangerous throughout the season.
Chavez remains one of the hottest hitters in the league. Over his last 30 games, he is batting .354 with a .467 on-base percentage, a .575 slugging percentage, 13 doubles, four home runs, 18 RBIs, 23 walks and 25 runs scored. Since May 20, he ranks among the Texas League leaders in average, hits, doubles and extra-base hits.
His full-season numbers have also climbed. Chavez ranks sixth in the Texas League in batting average, seventh in on-base percentage, third in hits, third in doubles, fourth in walks and second in runs scored. He has already set a new career high with nine home runs, reaching that mark 33 games faster than last season.
Frisco has also continued to enjoy hitting at HODGETOWN. Through eight games in Amarillo this season, the RoughRiders are batting .336 with a .428 on-base percentage, a .588 slugging percentage and a 1.016 OPS. They have hit 18 home runs while averaging 8.4 runs per game.
That production fits the broader offensive profile of the club. Through 70 games, Frisco leads the Texas League with 638 hits and ranks first in batting average at .270. The Riders are also second in runs with 439, averaging 6.3 per game. They lead the league in doubles with 128 and are tied for first in OPS at .808.
The RoughRiders’ bullpen remains a major strength as well. Frisco’s relief group owns a 3.69 ERA, second-best in Double-A and first in the Texas League. Over the last 24 games, the bullpen has posted a 2.84 ERA, the best mark in Double-A during that span.
Frisco has already secured its postseason spot after winning the Texas League South Division first-half title on June 18. Now, the RoughRiders are focused on building another strong half and sharpening for the playoff push.
Thursday’s matchup gives Frisco a chance to respond quickly after a frustrating walk-off loss. With the bats rolling and a playoff berth already locked up, the RoughRiders have another opportunity to turn HODGETOWN into a launching pad.
