STWF Sports | AMARILLO, Texas | June 24, 2026 — The Frisco RoughRiders opened the second half with a loud reminder of what carried them to a first-half division title: deep offense, timely power and steady pitching.
Now, Frisco will try to build on that momentum Wednesday night when it meets the Amarillo Sod Poodles, the Double-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, for the second game of a six-game series at HODGETOWN. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
Left-hander Blake Townsend is slated to start for the RoughRiders, entering at 3-3 with a 4.62 ERA. Amarillo will counter with left-hander Adonys Perez, who comes in at 0-1 with a 5.73 ERA.
Frisco began the second half Tuesday with a 7-3 win over Amarillo behind a season-high 20 hits. The victory moved the RoughRiders to 1-0 in the second half and 40-29 overall, continuing the positive energy from a first half that ended with a playoff berth. Frisco clinched the Texas League South Division first-half title last week, securing its 11th postseason appearance in franchise history and first since 2024.
Frisco RoughRiders: Key Players to Watch This Season
The RoughRiders finished the first half 39-29 with a .567 winning percentage, the eighth-best first-half mark in club history and the team’s best since 2024. But even with a postseason spot already secured, Tuesday’s opener showed Frisco has no interest in easing into the second half.
After three scoreless innings, the Riders broke through in the fourth against Amarillo starter Daniel Eagen. Marcus Lee Sang drove in the first run, and Frainyer Chavez followed with another RBI to put Frisco ahead 2-0. In the fifth, Malcolm Moore launched his first career Double-A home run, extending the lead to 3-0.
The knockout stretch came in the sixth, when Chavez and Rafe Perich each connected for two-run homers. Suddenly, Frisco had a 7-0 lead and another big offensive night at HODGETOWN.
Aidan Curry gave the RoughRiders a strong start, working six scoreless innings before allowing three runs in the seventh. He still set a career high in innings for a second straight start, finishing with 6.2 innings, four hits allowed and five strikeouts. Anthony Susac and Cole Stasio handled the rest with scoreless relief.
Frisco’s offense has been especially dangerous in Amarillo this season. Through seven games at HODGETOWN, the RoughRiders are hitting .345 with a .432 on-base percentage, a .614 slugging percentage and a 1.046 OPS. They have hit 17 home runs and averaged 8.7 runs per game in Amarillo.
Chavez continues to be one of the biggest engines in the lineup. Over his last 29 games, he is batting .355 with a .473 on-base percentage, a .579 slugging percentage, 12 doubles, four home runs, 17 RBIs, 23 walks and 25 runs scored. He has already set a new career high with nine home runs, reaching that mark in 33 fewer games than it took him to hit eight last season.
Perich has also made a powerful first impression since joining Frisco. He has homered six times in his first 22 games with the RoughRiders, and all but one of those home runs either tied the game or gave Frisco the lead. His 17 total home runs this season lead the Texas Rangers organization.
The RoughRiders enter Wednesday leading the Texas League with 628 hits. They rank second in batting average at .270 and second in runs with 433, averaging 6.3 runs per game. Frisco has scored seven or more runs in 30 of its 69 games and is 22-1 when scoring at least eight.
Pitching has backed up that offense. Frisco’s bullpen owns a 3.68 ERA, second-best in Double-A and first in the Texas League. Over the last 24 games, the relief group has posted a 2.79 ERA, the best mark in the league during that stretch.
With the bats rolling and the postseason already in sight, the RoughRiders now look to keep pressure on Amarillo. Game one belonged to Frisco’s offense. Game two offers another chance to prove the second half can start just as strong as the first half ended.
