STWF Sports| FRISCO, Texas| September 5, 2026 — The Frisco RoughRiders built an early four-run advantage Saturday night, but the Amarillo Sod Poodles steadily chipped away and completed the comeback for a 6-5 victory at Riders Field.
Frisco dropped to 30-32 in the second half and 69-61 overall, while Amarillo improved to 36-26 and 72-58.
The Sod Poodles struck first in the opening inning when Ben McLaughlin delivered an RBI double to give Amarillo a 1-0 lead. Frisco answered immediately in the bottom half, stringing together run-scoring singles from Marcus Lee Sang and Keith Jones II to move in front, 2-1.
The RoughRiders appeared to take control in the fourth inning.
Key Players in the Frisco RoughRiders’ Early Lead
Yeison Morrobel, Malcolm Moore and Gleider Figuereo opened the frame with three consecutive doubles, helping Frisco extend its advantage. Rafe Perich later drew a bases-loaded walk, pushing the lead to 5-1 and giving the Riders their largest cushion of the night.
Amarillo turned to Logan Mercado, who entered with the bases loaded and prevented further damage. That escape proved significant, as the Sod Poodles remained within striking distance.
The game changed quickly in the fifth inning.
Amarillo scored three runs to cut Frisco’s lead to 5-4, putting pressure back on the RoughRiders’ pitching staff. The Sod Poodles then pulled even in the seventh when Angel Ortiz launched a solo home run.
An inning later, Amarillo completed the comeback.
Jean Walter drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI groundout against Wily Villar, giving the Sod Poodles a 6-5 lead. Villar was charged with the loss, falling to 0-1.
Frisco was unable to generate an answer over the final two innings.
Carlos Rey recorded the final five outs for Amarillo and earned his seventh save of the season, shutting down a RoughRiders offense that had scored five runs through four innings but went scoreless the rest of the way.
The loss represented another frustrating night for Frisco, which has shown plenty of offensive firepower throughout the season but was unable to finish after creating a favorable early position.
Figuereo continued to make an immediate impact since arriving at Double-A. He collected two hits, including an RBI double, and now has seven hits through his first three games with the RoughRiders. His early production has provided another promising bat in an already deep Frisco lineup.
Morrobel and Moore also contributed to the fourth-inning surge with extra-base hits, while Lee Sang and Jones delivered the key first-inning knocks that helped Frisco quickly erase Amarillo’s opening run.
On the pitching side, Kai Wynyard provided a positive note in his return to Double-A. Wynyard worked a scoreless ninth inning, keeping Frisco within one run and giving the offense one final opportunity.
The RoughRiders’ biggest issue came in the middle innings, when Amarillo erased a four-run deficit over a three-inning stretch. The Sod Poodles showed patience and timely execution, turning what had looked like a comfortable Frisco lead into another tight late-game situation.
With the postseason already secured after winning the Texas League South Division first-half title, Frisco continues to use the final weeks of the regular season to sharpen its execution.
The six-game series concludes Sunday afternoon at Riders Field. Amarillo is scheduled to start right-hander David Hagaman, who enters with a 1-1 record and a 2.52 ERA.
First pitch is set for 2:05 p.m. Frisco had not announced its probable starter following Saturday’s game.
