San Antonio’s season finale swung on a sixth inning full of hard contact and young power, a five-run burst that erased a three-run deficit and sent the Missions into the offseason with an 11-10 escape over the Amarillo Sod Poodles on Sunday at Hodgetown.
Luis Verdugo pulled the Missions even with a three-run homer to left. Romeo Sanabria followed one out later, driving a ball toward the left-center-field wall and watching it carry out for his 10th homer. Sanabria’s shot put San Antonio ahead for good, though the finality of that phrase would be tested to the last line drive of the afternoon.
Alex McCoy reached on an error after Sanabria’s homer, Albert Fabian doubled and Kerrington Cross lined an RBI single into center to complete the five-run inning. What had been a 5-2 Amarillo lead was suddenly a 7-5 San Antonio advantage.
The turnaround answered the Sod Poodles’ biggest blow. Danny Serretti had driven a three-run homer to center in the fifth, ending Victor Lizarraga’s outing after four innings and five earned runs.
San Antonio had led from the opening inning. Sanabria singled before Cross sent a fly ball deep into the left-center-field parking area for his first Double-A home run. The two-run shot gave the Missions a 2-0 lead, but Amarillo answered with single runs in the first and second before Serretti broke the tie in the fifth.
The Missions’ sixth-inning response became the center of a broader offensive surge. They added two runs in the seventh on Sanabria’s sacrifice fly and McCoy’s RBI single, then two more in the eighth when Justin DeCriscio drove a ball over the left-center-field wall. DeCriscio’s first Double-A homer scored Jack Costello and stretched the lead to 11-5.
Every one of those insurance runs was needed.
Amarillo cut the margin in half in the bottom of the eighth. Ben McLaughlin sent a sharp fly ball into right for a two-run triple against Josh Mallitz, then scored on Alberto Barriga’s infield single off Igor Gil. Gil kept the score at 11-8 by striking out Serretti and Cristofer Torin with two runners aboard.
Carlos Medina’s ninth began with a walk to Avery Owusu-Asiedu and a single by Angel Ortiz. Druw Jones followed with a grounder up the middle, where Ryan Jackson stepped on second and threw to Cross for a double play. A run scored, but San Antonio traded it for two precious outs.
McLaughlin made the remaining one difficult. He drove a two-out homer the other way to left-center, drawing Amarillo within 11-10, and Carlos Virahonda followed with a double to put the potential tying run in scoring position. Barriga lined the next ball to Verdugo at third, and the Missions finally had their last out.
Medina earned his first save despite allowing two earned runs. Sadrac Franco, who worked a scoreless fifth after replacing Lizarraga, picked up the win.
San Antonio finished with 17 hits and no errors, powered by four home runs from Cross, Verdugo, Sanabria and DeCriscio. Verdugo went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs, while Sanabria reached four times in a 3-for-4 afternoon that included two RBIs. Fabian added three hits, a double and two stolen bases.
Cross’s first Double-A homer started the scoring. DeCriscio’s first supplied the final margin. Between them, Verdugo and Sanabria turned the sixth inning into the rally that carried San Antonio through a frantic finish—and out of Amarillo with one last win.