SPRINGFIELD (Interstat) — Brian Curley and Joe Ariola combined for eight scoreless innings, and Carlos Virahonda and Yassel Soler homered as Amarillo beat Springfield 4-0 on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, in Game 2 of a Texas League Class AA playoff series at Hammons Field. Curley earned the win, improving to 10-7, while Yhoiker Fajardo took the loss and fell to 5-7. The game took 2 hours, 17 minutes and drew 5,078 fans.

Amarillo scored all the runs it needed in the first two innings. In the top of the first, Cristofer Torin and Ben McLaughlin opened with walks, and Carlos Virahonda was hit by a pitch to load the bases. After two strikeouts, Angel Ortiz walked to force in Torin. Danny Serretti then struck out swinging to end the inning, leaving the bases loaded, but Amarillo led 1-0. In the top of the second, Yassel Soler homered to left-center field. Jean Walters followed with a walk, and Virahonda hit a two-run homer to left to make it 4-0. Avery Owusu-Asiedu struck out swinging to end the inning.

Springfield had early chances but could not convert. In the bottom of the first, Rainiel Rodriguez singled and Won-Bin Cho singled, putting runners at the corners with one out. Ryan Campos lined out to center field to end the threat. In the bottom of the second, Jack Gurevitch doubled and Tre Richardson III singled, putting runners at the corners with one out. Josiah Ragsdale struck out, and Tai Peete grounded out, ending the inning. The Cardinals finished with six hits but did not score.

Curley worked five innings, allowing six hits and no earned runs while striking out five. Ariola followed with three perfect innings, striking out three. Ryan Thompson pitched a perfect ninth, striking out one. Amarillo pitchers combined for 22 strikes, 45 balls and 22 balls in play. Springfield pitchers combined for 13 strikes, 35 balls and 13 balls in play. Daniel Eagen was strong in relief for Springfield, throwing six scoreless innings and allowing four hits with seven strikeouts. Fajardo gave up four earned runs on three hits with four walks and four strikeouts over three innings.

Virahonda went 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs. Soler went 1-for-4 with a home run and one RBI. Ortiz went 1-for-3 with one RBI. Amarillo collected seven hits. Springfield’s Gurevitch went 1-for-3, and Campos went 0-for-4. The win moved Amarillo’s season record to 79-61. Springfield’s record is now 79-59. Springfield leads the playoff series 1-0.

After the second, Eagen kept Amarillo off the scoreboard, but Springfield could not solve the Sod Poodles’ bullpen. Ariola retired all nine batters he faced across the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. Thompson closed the game with a 1-2-3 ninth. Amarillo’s defense turned a double play in the fifth when Rainiel Rodriguez grounded into a shortstop-to-second-to-first twin killing. The Sod Poodles also turned a line-drive double play in the third when Danny Serretti lined into an unassisted double play at first base.

Springfield’s bullpen kept the game within reach. Eagen retired Amarillo in order in the fifth, with three strikeouts, and worked around a two-out single by Druw Jones in the eighth. Amarillo’s Jean Walters reached base twice, walking in the second and singling in the fourth. Cristofer Torin walked in the first and singled in the ninth. Springfield’s Jesus Baez singled in the third, and Won-Bin Cho singled in the first. Tai Peete singled in the fifth before Rodriguez grounded into a double play.

The teams are scheduled to play again Wednesday, Sept. 23, at Hammons Field. Interstat’s game simulator had projected Amarillo to win 8-7. Interstat’s ELO system had given Springfield a 60.1 percent probability to win before the game.