AMARILLO The Midland RockHounds scored the tying and go-ahead runs on a ninth-inning error Monday to rally for a 9-8 victory against Amarillo in the opener of their Texas League series at Hodgetown.
Midland trailed 6-2 after two innings, but cut the deficit to one on Robert Mullen’s two-run homer in the fourth. Amarillo pushed the margin back to three with a pair of runs in the fifth, but the RockHounds got an RBI single from Kevin Merrell in the eighth and completed the comeback with three runs in the ninth.
Luis Barrera led off the ninth with a home run, then Mikey White reached on an error and Chase Calabuig was hit by a pitch. With no outs, Luke Persico bunted and reached when Kazuhisa Makita’s throw went into right field, allowing both runners to score.
Persico had a two-run triple in the first inning, while Barrera and Greg Deichmann, who doubled in a run in the third, both finished 2 for 5. Calabuig and Merrell were both 2 for 4.
Buddy Reed, who homered in a four-run second, and Owen Miller were both 4 for 4 for Amarillo and Taylor Kohlwey was 2 for 5 with a homer.
Trey Cochran-Gill (2-1) pitched one inning for the win as the Midland bullpen held Amarillo to two runs over the last seven innings. Kyle Finnegan pitched the ninth for his sixth save.
Makita (1-1) was charged with one earned run on two hits over 1.1 innings.
