Daniel Susac leads RockHounds to series opening win

Daniel Susac hit two home runs and scored five runs to lift the Midland RockHounds in their series opener on Monday.

Susac was 4-for-5 with three runs scored to help the RockHounds to a 14-4 victory over the Amarillo Sod Poodles at Hodgetown in Amarillo.

Midland (3-4) collected 19 hits and took control of the game with a fifth inning and a seventh inning with five runs.

Susac and Jordan Groshans both hit two home runs in the sixth inning as the RockHounds came back.

Denzel Clarke capped the scoring with a solo home run in the sixth inning and Jeremy Eierman added a three-run home run in the seventh inning.

Midland’s Jack Winkler went 1-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored, giving the RockHounds a total of six home runs.

Groshans and Eierman each had three RBIs; Henry Bolte was 3-for-4 with a run scored, a steal and a walk, and Brennan Milone was 3-for-5 with two runs scored.

Bolte joined the RockHounds on Monday after being promoted from top-tier Single-A Lansing, where he posted a .278 batting average with 11 home runs, 52 RBI, 60 runs scored, 28 stolen bases and a .912 OPS in 69 games.

Midland’s James Gonzalez earned the win as a reliever after allowing three runs on eight hits and no walks in 4 2/3 innings. Gonzalez had four strikeouts.

Jancarlos Cintron led Amarillo (2-5) with two RBI, while teammates Tim Tawa and Ivan Melendez both went 2-for-4.

The six-game series continues in Amarillo on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. Half of the games will be played in Amarillo before the fourth game of the series is played at Momentum Bank Ballpark on July 4.