Diamondbacks' Minor League Affiliate Wins 3rd League Championship

The Arizona Diamondbacks will be adding a trophy to their organization, though not at the major league level, yet.

On Wednesday night, in a winner-takes-all matchup against the St. Louis-affiliated Springfield Cardinals, the Arizona Double-A affiliate Amarillo Sod Poodles claimed a 6-4 victory in Springfield, putting an exclamation point on a successful 2026 season.

Diamondbacks' Double-A Sod Poodles wins Texas League

Apr 4, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; A detailed view of an Arizona Diamondbacks hat at the game. — Apr 4, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; A detailed view of an Arizona Diamondbacks hat at the game between the Washington Nationals and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With the win, Amarillo claimed the Texas League Championship series, after winning the second half outright with a 41-28 overall record.

Amarillo came back after losing the first game of the 2026 Division series to earn a 2-1 series win over the Texas Rangers affiliate Frisco RoughRiders, scoring 27 total runs in the three-game set.

It happened again once the Sod Poodles reached the Championship Series. A 7-2 loss at the hands of Springfield set them up with their backs to the wall. They responded with back-to-back tough-fought, well-pitched wins.

And on Wednesday night, Arizona's Double-A squad had to engineer a comeback. After scoring a run in the first inning for a 1-0 lead, the Cardinals responded with a three-run third inning.

Amarillo trailed, 3-1, for the next two frames, but a throwing error, double from outfielder Druw Jones and two-run single by Angel Ortiz knotted the game at 3-3.

One inning later, the Sod Poodles climbed back on top. Rising outfield prospect Avery Owusu-Asiedu — whose intimidating frame and massive power surge firmly planted him in the minds of prospect-watchers this season — delivered the hit of the night.

Owusu-Asiedu sent a towering blast deep to center field on the second pitch of the at-bat, and Amarillo earned itself a 5-3 lead. Owusu-Asiedu hit 27 homers in the regular season betweeen High-A and Double-A.

Amarillo added an RBI groundout in the top of the eighth to make it 6-3, then handed the ball to their closer of the week, Alfred Morillo.

Morillo's backflip celebration took social media by storm after he earned the save to clinch the division series, and after tossing two innings for the Championship save Wednesday night, he did not disappoint.

Alfred Morillo does it again: pic.twitter.com/ozc0qSzYCX
— Alex D’Agostino (@AlexDagAZ) September 24, 2026

Amarillo adds its third trophy to its case. They won their league in their first year of existence, back in 2019, then won a second ring in 2023 — the same year, ironically, that the Diamondbacks muscled their way into the playoffs and marched to the World Series.

Now, it's time for Arizona's big league club to hold up its end of the deal.

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