AirHogs Fall in Friday Wichita Opener 4-1
May 26, 2018 - American Association (AA)
Texas AirHogs News Release
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - The Texas AirHogs opened their three-game road trip to Wichita with a 4-1 loss Friday night at Lawrence Dumont Stadium. Right-hander Meng Weiqiang went six innings without surrendering an earned run, but the AirHogs mustered just three hits in the loss.
Wichita starter Jordan Cooper (1-0) held the AirHog bats quiet outside of a two-out double by Dillon Thomas and an RBI single by Greg Golson in the third. Meng Weiqiang (0-2) limited the Wichita bats to six hits and three runs (zero earned) but suffered the loss. His ERA now stands at 1.59.
Early errors by shortstop Casio Grider and first baseman Chu Fujia in the first and fourth respectively helped Wichita get out to leads of 2-0 and 3-1. The game was the first with multiple errors this year for the AirHogs.
Calvin Drummond took over for Meng Weiqiang in the seventh and posted a scoreless inning. In the eighth, Abel Nieves took Taylor Wright deep for a solo homer to expand the Wichita advantage to 4-1.
The AirHogs managed just one hit after scoring in the third against Cooper. Cooper and relief men Brady Bowen and Daniel Tillman set aside 11 straight batters to finish the game. Tillman picked up his first save of the season by striking out the side in the ninth. The win snapped a four-game losing skid for the Wingnuts.
Right fielder Stewart Ijames reached twice for the AirHogs with a walk and a hit-by-pitch. He has now reached in seven straight games to start the season. He also caught Wichita second baseman Logan Trowbridge trying to score from second base after a single in the fifth.
Texas (1-6) and Wichita (3-4) meet again tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. LHP Tyler Matzek (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will start for the AirHogs. The starter for Wichita is TBA.
The AirHogs - powered by Beijing Shougang Eagles, return home Monday to start a 10-game homestand vs. the St. Paul Saints, Sioux City Explorers and Kansas City T-Bones. Individual tickets for the 2018 season are on sale now. Visit AirHogsBaseball.com for more information. For the latest news, follow the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @TXAirHogs. Media inquiries: jzanaboni@texasairhogs.com.
• Discuss this story on the American Association message board...
American Association Stories from May 26, 2018
- Dogs Ninth Inning Rally Falls Short, Kansas City Takes Series - Chicago Dogs
- Thomas Goes Deep But AirHogs Fall Again in Wichita - Texas AirHogs
- Canaries Top Goldeyes in Extra-Inning Thriller - Sioux Falls Canaries
- Sioux City Wins Fifth Straight - Sioux City Explorers
- Game Recaps - AA
- Bats Explode for 18 Hits as Wichita Rolls to Win - Wichita Wingnuts
- RailCats Rout Saints, 16-7, in Tagert's 700th Win with Gary - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- Saints Six-Game Win Streak Comes to Screeching Halt with 16-7 Loss to RailCats - St. Paul Saints
- Ahart's Two-Homer Game Leads RedHawks Past Saltdogs - Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
- Railroaders Strand Nine in 7-1 Loss - Cleburne Railroaders
- Goldeyes Fall to Canaries in 10 - Winnipeg Goldeyes
- RedHawks Pound 17 Hits to Clinch Series over Saltdogs - Lincoln Saltdogs
- Andy DeJesus Re-Signed by RailCats - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- Wingnuts Bring Back Wilson, Add True Rookie Osburn - Wichita Wingnuts
- Railroaders Fall Short in Series Opener - Cleburne Railroaders
- De La Cruz's Four Hit Night Leads RedHawks to Home Opener Win - Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
- Ninth Inning Rally Gives Kansas City Third Straight "W" - Kansas City Monarchs
- De La Cruz's Four Hits End Saltdogs Win Streak - Lincoln Saltdogs
- Birds Drop Game to Goldeyes in First Road Test - Sioux Falls Canaries
- AirHogs Fall in Friday Wichita Opener 4-1 - Texas AirHogs
- Game Recaps - AA
- Devastating Ninth Inning Rally Downs Dogs in Sold out Home Opener - Chicago Dogs
- X's Win Home Opener over Railroaders - Sioux City Explorers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
