Extra Painful: AirHogs Prevail over Wingnuts in 11
June 23, 2014 - American Association (AA)
Wichita Wingnuts News Release
WICHITA, KS (June 23, 2014) - The Wichita Wingnuts and Grand Prairie AirHogs locked horns in a pitcher's duel on Monday evening at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. It took two extra innings for somebody to take the upper hand and thanks to the bat of Frazier Hall it was the visiting AirHogs who emerged with a 3-1 win.
With Justin Klipp and Trevor Harden on the hill for Wichita (25-13) and Grand Prairie (15-22) respectively, a low-scoring battle appeared to be imminent. Both hurlers made sure that was the case, working their first three innings without a hiccup. However, in the fourth frame, the Wingnuts used some small ball to score first. Carlo Testa led off with a single and moved to second on a fielder's choice groundout by Jake Kahaulelio. The speedy Testa then took third by tagging up on a deep fly ball to center by Brent Clevlen. He would cross home when Chris McMurray, the designated hitter, laced a two out single up the middle to put the Wingnuts out in front 1-0. The RBI was McMurray's 23rd of the season. Harden went into shut down mode after that, never allowing another run in 8.0 innings pitched and exited having retired the last 13 Wingnuts he faced.
As well as Klipp was throwing it seemed like it would take something out of the ordinary to scratch across a run against the right-hander who entered play fourth in the American Association with a 1.90 ERA. That is exactly what happened in the sixth and it allowed the AirHogs to tie the game. Eric Baker led off with a single and advanced to second when Klipp collided with third baseman Chris McClendon on an attempted sacrifice bunt by Jimmy Mojica and threw high to first base. The error put runners on second and third with nobody out. A wild pitch short of home plate led to Baker racing home and Mojica moving to third. Klipp was able to get out of the inning without further damage. He eventually departed having worked 8.0 innings and giving up just the unearned run on four hits.
The score remained that way into the ninth, when Wichita was presented a golden opportunity to walk-off with a win. Ryan Khoury started the inning with a double into the right field corner and then was sacrificed to third base by Carlo Testa. Reliever Ty'relle Harris (1-0) bowed his back and struck out both Kahaulelio and Brent Clevlen to strand the winning run 90 feet from home.
Patrick Mincey (0-1) was forced to work multiple innings for the first time this season and his second on the rubber was when the AirHogs took the lead for good. In the top of the 11th, Mojica led off with a single and then Alex Nunez reached on a bunt single up the first base line. A fielder's choice groundout by Abel Nieves moved each runner into scoring position with one away. Mincey issued an intentional free pass to Jason Botts to load the bases. Andres Rodriguez popped out in foul territory for the second out before Hall came through in the clutch by shooting a single through the right side and scoring a pair to put Grand Prairie ahead 3-1. Closer Dakota Watts walked Khoury with two outs in the bottom half of the inning, but Testa struck out swinging to end the game.
Game two takes place tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. with RHP Jason Van Skike (3-1) on the mound for Wichita and LHP Brandon Bargas (2-4) throwing for Grand Prairie. For information on season tickets, group outings, and party packages, call the Wingnuts' main office at (316) 264-NUTS, or visit the Wingnuts' official website at www.wichitawingnuts.com.
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