Link Solid in Return, Wingnuts Ground AirHogs 3-1
August 12, 2015 - American Association (AA)
Wichita Wingnuts News Release
WICHITA, KS (August 12, 2015) - Starting pitcher Jon Link returned from a forearm injury after a two week break to toe the rubber for the Wichita Wingnuts on Wednesday night. The former Los Angeles Dodger, looked very much like his dominant self from earlier in the season in his 5.0 inning outing. An early T.J. Mittelstaedt home run pushed the Wingnuts in front and the offense added two more runs throughout the course of the night to come up with a 3-1 win over the Grand Prairie AirHogs at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.
The Wingnuts (45-31) were facing AirHogs left-hander Bennett Whitmore for a third time this season. He retired the first two batters of the game in rapid succession, but wasn't as fortunate with the third. Mittelstaedt drove a pitch over the wall in the right-center-field gap to open the scoring. The long ball was his team-leading 10th of the year.
Grand Prairie (26-50) responded with their only run of the game in the top of the second. Willie Cabrera doubled to open the inning and Zane Chavez followed by drawing a walk. After a Victor Diaz pop out to the right side of the infield, Link (5-0) fell behind in the count to Michael Pair. The catcher crushed a ball over the head of Jayce Ray in center and off the wall for an RBI double. Link battled back to strike out the final two hitters in the inning and never was scored upon again. He struck out seven and allowed only three hits.
Whitmore (2-7) struck out Harrison Kain for what appeared to be the second out in the bottom of the second, but the ball rolled away from Pair behind the plate for a passed ball. With Kain on base, Brent Dean reached on a fielder's choice ground out. Dean was able to advance to second with a stolen base when Jamodrick McGruder dropped the ball while applying a tag. Taylor Smart cashed in for his first RBI as a Wingnut by lining a double to left. The clutch hit gave Wichita a 2-1 advantage.
The Wingnuts added a final run to the ledger in the seventh. Whitmore remained in the game and allowed a one out double from Jayce Ray. The next batter, David Espinosa, expanded the lead with his single into shallow center. Ray beat an off-target throw to the plate from the outfield to make it 3-1.
Alex Boshers was the first man out of the Wichita bullpen. He worked back-to-back perfect innings before passing the torch to Daniel Bennett for the eighth. The side-arm throwing right-hander struck out a pair in a quick inning of his own. The two-run lead was handed to newcomer Paul Smyth who was added earlier in the day. His first save opportunity was successful as he quickly retired the side in order. The Wingnuts bullpen did not allow a baserunner in their 4.0 innings of work and none of the final 16 batters Grand Prairie sent to the plate reached base. The AirHogs mustered just three hits.
Ray and Kain were the only players from either team to finish with more than one hit.Â
The Wingnuts aim for the sweep on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. There will be Shiner Bock for a buck and $1 wings all night. RHP Scott Richmond (3-1) will pitch opposite of RHP Brett Wallach (2-6) of the AirHogs. 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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