Murray Helps Wingnuts Blank X's
Published on June 11, 2011 under American Association (AA)
Wichita Wingnuts News Release
WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Wingnuts shutout the Sioux City Explorers 4-0 at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium on Saturday night.
Wingnuts' starter Justin Murray pitched eight-plus shutout innings to earn his second win of the season, scattering nine hits and never allowing a runner past second base.
The Wingnuts broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third. After Explorers' starter Nick Schumacher retired the first two hitters of the inning on two pitches, rookie catcher Matthew Powell singled to right field in his first career at bat. On the next pitch, Josh Horn doubled to left-center field to score Powell from first and give the Wingnuts a 1-0 lead. Thomas Fitzgerald followed with an RBI single to left-center that made it 2-0.
Murray allowed a leadoff double to Dustin Jones in the first, but was helped out of the jam when Fitzgerald made a diving catch to his right against Kent Sakamoto that started an inning-ending double play.
Murray retired nine hitters in a row from the second inning into the fourth. Powell threw out Wally Backman Jr. trying to steal second base in the top of the fifth inning, helping Murray put up another zero.
Horn starred in the field as well, converting 11 chances and making a leaping catch on a line drive by Backman in the seventh.
Mike Conroy was hit by a pitch leading off the bottom of the seventh and advanced to third on a hit-and-run single to right-center from Jose Duran. Powell hit a chopper into the hole on the left side of the infield that scored Conroy with the Wingnuts' third run. Later in the inning, Duran scored with two outs on a wild pitch from Schumacher.
Derek Schermerhorn and T.J. Bohn hit consecutive singles to start the ninth against Murray. Josh Dew relieved Murray and retired the next three hitters, striking out two of them, to earn his eighth save of the year.
Murray walked one and struck out two in his eight-plus scoreless innings.
Schumacher took the loss, allowing four earned runs on nine hits in seven innings. Schumacher walked one and struck out three.
Conroy has now hit safely in 11 straight games, and has reached base in 21 consecutive games with a hit, walk, or hit by pitch. Jorge Cortes has reached base in 23 straight contests.
It was the Wingnuts' second team shutout in three games and their third of the season.
The Wingnuts and Explorers finish their series on Sunday at 5:05 p.m. Junior Guerra faces right-hander Taylor King. For tickets, call the Wingnuts' office at (316) 264-NUTS or visit the Wingnuts' official website at www.wichitawingnuts.com
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