Van Stratten Vanquishes Saints with Eighth Inning Single
August 25, 2015 - American Association (AA)
Wichita Wingnuts News Release
WICHITA, KS (August 24, 2015) - The Wichita Wingnuts had missed out on many opportunities to score with runners in scoring position during the early and middle innings of Monday's game with St. Paul. Trailing by a run with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the eighth, Nick Van Stratten made the earlier struggles unimportant. His single through the left side of the infield plated the tying and go-ahead runs in a 5-4 victory for the Wingnuts.
The first run in the battle of division leaders was scored by St. Paul (64-23) in the second inning. Activated from the disabled list hours before the game, slugger Ian Gac unloaded on a Scott Richmond fastball and smacked it high over the wall in center to make it 1-0. The long ball was his 10th of the season. Another home run by Alonzo Harris, his 11th, extended that lead to 3-0 in the top of the fifth.
The Wingnuts (53-34), who had stranded a runner in scoring position in each of the last three innings, finally cashed in against Jeff Shields in the bottom of the fifth. Leo Vargas was hit by a pitch to open the inning and moved to second on Van Stratten's opposite field single. Jayce Ray grounded into a fielder's choice to put runners on the corners with one out. The next fielder's choice, put in play by David Espinosa, scored Vargas and closed the gap to 3-1.
Each club committed two errors in a wild seventh inning that ended with the game still in favor of the Saints by a run. In the top of the inning, Nate Hanson singled with one out. With Hanson on the move, Steve Nikorak rolled a bouncer in the direction of shortstop Taylor Smart. Smart tried to make a running play, but watched the ball trickle under his glove and into shallow left field. Hanson kept running to third and eventually scored when Harrison Kain slipped upon picking the ball up and fell to the ground.
In the home half, Ray slapped a ball off the lower leg of Shields that ricocheted in the direction of first base. Angelo Songco charged and tried to flip the ball behind his back to the pitcher. The errant toss rolled towards the dugout and by the time Shields picked it up, Ray had advanced to third. Espinosa rifled a hard triple into the gap in right center to score Ray and cut the lead in half. When the relay throw from Alonso Harris skipped off the glove of Ryan Lashley and caromed off the head of Anthony Phillips, Espinosa popped to his feet and sprinted home. The madness ended with the score 4-3 St. Paul.
After Iden Nazario (2-0) helped Richmond work out of the eighth without damage, the offense came up clutch against former Wingnuts pitcher Mike Zouzalik. Zouzalik (3-1) walked the bases loaded before striking out Vargas for the second out of the inning. Van Stratten waited until he saw a pitch he liked and hooked it past the third baseman and into the outfield turf to put Wichita on top.
Paul Smyth gave up a one out single in the ninth, but recorded two strikeouts and never allowed another hit. The product of the University of Kansas picked up his fifth save in the process. Van Stratten paced all hitters with three base knocks and was matched with two RBI by Espinosa and St. Paul's Harris.
The second game of the series is scheduled for Tuesday evening at 7:05 p.m. The Wingnuts will have RHP Tim Brown throwing against a pitcher to be announced for the Saints. 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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