Wichita Sprints Past Cleburne to Conclude Trip
August 14, 2018 - American Association (AA)
Wichita Wingnuts News Release
CLEBURNE, Tex. - The Wichita Wingnuts stole a season-high six bases, scoring six runs over the final three innings to claim the series over the Cleburne Railroaders with a 7-4 victory on Monday night at The Depot at Cleburne Station.
The victory concludes the Wingnuts 19-game, 20-day NBC World Series road trip. Wichita finished the trip 12-7, a dramatic improvement from a 6-11 mark on the NBC swing a year ago.
The game began as a pitchers' duel, as Travis Banwart and Michael Gunn traded zeroes through the first four innings. The Wingnuts (50-30) finally got to Gunn in the top of the fifth as John Nester led off with a single, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and a Logan Trowbridge single, then scored when Logan Watkins laid down a squeeze bunt that he beat out for an infield single.
Cleburne (26-54) had a quick answer in the bottom of the inning against Banwart. Trevor Sealey lined a two-out double just inside the left field foul line to score Angel Rosa all the way from first, tying the game at 1-1.
Wichita seemingly put the game out of reach with four runs in the seventh, rapping out six singles and stealing three bases against Gunn (3-6) and reliever Patrick Young. The first run scored when Gunn threw away Trowbridge's bunt single, allowing Nick Rotola to race to the plate for a 2-1 lead. Zach Nehrir then beat out an infield single to score Trowbridge, preceding an Angel Reyes RBI single that stretched the lead to 4-1. Young spiked a wild pitch to score Reyes with the inning's final run.
The Railroaders did not go quietly, however. With two on and two out in the bottom of the inning, Levi Scott launched a three-run homer off Wingnuts reliever Felix Carvallo (1-0). All three runs were unearned against Carvallo, who picked up his first decision in 28 relief appearances on the season.
Austin Boyle tossed a scoreless bottom of the eighth, then the Wingnuts scratched out two more runs in the top of the ninth. Another wild pitch scored Watkins, then Reyes drove home his second run of the night with a line drive RBI single for a 7-4 lead.
In the bottom of the ninth, Daniel Tillman locked down his 23rd save of the season, tying Matt Nevarez for second place in Wichita single-season history.
The Wingnuts return home for a three-game series against the Lincoln Saltdogs on Tuesday night. First pitch from Lawrence-Dumont Stadium is scheduled for 7:05 PM, and will be broadcast on 1410 AM/93.9 FM KGSO, TuneIn and americanassociationbaseball.tv.
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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American Association Stories from August 14, 2018
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- Wichita Sprints Past Cleburne to Conclude Trip - Wichita Wingnuts
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