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Wichita Wingnuts Game Notes - June 1st, 2013

June 1, 2013 - American Association (AA)
Wichita Wingnuts News Release


WINGNUTS GRIND OUT FOURTH STRAIGHT: The Wichita Wingnuts took the opener of their three-game series at Sioux Falls on Friday night, winning 5-4. Jake Kahaulelio drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth with a two-out, infield single that scored Jared McDonald from third base. Josh Dew worked around a single and stolen base in the bottom of the ninth to earn his second save. Wichita had taken three previous leads with Sioux Falls answering back each time to tie the game. Cole Armstrong hit his second home run of the season, while Kahaulelio finished with three hits and two RBI. Lincoln Holdzkom worked a perfect bottom of the eighth to earn the win in relief. Junior Guerra allowed two earned runs in 5.0 innings and took a no-decision. John Rodriguez doubled in the top of the fourth to extend his hitting streak to 10 games.

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE CANARIES: The Wingnuts are 33-37 all-time against the Sioux Falls Canaries/Pheasants, including a 13-24 mark at Sioux Falls Stadium. Wichita took two of three at Sioux Falls in 2012 during the only matchup between the teams. Sioux Falls does not make a trip to Lawrence-Dumont Stadium this season and has not visited Wichita since August of 2010. The Sioux Falls Canaries were an original independent franchise, joining the Northern League in 1993. The Canaries joined the American Association in 2006 and won the league championship in 2008. The franchise renamed itself the Sioux Falls Pheasants in 2010, and held the name for three seasons before switching back to the Canaries prior to this season. Steve Shirley is in his seventh year as Sioux Falls' manager, having led them to their 2008 championship, as well as an appearance in the 2010 American Association Championship Series. Sioux Falls' rotation is led by Ben Moore who returns after spending last year in the Atlantic League. Moore is in his fifth overall year with Sioux Falls and is the American Association's all-time leader in wins and strikeouts.

SERIES MATCHUP: The Wingnuts are 9-5 and in a first place tie in the Central Division with the Gary SouthShore RailCats. Wichita just swept a three- game series at home from the Amarillo Sox. Sioux Falls is 5-10 and in fourth place in the North Division, 6.0 games back of the Winnipeg Goldeyes. The Canaries just lost three of four at Fargo-Moorhead. The Wingnuts are second in the league in batting (.295), second in pitching (2.75), and eighth in fielding (.973). The Canaries are 13th in batting (.239), seventh in pitching (4.57), and 10th in defense (.968).

TONIGHT'S STARTERS: The Wingnuts go with Jon Link who is 2-1 with a 1.71 ERA in three starts. Link allowed two earned runs on four hits in 8.0 IP on Monday vs. Amarillo to earn the win. Link has allowed two or fewer earned runs and pitched at least 6.0 innings in each of his first three starts. Link is 0-1 on the road in one start this season, allowing two earned runs in 6.0 IP on May 21st at Gary SouthShore.

Link split time with the Miami Marlins' and Baltimore Orioles' organizations last year, going 3-2 with 11 saves and a 2.78 ERA in 32 relief appearances at the Double- and Triple-A levels. Link struck out 28 and walked 13 in 35.2 innings. Link appeared in nine games for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2010, totaling 8.2 IP. Link was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 26th round in 2005 out of Bluefield College. Link was the first Bluefield alumnus to reach the Major Leagues. Link entered 2013 with a 25-21 record with 93 saves and a 3.82 ERA in his career, and has reached double digits in saves in five different professional seasons. Prior to this season, Link had made nine career starts, the last of which came on April 13th, 2011 as a member of the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes (Los Angeles Dodgers).

The Canaries go with right-hander Jordan Whatcott who is 0-3 with a 5.40 ERA in three starts. Whatcott took a loss on Monday at Fargo-Moorhead, allowing six earned runs on 10 hits in 4.2 IP. Whatcott is 0-2 with a 3.00 ERA in two starts at Sioux Falls Stadium this season. Whatcott has struck out 17 in 16.2 IP to begin the year.

Whatcott is in his fourth year of professional baseball and spent the first three in the Philadelphia Phillies' organization. Whatcott reached Double-A Reading last season and posted a 4.42 ERA with 50 strikeouts in 71.1 IP over 38 appearances. Whatcott has a lifetime 9-7 record with 15 saves and a 3.94 ERA in 110 games, 10 of them starts. Whatcott has averaged 7.1 strikeouts per nine innings against 3.4 walks and 0.5 home runs in his career. Whatcott signed with the Phillies as a non-drafted free agent in 2010 out of the University of Utah. He was also drafted in 2009 by the Los Angeles Angels in the 31st round before returning to Utah.

PITCHING STRONG: The Wingnuts rank second in the American Association with a 2.75 ERA. The Wingnuts ranked first in ERA in 2009 and 2010 while finishing third in 2011.

STARTING STRONG: Wichita's starting rotation has been consistent to begin the 2013 season. The starters are 7-4 with a 3.08 ERA through 14 games (29 ER, 84.2 IP), and have allowed three or fewer earned runs in 13 of them.

RODRIGUEZ STREAKING: Wingnuts' DH John Rodriguez is riding a 10-game hitting streak in which he is 18 for 44 (.409). Rodriguez has hit safely in 13 of 14 games this season, and already has eight multi-hit contests.

NIEVES NOTCHES 500: Wingnuts' third baseman Abel Nieves had three hits in a win vs. Amarillo on Monday, May 27th . Nieves' first-inning double was the 500th base hit of his professional career. Nieves reached the Triple-A level three times with the Los Angeles Angels' organization.

IMMINENT MILESTONE FOR CAPRA : Wingnuts' left-hander Anthony Capra has 497 career strikeouts, and needs only three more to reach 500. The former Shocker fanned 170 between two levels of the Oakland Athletics' chain in 2009 and was named their Organizational Pitcher of the Year.

ZIEGLER APPROACHING RECORD: Wingnuts' first baseman CJ Ziegler has six home runs this season. Ziegler also has 24 home runs in a Wingnuts' uniform over the last two years, which ranks tied for second in franchise history. Ziegler is just two home runs shy from tying Ryan Patterson's (2010-11) franchise mark of 26.

HINSON CLIMBING THE RANKS: Ryan Hinson won his 21st game in a Wingnuts' uniform on May 18th at Kansas City. Hinson ranks second all-time in team history in victories, and trails Derek Blacksher (2009 and 2011-12, 26) for first place. Hinson's 197 strikeouts rank third all-time, and are 21 shy of tying Blacksher for first place.

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: The Wingnuts are 156-96 (.619) all-time at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. It is the highest home winning percentage for any American Association team since the Wingnuts began play in 2008.

HINSON PROTECTING THE HOME FRONT: Third-year Wingnuts' starter Ryan Hinson has excelled when pitching at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. Including the postseason, Hinson is 13-5 with a 3.41 ERA in 23 starts and two relief outings over 150.1 IP (57 ER).

FAMILIAR FACES: Nine players return from the Wingnuts' 2012 team that reached the American Association Championship Series. They include SS Ryan Khoury, 2B Jake Kahaulelio, DH John Rodriguez, 1B CJ Ziegler, CF Jared McDonald, LHP Ryan Hinson, LHP Anthony Capra, RHP Josh Dew, and LHP Nick Walters. RHP Junior Guerra, who starred for the Wingnuts in 2011, has also returned for 2013.

RETIREMENTS: Five players from last year's team have opted to retire from professional baseball. They include OF Mike Conroy, RHP Jared Simon, RHP James Baker, C Jessie Mier, and OF Steve Stanley.

ALUMNI REPORT: RHP Matt Nevarez (2011-12) has a 2.31 ERA for the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (Tampa Bay) with 13 strikeouts in 11.2 IP. RHP James Hoyt (2012) has a 4.43 ERA for the High-A Carolina League's Lynchburg Hillcats (Atlanta) with 61 strikeouts and just 30 hits allowed in 42.2 IP. RHP Andrew Aizenstadt (2012) is currently in extended spring training with the Philadelphia Phillies' organization. LHP and Wingnuts' co-owner Nate Robertson (2012) has a 2.45 ERA in 22.0 IP for the Triple-A Pacific Coast League's Round Rock Express (Texas).

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