Wichita Wingnuts Game Notes - June 29th, 2013

Published on June 29, 2013 under American Association (AA)
Wichita Wingnuts News Release


WINGNUTS TAKE DOWN SIOUX CITY: The Wichita Wingnuts beat the Sioux City Explorers 13-5 on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series. CJ Ziegler cracked a grand slam home run in the bottom of the first, while Cole Armstrong added a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth. Jake Kahaulelio had a four-RBI night, while Ryan Khoury reached base five times and scored four runs. Anthony Capra earned the win, allowing four earned runs on seven hits in 6.0 innings. Josh Stone and Andrew Aizenstadt each threw 1.0 shutout relief inning. Abel Nieves' 19-game hitting streak came to an end.

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE EXPLORERS: The Wingnuts are 45-31 all-time against the Sioux City Explorers, including a 23-19 record Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. The Explorers and the Lincoln Saltdogs are the only two teams to have remained in the same division as the Wingnuts since Wichita began play in 2008. The Explorers were 45-55 in 2012. Stan Cliburn returns for his third year as Explorers' manager, and helped them to a 51-49 record during his inaugural season in 2011. Cliburn played for the California Angels in 1980 and has managed as high as the Triple-A level, guiding the International League's Rochester Red Wings (Minnesota Twins) for four seasons. The Explorers last made the playoffs in 2008 when they won the North Division's second half. Sioux City is an original independent franchise that began play in the Northern League in 1993. The Explorers are in their 21st season.

SERIES MATCHUP: The Wingnuts are 27-14 and lead the Gary SouthShore RailCats by 2.0 games in the Central Division. The Wingnuts just swept a three-game series from the Laredo Lemurs at home. The Explorers are 17-23 and trail the Wingnuts by 9.5 games in the Central. Sioux City lost two of three to the Winnipeg Goldeyes at home. The Wingnuts are second in the American Association in hitting (.302), first in pitching (3.47), and tied for second in fielding (.981). The Explorers are tied for 12th in batting (.263), ninth in pitching (4.90), and first in defense (.982). Wichita and Sioux City split a four-game series at Lewis and Clark Park last weekend.

TONIGHT'S STARTERS: The Wingnuts go with right-hander Chris Smith who is 2-3 with a 4.94 ERA in eight starts. Smith took a complete game loss at Sioux City last Sunday, allowing five earned runs on nine hits in 8.0 IP. It was Smith's second career complete game, and the first since throwing a complete game shutout as a member of the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs on June 4th, 2006 at Connecticut. Smith is 1-0 with a 5.30 ERA at Lawrence- Dumont Stadium this season in three starts. Smith has allowed four or fewer earned runs in five of eight starts. Smith has walked two or fewer batters in five of eight starts, and has walked three or fewer in all of them. Smith has pitched at least 6.0 innings in seven of eight starts, and has pitched at least 5.0 innings in all of them. Smith is 0-1 against the Explorers in one start this year.

Prior to this season, Smith last pitched in 2011 for the Triple-A Pacific Coast League's Tacoma Rainiers (Seattle). Smith made 50 Major League relief appearances with the Boston Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers from 2008-2010. Prior to this season, his last start came on April 25th, 2009 with Boston's Triple-A affiliate in Pawtucket in which he allowed one hit over 6.0 shutout innings to earn a win vs. Syracuse.

Smith entered 2013 with a 42-39 career record with 61 saves and a 4.02 ERA in 10 professional seasons. During that span, Smith averaged 7.5 strikeouts against just 2.5 walks per nine innings in 771.0 career innings. Smith was drafted by the Red Sox in the 4th round in 2002 out of the University of California, Riverside. In addition to his time in the Majors, Smith has six years of experience at the Triple-A level, and has spent parts of four others in Double-A. In 2010, Smith saved 26 games for the Nashville Sounds, which led the Pacific Coast League, and ranked second overall at the Triple-A level.

The Explorers go with left-hander Richard Salazar who is 3-0 with a 2.90 ERA in six starts. Salazar is just shy of qualifying for the American Association ERA leaders and would rank eighth. Salazar took a no-decision last Sunday vs. Wichita in which he matched up against Chris Smith. Salazar allowed three earned runs on seven hits over 6.0 innings and gave up home runs to Brent Clevlen and Cole Armstrong. Salazar is 2-0 with a 2.03 ERA on the road this season in two starts. Salazar has allowed two or fewer earned runs in four of six starts and has allowed three or fewer earned runs in all of them. Salazar has walked two or fewer batters in four of six starts, and has walked three or fewer in all of them. Salazar is in his third season with the Explorers, first joining them late in 2011. Last season, Salazar was 8-7 with a 4.08 ERA in 20 starts for Sioux City.

Salazar was a member of the Wingnuts' inaugural team in 2008, and was 8-7 for the Wingnuts from 2008-09. Salazar still ranks fifth in franchise history in ERA (3.53) and fourth in appearances (57). Salazar is 1-2 with a 4.33 ERA (13 ER, 27.0 IP) in four lifetime starts against the Wingnuts.

Salazar is 54-34 with nine saves and a 3.83 ERA in 12 professional seasons over 305 appearances, 87 of them starts. Salazar was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 13th round in 2001 out of Miami-Dade College in Miami, FL. Salazar reached Triple-A Norfolk with Baltimore in 2007.

NIEVES' STREAK ENDS: Wingnuts' third baseman Abel Nieves had a 19-game hitting streak end on Friday, June 28th vs. Sioux City in which he was 38 for 76 (.500). The 19-game streak is tied for the second-longest in franchise history (Greg Porter, 2009 and Jorge Delgado, 2010). The team record is held by Josh Horn, who hit safely in 20 consecutive games from August 29th, 2009 through June 5th, 2010. Nieves is tied for the league lead in batting average at .379. Nieves hit .320 for the Joliet Slammers last year, which ranked second in the Frontier League. On May 27th vs. Amarillo, Nieves picked up the 500th hit of his professional career.

KHOURY SETTING THE TABLE: Wingnuts' shortstop Ryan Khoury has reached base in 37 of 40 games this season with a hit, walk, or hit by pitch. Khoury reached base in 87 of 100 games in 2012 and was named the American Association's Defensive Player of the Year. Khoury also ranked in the top four in the league in runs scored, walks, and stolen bases. On June 26th vs. Laredo, Khoury missed his first game since signing with the Wingnuts last year. Including the postseason, Khoury had started 145 consecutive games both at shortstop and in the leadoff spot, and missed just five total innings in the field during that stretch. Prior to June 26th, the last time a Wingnuts' player other than Khoury started at either shortstop or in the leadoff spot was September 4th, 2011 when Jimmy Mojica did both in Game Three of the Division Series vs. Grand Prairie.

ZIEGLER CLEANING THE TABLE: Wichita Wingnuts' first baseman CJ Ziegler ranks first in the American Association in both home runs (16) and RBI (50). Ziegler tied a Wingnuts' single-game record with seven RBI on June 24th vs. Laredo. Last season, Ziegler ranked tied for third in the American Association with 18 home runs in just 58 games played. Ziegler has helped his team reach the postseason in each of his first five professional seasons.

'AMBO' ROLLING: Wingnuts' true rookie right fielder David Amberson is 39 for 112 (.348) over his last 31 games with 23 runs scored and 20 RBI. Amberson had a 16-game hitting streak (26 for 55, .473) from May 31st -June 16th . Amberson slugged the first home run of his professional career on June 10th at Winnipeg.

HINSON TIES BLACKSHER: Ryan Hinson earned his 26th win in a Wingnuts' uniform on June 24th vs. Laredo, tying him with Derek Blacksher for the most in franchise history. Hinson surpassed Blacksher for the Wingnuts' career strikeouts record when he fanned five in a win vs. Gary SouthShore on June 19th .

COMPLETE ME: The Wingnuts lead the American Association with four complete games. Wichita's team record for complete games in one season is seven, accomplished in both 2009 and 2010.

TOUGH LOSSES: The Wingnuts have had a lead in the sixth inning or later in each of their previous seven losses. Of their 14 losses for the season, the Wingnuts have had a lead at some point in 11 of them. Wichita has lost 10 games by one run, one by two runs, and one by three runs in extra innings.

ZIEGLER NEW HOME RUN LEADER: Wingnuts' first baseman CJ Ziegler hit a solo home run on June 14th vs. St. Paul in the opener of a double header. It was Ziegler's ninth home run of 2013, and his 27th in a Wingnuts' uniform over the last two years, setting a new franchise record. Ryan Patterson (2010-11) held the previous record with 26 home runs.

BACK-TO-BACK: John Rodriguez and CJ Ziegler hit back-to-back home runs on consecutive pitches in the bottom of the third inning in game one of a double header on Friday, June 14th vs. St. Paul. It was the first time the Wingnuts hit back-to-back home runs since July 26th, 2011 when Josh Horn and Brent Clevlen did it vs. Fargo-Moorhead. Ziegler and Clevlen homered on back-to-back pitches on Monday, June 24th vs. Laredo.

GRAND SLAM TIME: On Tuesday, June 11th at Winnipeg, Abel Nieves hit the Wingnuts' first grand slam home run since Juan Richardson hit a bases loaded 'big fly' on August 27th, 2011 in a 19-2 rout at El Paso. Wichita hit .309 as a team with the bases loaded last season, and went into June 11th hitting .400, but had gone 126 consecutive games without a grand slam. CJ Ziegler hit the Wingnuts' second grand slam of the season on June 28th vs. Sioux City.

PITCHING STRONG: The Wingnuts rank first in the American Association with a 3.47 team ERA. The Wingnuts ranked first in ERA in 2009 and 2010 while finishing third in 2011.

SWINGING STRONG: The Wingnuts rank second in the American Association with a .302 team batting average. Over the last two seasons, the Wingnuts have finished first and second respectively in the league batting race.

GLOVE WORK: The Wingnuts are tied for second in the American Association with a .981 fielding percentage. Wichita has led the league in defense in three of their first five years of existence (2008, 2009, 2012), and finished second in 2011. The Wingnuts hold the American Association record for team fielding percentage at .980, which they accomplished in both 2009 and 2012.

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: The Wingnuts are 169-99 (.631) 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.

FRONT LINERS PROTECTING THE HOME FRONT: Third-year Wingnuts' starter Ryan Hinson has excelled when pitching at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. Including the postseason, Hinson is 17-6 with a 3.11 ERA (62 ER, 179.1 IP) over 27 starts and two relief appearances. Junior Guerra-who is in his second overall season with the Wingnuts-is 9-2 with a 3.03 ERA (37 ER, 110.0 IP) all-time at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in 16 starts.

ALL HE DOES IS WIN: Wingnuts' fifth-year manager Kevin Hooper is 249-184 (.575) since taking over in 2009. Hooper has guided the Wingnuts to four consecutive winning seasons, as well as three playoff berths. Hooper's .575 winning percentage is the highest among American Association managers over the last five years. His 249 wins also rank first during that same stretch. During his 10-year playing career, Hooper was a member of a team that made the playoffs in eight different seasons. Hooper was also a member of Wichita State University's College World Series team in 1996. The Shockers reached the NCAA tournament in all four of Hooper's collegiate seasons, and posted a composite .815 winning percentage.

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) had a 4.89 ERA for the High-A Carolina League's Lynchburg Hillcats (Atlanta) with 72 strikeouts and just 39 hits allowed in 49.2 IP and was recently promoted to Double-A Mississippi. LHP and Wingnuts' co-owner Nate Robertson (2012) has a 3.21 ERA in 33.2 IP for the Triple-A Pacific Coast League's Round Rock Express (Texas). RHP Jon Link was purchased by the Detroit Tigers on June 19th, and is 0-1 with a 1.80 ERA in two starts for Double-A Erie.

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