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Wichita Wingnuts Game Notes - June 2nd, 2013

June 2, 2013 - American Association (AA)
Wichita Wingnuts News Release


WINGNUTS WIN FIFTH STRAIGHT: The Wichita Wingnuts won their fifth straight game on Saturday night, beating the Sioux Falls Canaries 7-5. Wichita overcame an early 3-0 deficit, and took the lead for good with a three-run top of the sixth. David Amberson hit an RBI double to left-center that trimmed a Sioux Falls' lead to 4-3, Derek Perren scored the tying run on a wild pitch, and Jared McDonald put the Wingnuts in front with a sacrifice fly. Abel Nieves added a solo home run in the top of the eighth. Jon Link earned the win, allowing four earned runs on seven hits in 7.0 IP. Link struck out seven and walked none. Josh Dew worked a perfect bottom of the ninth to earn his third save of the year. Amberson had two hits and two RBI, while Jake Kahaulelio and CJ Ziegler both extended their hitting streaks to seven games.

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE CANARIES: The Wingnuts are 34-37 all-time against the Sioux Falls Canaries/Pheasants, including a 14-24 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 10-5 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 5-11 and in fourth place in the North Division, 5.5 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 (2.91), and tied for eighth in fielding (.973). The Canaries are 13th in batting (.241), seventh in pitching (4.67), and 11th in defense (.970).

TONIGHT'S STARTERS: The Wingnuts go with right-hander Chris Smith who is 2-0 with a 3.20 ERA in three starts. Smith is coming off a win vs.

Amarillo last Tuesday in which he allowed three earned runs on five hits in 6.2 IP. Smith is 1-0 on the road in one start this year, beating the Gary SouthShore RailCats at US Steel Yard on May 22nd.

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 the 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 saves 26 games for the Nashville Sounds, which led the Pacific Coast League, and ranked second overall at the Triple-A level.

The Canaries go with left-hander Adam Champion who is 0-1 with a 6.48 ERA in three starts. Champion allowed four runs, three earned, on 10 hits in 5.0 IP last Tuesday in a no-decision at Fargo-Moorhead. Sioux Falls lost the game 6-5. Champion has walked three or fewer batters in all three of his starts, including two in which he did not allow any walks. Champion is 0-1 with a 6.94 ERA in two starts at home.

Champion was 8-5 with a 3.06 ERA for the Frontier League's Evansville Otters in 23 games last season, 13 of them starts. Champion also made three appearances for the Atlantic League's Somerset Patriots at the end of the year. Champion was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 24th round in 2010 out of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Champion is in his fourth season of professional baseball, and is 12-11 with a 4.05 ERA in 68 career outings, 23 of them starts. Champion has averaged 3.6 walks per nine innings as a professional.

PITCHING STRONG: The Wingnuts rank second in the American Association with a 2.91 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 8-4 with a 3.24 ERA through 15 games (33 ER, 91.2 IP), and have allowed three or fewer earned runs in 13 of them.

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 2.38 ERA in 22.2 IP for the Triple-A Pacific Coast League's Round Rock Express (Texas).



American Association Stories from June 2, 2013


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