Wichita Wingnuts Game Notes - June 30th, 2013

June 30, 2013 - American Association (AA)
Wichita Wingnuts News Release


WINGNUTS WIN FIFTH STRAIGHT: The Wichita Wingnuts beat the Sioux City Explorers 8-7 on Saturday night to win their fifth game in a row. The five-game winning streak matches their longest of the season. Chris Smith did not allow an earned run over 7.0 innings to earn the win while scattering four hits and striking out seven. Wichita scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning for a second straight night, highlighted by an Abel Nieves RBI, ground rule double and a two-run single from Cole Armstrong. Nieves added an RBI double later in the game. All eight of Wichita's runs were scored with two outs. Josh Dew threw a perfect top of the ninth on only six pitches to earn his eighth save of the season. CJ Ziegler had three hits, including an RBI double.

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE EXPLORERS: The Wingnuts are 46-31 all-time against the Sioux City Explorers, including a 24-19 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 28-14 and lead the Gary SouthShore RailCats by 2.5 games in the Central Division. The Wingnuts just swept a three-game series from the Laredo Lemurs at home. The Explorers are 17-24 and trail the Wingnuts by 10.5 games in the Central. Sioux City lost two of three to the Winnipeg Goldeyes at home. The Wingnuts are tied for first in the American Association in hitting (.303), second in pitching (3.48), and tied for second in fielding (.981). The Explorers are 13th in batting (.262), ninth in pitching (4.99), 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 left-hander Ryan Hinson who is 6-1 with a 2.01 ERA in eight starts. Hinson is tied for first in the American Association in wins and ranks second in ERA behind former teammate Jon Link who was purchased by the Detroit Tigers on June 19th . Hinson threw 6.0 shutout innings in a 20-6 win vs. Laredo on Monday. The win tied Hinson with Derek Blacksher for the most in franchise history (26). Hinson is 4-1 with a 1.54 ERA at home this season in six starts. Including the postseason, Hinson is 17-6 with a 3.11 ERA (62 ER, 179.1 IP) all-time at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium over 27 starts and two relief appearances. Hinson has allowed two or fewer earned runs in seven of eight starts this year and has allowed three or fewer earned runs in all of them. Hinson has walked two or fewer batters in seven of eight starts and has walked three or fewer in all of them. Hinson has pitched at least 6.0 innings in six of eight starts and at least 5.0 innings in seven of them. Hinson is 2-1 with a 6.98 ERA (15 ER, 19.1 IP) in three career starts against the Explorers.

Hinson is in his third season with the Wingnuts and is 26-14 with a 3.77 ERA in 49 starts and three relief appearances since first signing with the team in 2011. The 26 wins are tied for the most in franchise history with Derek Blacksher (2009, 2011-12). Hinson passed Blacksher for the Wingnuts' career strikeout record on June 18th vs. Gary SouthShore. During his three seasons in Wichita, Hinson has pitched at least 6.0 innings in 44 of 49 starts, and at least 5.0 innings in 48 of them. The lone start in which Hinson did not pitch 5.0 innings came on May 29th of this year vs. Amarillo. Hinson pitched 4.0 innings and did not return following a two-hour and two-minute rain delay. Hinson has allowed three or fewer earned runs in 32 of 49 starts with the Wingnuts, and has walked three or fewer batters in 42 of them.

Hinson was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 10th round out of Clemson University in 2009. Hinson is 27-17 with a 4.33 ERA in five professional seasons over 87 games, 51 of them starts.

The Explorers go with right-hander Jason Jarvis who is 4-3 with a 3.07 ERA in eight starts. Jarvis ranks ninth in the American Association in ERA. Jarvis took a no-decision on Tuesday vs. Winnipeg, allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits in 7.0 IP. Sioux City won the game 4-2. Jarvis is 2-2 with a 3.58 ERA on the road this season in four starts. Jarvis has allowed three or fewer earned runs in five of eight starts and has allowed more than four earned runs in only one of them. Jarvis has walked three or fewer batters in six of eight starts. Jarvis has pitched at least 6.0 innings in all eight of his starts, and has pitched into the seventh inning in seven of them. Jarvis is 2-1 lifetime against the Wingnuts with a 1.46 ERA (4 ER, 24.2 IP) in three starts and one relief appearance. Last year, Jarvis snapped both an 11-game winning streak and an 8-game winning streak against the Wingnuts, throwing a complete game victory each time.

Jarvis was 9-8 with a 4.14 ERA for the Explorers last year in 21 starts. Jarvis led the American Association in both complete games (6) and shutouts (2). Jarvis was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 23rd round in 2008 after signing with the Lincoln Saltdogs. Jarvis is 24-26 with a 4.16 ERA in six professional seasons over 98 games, 55 of them starts. Jarvis played two seasons of college baseball at Arizona State University.

NIEVES STAYING HOT: Wingnuts' third baseman Abel Nieves leads the American Association in batting average (.382) and is 57 for 135 (.422) over his last 36 games with 31 runs scored and 21 walks. Nieves had a 19-game hitting streak end on June 28th vs. Sioux City (38 for 76, .500), which ranks tied for second 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 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 38 of 41 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 (51). 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 playoffs in each of his first five professional seasons.

'AMBO' ROLLING: Wingnuts' true rookie right fielder David Amberson is 40 for 116 (.345) over his last 32 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 August 27th, 2011 when Juan Richardson hit a bases loaded 'big fly' in a 19-2 rout at El Paso. Wichita hit .309 as a team with the bases loaded last year, and was hitting .400 with the sacks full going into June 11th of this season, 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 second in the American Association with a 3.48 team ERA. The Wingnuts ranked first in ERA in 2009 and 2010 while finishing third in 2011.

SWINGING STRONG: The Wingnuts rank tied for first in the American Association with a .303 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 170-99 (.632) 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 250-184 (.576) since taking over in 2009. Hooper has guided the Wingnuts to four consecutive winning seasons, as well as three playoff berths. Hooper's .576 winning percentage is the highest among American Association managers over the last five years. His 250 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.



American Association Stories from June 30, 2013


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central