Wichita Wingnuts Game Notes - June 6th, 2013

June 6, 2013 - American Association (AA)
Wichita Wingnuts News Release


WINGNUTS COMEBACK LATE IN WIN: The Wichita Wingnuts overcame a pair of three-run deficits to beat the El Paso Diablos 5-4 on Wednesday night. Abel Nieves, who finished with three hits, drove in the game-winning run with a two-out, RBI double to right field in the bottom of the ninth inning. Colt Loehrs' pinch-hit double and David Amberson's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth helped Wichita tie the game. Josh Dew earned the win in relief with a perfect top of the ninth. Lincoln Holdzkom worked a perfect top of the eighth. Junior Guerra took a no-decision, allowing four earned runs on five hits in 7.0 IP. Ryan Khoury, Jake Kahaulelio, John Rodriguez, CJ Ziegler, Stephen Yoo, Nieves, and Jared McDonald each reached base multiple times.

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE DIABLOS: The Wingnuts are 28-15 all-time against the El Paso Diablos, including a 20-8 mark at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. The Diablos are in their ninth year as an independent franchise. The Diablos began play in the Central League in 2005 before joining the American Association the following year. The Diablos were a Double-A Texas League affiliate from 1974-2004 before becoming the St. Louis Cardinals' Texas League affiliate in Springfield, MO in 2005. El Paso is managed by Tim Johnson who took over for the Diablos on June 8th of last season. Johnson took the Diablos from 15.5 games out of first place to within 1.5 games with a 37-16 stretch from June 24th through August 22nd . El Paso ultimately finished 47-53, and Johnson was named the American Association's Manager of the Year. Johnson managed the Lincoln Saltdogs for six seasons, including three consecutive playoff berths from 2005-07. Johnson managed the Toronto Blue Jays to an 88-74 mark in 1998. El Paso has played its home games at Cohen Stadium since 1990. El Paso's crowd of 13,406 on July 4th, 2011 stands as an American Association single-game record. El Paso last reached the playoffs in 2007 where they won the South Division's first half title.

SERIES MATCHUP: The Wingnuts are 13-6 and 2.0 games in front of the Gary SouthShore RailCats in the Central Division. The Wingnuts took two of three at Sioux Falls over the weekend. The Diablos are 5-13 and trail the Laredo Lemurs by 8.0 games in the South Division. El Paso just lost two of three at home to Gary SouthShore. The Wingnuts are first in the American Association in hitting (.296), first in pitching (3.06), and tied for third in fielding (.978). The Diablos are eighth in batting (.266), 12th in pitching (5.88), and 13th in defense (.947).

TONIGHT'S STARTERS: The Wingnuts go with right-hander Jon Link who is 3-1 with a 2.57 ERA in four starts. Link earned a win at Sioux Falls last Saturday, allowing four earned runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts and no walks in 7.0 IP. Link is 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA in two starts at Lawrence- Dumont Stadium this season. Link has pitched at least 6.0 innings in all four of his starts, and has allowed two or fewer earned runs in three of them.

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 Diablos go with right-hander David Casillas who is 1-2 with a 5.04 ERA in four starts and one relief appearance. Casillas is tied for second in the American Association with 27 strikeouts. Casillas took a tough loss vs. Gary SouthShore last Friday, allowing one unearned run on three hits with eight strikeouts in 6.0 IP. The Diablos lost 5-0. Casillas has allowed three or fewer earned runs in three of four starts this year, and has struck out seven or more in each of his last three. Casillas is 0-0 with a 2.57 ERA in one start on the road.

Casillas was 6-2 as a rookie for the Diablos last year in 10 starts and one relief appearance with 39 strikeouts and 32 walks in 56.0 IP. Casillas was 1-1 against the Wingnuts with a 5.73 ERA in two starts in 2012.

ABEL HEATING UP: Wingnuts' third baseman Abel Nieves is 17 for 45 (.378) in his last 13 games with 10 runs scored and nine walks. 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.

'AMBO' ROLLING: Wingnuts' right fielder David Amberson has hit safely in six games in a row (9 for 21, .429). Amberson is also 13 for 30 (.433) over his last nine games with seven runs scored and seven RBI.

PITCHING STRONG: The Wingnuts rank first in the American Association with a 3.06 team ERA. The Wingnuts ranked first in ERA in 2009 and 2010 while finishing third in 2011.

SWINGING STRONG: The Wingnuts rank first in the American Association with a .296 team batting average. Over the last two seasons, the Wingnuts have finished first and second respectively in the league batting race.

MCDONALD NAMED BATTER OF THE WEEK: Wingnuts' center fielder Jared McDonald has been named the American Association's Batter of the Week for May 27th -June 2nd . McDonald hit .591 in six games with five doubles, seven runs scored, and six RBI, while helping the Wingnuts go 5-1.

WINGNUTS SIGN LOCAL PRODUCT: The Wingnuts signed outfielder Tim Rotola on Monday afternoon. Rotola is a Wichita native and hit .361 for the Montezuma Federals in the Freedom Pro League last season. Rotola hit .355 for the Pecos League's White Sands Pupfish in 2011. Wichita released outfielder Derek Perren.

500 FOR CAPRA: Wingnuts' left-hander Anthony Capra struck out five batters on Tuesday, June 4th vs. El Paso. Capra's third strikeout during the start was the 500th of his professional career. The former Shocker fanned 170 between two levels of the Oakland Athletics' farm system in 2009 en route to being named their Organizational Pitcher of the Year.

ZIEGLER APPROACHING RECORD: Wingnuts' first baseman CJ Ziegler has seven home runs this season. Ziegler also has 25 home runs in a Wingnuts' uniform over the last two years, which ranks second in franchise history. Ziegler is just one home run shy from tying Ryan Patterson's (2010- 11) franchise mark of 26.

HINSON CLIMBING THE RANKS: Ryan Hinson won his 22nd game in a Wingnuts' uniform on June 3rd vs. El Paso. Hinson ranks second all-time in team history in victories, and trails Derek Blacksher (2009, 2011-12) for first place (26 wins). Hinson's 200 strikeouts rank second all-time, and are 18 shy of tying Blacksher for first place.

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: The Wingnuts are 159-96 (.624) 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 14-6 with a 3.35 ERA (59 ER, 158.1 IP) over 24 starts and two relief appearances.

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 4.40 ERA for the High-A Carolina League's Lynchburg Hillcats (Atlanta) with 65 strikeouts and just 31 hits allowed in 45.0 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 3.04 ERA in 23.2 IP for the Triple-A Pacific Coast League's Round Rock Express (Texas).



American Association Stories from June 6, 2013


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