Wichita Wingnuts Game Notes - May 24th, 2013

May 24, 2013 - American Association (AA)
Wichita Wingnuts News Release


HINSON SETS TEAM RECORD IN TOUGH LOSS: The Wichita Wingnuts lost 1-0 to the New Jersey Jackals on Thursday night. Ryan Hinson threw 8.0 terrific innings, and struck out a Wingnuts' single-game record 13 batters. Hinson allowed five hits, did not issue walk, and never went to a three-ball count. Hinson twice struck out the side, and finished the game with just 91 pitches thrown. The only run of the game came in the top of the second inning on a two-out RBI double to left from Jose Cuevas. Daniel Bennett struck out two in a scoreless top of the ninth. Jackals' starter Craig Heyer threw 7.0 shutout innings to earn the win, while Keith Cantwell worked a scoreless bottom of the ninth to pick up the save. Ryan Khoury had three hits for the Wingnuts.

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE JACKALS: The Wingnuts are 2-2 all-time against the New Jersey Jackals, including a 2-2 mark at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. The Jackals have been members of the Can-Am League since 2005, and spent their first seven years of existence (1998-2004) in the Northern League-East. New Jersey won four Northern League titles in a seven-year span, capturing a championship in 1998, 2001, 2002, and 2004. Joe Calfapietra is in his 11th season as the Jackals' manager, and has guided them to a winning record in eight of his first 10. Current St. Paul Saints' manager George Tsamis managed New Jersey from 2001-02, winning a championship each year. Former Wingnuts' manager Kash Beauchamp skippered the Jackals during their first three seasons, winning a championship in 1998. The Jackals have finished with a losing record just three times in their first 15 seasons, and have reached the playoffs 11 times during that same stretch. The Jackals feature last seasons Can-Am League MVP in Nick Giarraputo, as well as veteran left-handed starter Isaac Pavlik who is in his ninth season with the club.

SERIES MATCHUP: The Wingnuts are 4-4 and tied for third place in the Central Division. Wichita finished 3-2 on their recent five-game road trip to Kansas City and Gary SouthShore. The Jackals are in the final leg of a 10-game road trip across the American Association to begin the season in which they are 4-4. The Jackals are in third place in the Can-Am League. The Wingnuts are sixth in the league in batting (.257), third in pitching (2.42), and first in fielding (.993). The Jackals are second in the Can-Am League in hitting (.303), fourth in pitching (5.74), and tied for second in fielding (.972).

TONIGHT'S STARTERS: The Wingnuts look to even the series with Junior Guerra, who threw an abbreviated complete game win on Sunday at Kansas City. Guerra allowed two earned runs and struck out six in 6.0 IP before the remainder of the game was called due to rain. Guerra was 1-3 in five starts with a 5.46 ERA for the Leones de Yucatan in the Mexican League last year. Guerra allowed three or fewer earned runs in four of his five starts for the Leones. Guerra starred for the Wingnuts in 2011, posting a 9-3 record while finishing tied for ninth in the American Association in ERA (3.57) and seventh in strikeouts (103). Guerra was 8-1 with a 2.30 ERA over his final 12 regular season starts in 2011, and then allowed one earned run in 6.2 innings in Game One of the Division Series at Grand Prairie. On July 13th, 2011, Guerra worked the first 7.1 innings of a combined no-hitter over the Shreveport-Bossier Captains at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. As a pitcher, Guerra is 12-9 with a 3.95 ERA in 62 career games, 26 of them starts. Guerra is in his eighth year of professional baseball, and spent four years in the Atlanta Braves' farm system as a catcher. Guerra was signed by Atlanta as an international free agent in 2001.

The Jackals go with left-hander Craig Bennigson who took a loss at St. Paul on Sunday, allowing seven runs, five earned, on seven hits in 5.2 IP. Bennigson walked one and struck out three. Bennigson split time at two levels in the Colorado Rockies' organization last year, going a combined 0-3 with a 4.59 ERA in 43 games, 41 of them in relief. Bennigson was drafted by the Rockies in the 9th round in 2008 out of the University of California, Berkeley. Bennigson is 13-12 with 11 saves and a career 3.72 ERA in six professional seasons. Bennigson has averaged just 2.5 walks per nine innings in his professional career.

INTERLEAGUE PLAY: The Wingnuts play their second ever interleague series this weekend against the Can-Am League's New Jersey Jackals. The American Association and Can-Am League are playing a total of 100 interleague contests for a second straight year due to each league having an odd number of teams. The Wingnuts went 2-1 in their lone matchup last season. In August, the Wingnuts will travel to the east coast for a 10-game trip against Can-Am League foes, including New Jersey, Newark, and Rockland. The American Association was a combined 63-37 (.630) against the Can- Am League in 2012, including a 37-13 (.740) mark in American Association ballparks.

ZIEGLER APPROACHING RECORD: Wingunts' first baseman CJ Ziegler has five home runs this season. Ziegler also has 23 home runs in a Wingnuts' uniform over the last two years, which ranks third in franchise history. Ziegler is just three 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 180 strikeouts rank third all-time.

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.

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: The Wingnuts are 152-95 (.615) 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 3.44 ERA in 22 starts and two relief outings over 146.1 IP (56 ER).

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 3.68 ERA for the High-A Carolina League's Lynchburg Hillcats (Atlanta) with 51 strikeouts and just 22 hits allowed in 36.2 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 3.00 ERA in 18.0 IP for the Triple-A Pacific Coast League's Round Rock Express (Texas).



American Association Stories from May 24, 2013


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