Wichita Wingnuts Game Notes - May 29th, 2013

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


ANOTHER TEAM EFFORT LEADS WINGNUTS: The Wichita Wingnuts defeated the Amarillo Sox 10-4 on Tuesday night. Wichita collected 15 total hits, with eight different players notching at least one. Seven different players scored at least one run. The Wingnuts have totaled 23 runs and 31 hits in the first two games of their series against Amarillo. Wichita plated three runs in the bottom of the first after there were two outs and no one on base and held the lead through the end of the game. John Rodriguez had three hits, while Jake Kahaulelio hit his third home run of the season. Jared McDonald and David Amberson combined for four hits and four runs scored. Chris Smith earned the win, allowing three earned runs on five hits in 6.2 IP. Nick Walters and Tyler White combined for 2.1 scoreless relief innings.

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE SOX: The Wingnuts are 17-11 all-time against the Amarillo Sox, including a 9-4 mark at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. The Sox are in their third season in the American Association. The Pensacola Pelicans moved their operations to Amarillo following the 2010 season. The Amarillo Dillas were an independent team from 1994-2010, and won the final three championships in the United League. The Dillas also spent time in the Texas-Louisiana and Central Leagues. Bobby Brown enters his first season as manager of the Sox. Brown managed the Abilene Prairie Dogs in the North American League in 2012 and was a .300 hitter during a 10-year playing career. Amarillo features former Wingnuts' outfielder David Peralta, who hit .332 with 70 RBI as a rookie last season. The Sox' pitching staff is led by Jason Johnson, who pitched 11 seasons in the Major Leagues from 1997-2008 and was a teammate of Wingnuts' manager Kevin Hooper with the Detroit Tigers in 2005.

SERIES MATCHUP: The Wingnuts are 7-5 and tied for first place in the Central Division with the Gary SouthShore RailCats. Wichita lost two of three to the Can-Am League's New Jersey Jackals. The Sox are 4-8 and trail the Laredo Lemurs by 6.0 games in the South Division. Amarillo lost two of three vs. Grand Prairie last weekend. The Wingnuts are third in the league in hitting (.291), third in pitching (2.71), and first in defense (.984). The Sox are 10th in batting (.253), 13th in pitching (6.89), and 12th in fielding (.953).

TONIGHT'S STARTERS: The Wingnuts go with left-hander Ryan Hinson who is 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA in two starts. Hinson is coming off a tough loss last Thursday vs. New Jersey in which he set a Wingnuts' single-game record with 13 strikeouts. Hinson allowed one earned run on four hits over 8.0 IP, while the Wingnuts lost the game 1-0. Hinson's 13 strikeouts eclipsed the 12 Chad Sherman collected on July 10th, 2011 en route to a two-hit shutout vs. Shreveport-Bossier.

Hinson was 9-8 with a 4.85 ERA for the Wingnuts last season in 21 starts and three relief appearances. Hinson struck out 93 and walked only 39. Hinson was 6-4 with a 4.54 ERA at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in 2012 in 11 starts and two relief appearances. Including the postseason, Hinson is 13- 6 with a 3.44 ERA all-time at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in 22 starts and two relief outings over 146.1 IP (56 ER). Hinson allowed three or fewer earned runs in 11 of 21 starts last year, and allowed more than four earned runs in just six of them. Hinson worked at least 6.0 innings in 19 of 21 starts, and at least 5.0 innings in all of them. Hinson walked three or fewer batters in 16 of 21 starts, and had seven starts in which he did not issue a walk. Hinson is 2-1 with a 4.86 ERA (20 ER, 37.0 IP) in six career starts and one relief appearance against the Sox.

Hinson is 22-16 in five professional seasons with a 4.73 ERA in 80 games, 44 of them starts. Hinson was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 10th round in 2009 out of Clemson University. Hinson ranks second all-time in Wingnuts' history with 21 wins, trailing only Derek Blacksher (26) for first place. During his two-plus seasons in Wichita, Hinson has pitched at least 6.0 innings in 38 of 42 starts, and at least 5.0 innings in all of them. He has allowed three or fewer earned runs in 26 starts during that same stretch, and has allowed more than four earned runs in just 11 of them.

Amarillo goes with right-hander Jason Mitchell is 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA in one start and two relief appearances. Mitchell took a loss vs. Grand Prairie last Thursday, allowing five runs, four earned, on nine hits in 6.2 IP. Mitchell struck out six and walked one. Mitchell had made two relief appearances prior to Thursday, totaling 4.0 scoreless innings. Mitchell was 4-7 with three saves and a 4.65 ERA for the Kane County Cougars (Low-A, Kansas City) last season, striking out 82 in 100.2 IP.

Mitchell is 11-12 with four saves and a 4.09 ERA in four professional seasons, averaging 7.3 strikeouts and 3.1 walks per nine innings. Mitchell has also averaged just 0.5 home runs per nine innings. Mitchell was drafted by the Royals in the 15th round in 2010 out of the University of Texas at Arlington.

PITCHING STRONG: The Wingnuts rank third in the American Association with a 2.71 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 7-4 with a 3.09 ERA through 12 games (26 ER, 75.2 IP), and have allowed three or fewer earned runs in 11 of them.

RODRIGUEZ STREAKING: Wingnuts' DH John Rodriguez is riding an 8-game hitting streak in which he is 15 for 35 (.429). Rodriguez has hit safely in 11 of 12 games this season, and already has seven multi-hit contests.

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 495 career strikeouts, and needs only five 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 193 strikeouts rank third all-time, and are 25 shy of tying Blacksher for first place.

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: The Wingnuts are 155-96 (.618) 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).

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 3.40 ERA for the High-A Carolina League's Lynchburg Hillcats (Atlanta) with 58 strikeouts and just 22 hits allowed in 39.2 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 2.61 ERA in 20.2 IP for the Triple-A Pacific Coast League's Round Rock Express (Texas).

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