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Wichita Wingnuts Game Notes

June 5, 2013 - American Association (AA)
Wichita Wingnuts News Release


CAPRA AND OFFENSE SET TONE AGAIN: The Wichita Wingnuts beat the El Paso Diablos 8-1 on Tuesday night in game two of a four-game series. Wichita scored five unearned runs in the bottom of the first in early support of Anthony Capra who was making his first start of the season. John Rodriguez hit a pair of RBI doubles, while Ryan Khoury had two hits and two RBI. Abel Nieves had three hits and two runs scored. Capra earned the win, allowing one earned run on three hits in 6.0 IP. Daniel Bennett, Nick Walters, and Tyler White each threw a scoreless inning of relief.

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE DIABLOS: The Wingnuts are 27-15 all-time against the El Paso Diablos, including a 19-8 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 11-6 and 1.0 game 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 5-12 and trail the Laredo Lemurs by 7.0 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 (.294), first in pitching (3.00), and tied for fourth in fielding (.976). The Diablos are eighth in batting (.271), 12th in pitching (5.92), and 13th in defense (.944).

TONIGHT'S STARTERS: The Wingnuts go with Junior Guerra who is 2-0 with a 2.50 ERA in three starts. Guerra took a no-decision at Sioux Falls last Friday, allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits in 5.0 IP. The Wingnuts won the game 7-5. Guerra is 1-0 in one start at home this season. Guerra is 8-2 with a 2.60 ERA (26 ER, 90.0 IP) all-time at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in 13 starts.

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. Guerra is 2-0 with a 0.60 ERA in two career starts against El Paso.

As a pitcher, Guerra is 13-9 with a 3.87 ERA in 64 career games, 28 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 Diablos go with right-hander Ryan Bean who is 0-2 with an 8.16 ERA in three starts. Bean allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits in 5.0 IP last Friday vs. Gary SouthShore while taking the loss. Bean enters tonight leading the American Association with 20 walks. Bean last pitched in 2011, splitting time between two San Francisco Giants' affiliates. Bean is in his third year of professional baseball and is 3-3 with a 4.37 ERA in 38 games, six of them starts. Bean was drafted by the Giants in the 17th round in 2010 out of Edmonds Community College in Lynnwood, WA.

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.

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.

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.

PITCHING STRONG: The Wingnuts rank first in the American Association with a 3.00 ERA. The Wingnuts ranked first in ERA in 2009 and 2010 while finishing third in 2011.

HOT BATS: The Wingnuts rank first in the American Association in batting average at .294. The Wingnuts have finished first and second respectively in the league batting race over the last two seasons.

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 158-96 (.622) 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.

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.

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).

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