Wichita Wingnuts Game Notes

Published on June 25, 2013 under American Association (AA)
Wichita Wingnuts News Release


WINGNUTS ENJOY RECORD-SETTING NIGHT: The Wichita Wingnuts defeated the Laredo Lemurs 20-6 on Monday night in the opener of a three- game series. The 20 runs set a franchise single-game record. Wichita had scored 19 runs in a game three times, the last of which came on August 27th, 2011 at El Paso. Wichita broke the game open with a nine-run bottom of the fourth in which 14 batters came to the plate. CJ Ziegler hit two home runs and had seven RBI. The seven RBI tied Juan Richardson's single-game team record, also set on August 27th, 2011. Ryan Hinson worked 6.0 shutout innings to pick up the win and tied Derek Blacksher for the most victories in team history with 26. Brent Clevlen homered twice and had five RBI, while Abel Nieves and John Rodriguez each scored four runs. Colt Loehrs had four hits, including three doubles. Ryan Khoury had four RBI and three runs scored. Nieves has hit safely in 17 games in a row.

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE LEMURS: The Wingnuts are 4-3 all-time against the Lemurs in the regular season. This series marks the Lemurs' first regular season visit to Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. Wichita swept the Lemurs in the 2012 American Association Division Series, clinching the series in Game Three at Wichita. The Lemurs are in their second season in the American Association and won the South Division in 2012. Laredo trailed by as many as 14.5 games in the standings before clinching the division on the second-to-last day of the regular season. Laredo gained the rights to the Shreveport-Bossier Captains' roster in November of 2011. Former Major Leaguer Pete Incaviglia returns for his second year as Laredo's manager. Incaviglia skippered the Grand Prairie AirHogs from 2008-10, and guided Grand Prairie to the 2008 American Association Championship Series. The Lemurs play their home games at Uni-Trade Stadium.

SERIES MATCHUP: The Wingnuts are 24-14 and lead the Gary SouthShore RailCats by 2.0 games in the Central Division. The Wingnuts split a four- game series at Sioux City this past weekend. The Lemurs are 22-15 and trail the Amarillo Sox by 0.5 games in the South Division. The Lemurs lost two of three at Kansas City over the weekend. Wichita ranks first in the American Association in hitting (.301), first in pitching (3.48), and tied for second in fielding (.980). The Lemurs are fourth in batting (.285), fifth in pitching (4.32), and tied for second in defense (.980). Laredo opened the 2013 season 10-0. This is the only regular season series scheduled between the two clubs.

TONIGHT'S STARTERS: The Wingnuts go with right-hander Justin Klipp who is 1-0 with a 4.91 ERA in two starts and one relief appearance. Klipp earned his first win with the Wingnuts last Thursday at Sioux City, allowing one earned run on seven hits in 7.0 IP. Klipp has walked one batter in each of his first two Wingnuts' starts.

Klipp was purchased from the United League's Edinburg Roadrunners where he was 2-1 in three starts with a 1.24 ERA. Klipp had 36 strikeouts in just 21.1 IP while allowing only 18 hits. Klipp had a pair of 14-strikeout games while with Edinburg.

Klipp is a 28-year old true rookie who has recovered from a pair of back injuries. Klipp played college baseball at Cal State Fullerton from 2006-07, going 2-0 with a 2.15 ERA in 37.2 IP as a senior. Klipp was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 22nd round in 2007, and was also selected by the Texas Rangers in the 29th round out of Calabasas High School in Calabasas, CA.

The Lemurs go with former Major League right-hander Fernando Hernandez who is 0-0 in one start since signing with Laredo last week. Hernandez took a no-decision vs. Sioux Falls last Wednesday, allowing one earned run on two hits in 6.0 IP. Hernandez made five relief appearances for the Toronto Blue Jays' Double-A affiliate in New Hampshire earlier this year, allowing just one earned run in 7.2 IP.

Hernandez reached the Major Leagues in 2008 with the Oakland Athletics, appearing in three games. Hernandez is in his 11th year of professional baseball and is 42-42 with 67 saves and a 3.63 ERA in 448 games in the minor leagues, 18 of them starts. Hernandez was 5-8 with a 4.34 ERA for New Hampshire last year in 13 starts and 23 relief outings. Hernandez has three years of experience at the Triple-A level and has averaged 8.5 strikeouts per nine innings against 3.4 walks. Hernandez was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 49th round in 2002 and spent one year at Broward Community College as a draft-and-follow.

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 .

BIG 'Z': Wichita Wingnuts' first baseman CJ Ziegler ranks first in the American Association in both home runs (15) and RBI (44). Ziegler tied a Wingnuts' single-game record with seven RBI on June 24th vs. Laredo.

NIEVES ON FIRE: Wingnuts' third baseman Abel Nieves is riding a 17-game hitting streak in which he is 33 for 69 (.478). Nieves is also 50 for 121 (.413) in his last 32 games with 26 runs scored and 18 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.

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.

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.

'AMBO' ROLLING: Wingnuts' true rookie right fielder David Amberson is 38 for 102 (.373) over his last 28 games with 21 runs scored and 18 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.

KHOURY VERSATILE, DURABLE: Wingnuts' shortstop Ryan Khoury has reached base in 35 of 38 games this season with a hit, walk, or hit by pitch. Last season, Khoury reached base in 87 of 100 games. Khoury is currently tied for sixth in the American Association with 31 RBI. Khoury was voted the American Association's Defensive Player of the Year in 2012. Including the postseason, Khoury has started 144 consecutive games both at shortstop and in the leadoff spot since signing with the Wingnuts last spring. Khoury has missed a total of just five innings in the field during that stretch.

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 Juan Richardson hit a bases loaded 'big fly' on August 27th, 2011 in a 19-2 rout at El Paso. Wichita hit .309 as a team with the bases loaded last season, and went into June 11th hitting .400, but had gone 126 consecutive games without a grand slam.

PITCHING STRONG: The Wingnuts rank first 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 first in the American Association with a .301 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 .980 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 166-99 (.626) 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 3.15 ERA (36 ER, 103.0 IP) all-time at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in 15 starts.

ALL HE DOES IS WIN: Wingnuts' fifth-year manager Kevin Hooper is 246-184 (.572) since taking over in 2009. Hooper has guided the Wingnuts to four consecutive winning seasons, as well as three playoff berths. Hooper's .572 winning percentage is the highest among American Association managers over the last five years. His 246 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 3.31 ERA in 32.2 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 0-0 with a 1.12 ERA in one start for Double-A Erie.

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American Association Stories from June 25, 2013


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