NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Wichita Wingnuts Game Notes

July 16, 2013 - American Association (AA)
Wichita Wingnuts News Release


WINGNUTS TIE FRANCHISE RECORD WINNING STREAK: The Wichita Wingnuts tied a franchise record with their 11th win in a row on Monday night, shutting out the Sioux City Explorers 2-0 at Lewis and Clark Park. Chris Smith pitched 8.0 shutout innings on just four hits, walked one, and tied a season-high with nine strikeouts to earn the win. Josh Dew struck out two during a perfect bottom of the ninth to pick up his 13th save of the season. Wichita broke a scoreless tie in the top of the sixth on an RBI single to right field from CJ Ziegler. David Amberson used a safety squeeze bunt in the top of the ninth to plate an insurance run. It marked the third time in five games the Wingnuts did not allow an earned run as a pitching staff. The 11- game winning streak matches the team record set in 2012 from May 22nd -June 3rd .

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE EXPLORERS: The Wingnuts are 48-32 all-time against the Sioux City Explorers, including a 23-13 mark at Lewis and Clark Park. The Explorers and Lincoln Saltdogs are the only two teams to have remained in the same division as the Wingnuts since Wichita began play in 2008. The Explorers were 45-55 in 2012. Stan Cliburn returns for his third year as Explorers' manager, and guided the club to a 51-49 record during his first season in 2011. Cliburn played for the California Angels in 1980 and has managed as high as the Triple-A level. Cliburn skippered the International League's Rochester Red Wings (Minnesota Twins) for four seasons. The Explorers last made the playoffs in 2008 when they won the North Division's second half. Sioux City is an original independent franchise that began play in the Northern League in 1993. The Explorers are in their 21st season.

SERIES MATCHUP: The Wingnuts are 39-18 and lead the Gary SouthShore RailCats by 4.0 games in the Central Division. The Wingnuts just swept a four-game series from the Kansas City T-Bones. The Explorers are 23-33 and in fourth place in the Central. Sioux City trails the Wingnuts by 15.5 games. The X's were just swept in a four-game series at Sioux Falls. The Wingnuts are tied for first in the American Association in hitting (.296), first in pitching (3.10), and tied for fourth in in fielding (.976). The Explorers are 12th in the league in batting (.259), eighth in pitching (4.68), and first in defense (.980). The teams played two series during the month of June with the Wingnuts taking two of three at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium and the clubs splitting a four-game set at Lewis and Clark Park.

TONIGHT'S STARTERS: The Wingnuts go with rookie right-hander Ryan Scoles who is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in one start. Scoles made his professional debut vs. Kansas City last Thursday, throwing 5.0+ shutout innings to earn the win. Scoles was signed after originally scheduled starting pitcher Ryan Hinson was purchased by the Atlanta Braves earlier in the day. Scoles most recently pitched for the Walter Johnson League's Kansas Cannons and pitched two years at Hutchinson Community College. Scoles is a Wichita native who played his high school ball at Andover Central.

The Explorers go with true rookie Andy Noga who is 3-7 with a 5.65 ERA in 11 starts. Noga will be working on three days of rest. Noga took a loss on Friday at Sioux Falls, allowing two earned runs on five hits over 8.0 IP. Noga is 1-3 with a 5.40 ERA at home this season in five starts. Noga has allowed four or fewer earned runs in seven of 11 starts and has allowed more than five earned runs in just one of them. Noga has pitched at least 6.0 innings in seven of 11 starts and has pitched at least 5.0 innings in 10 of them. Noga has walked two or fewer batters in nine of 11 starts and has walked three or fewer in all of them. Noga took a loss vs. Wichita on June 20th, allowing five earned runs on seven hits in 6.1 IP. Noga is a true rookie who pitched collegiately at East Stroudsburg State University. During his final collegiate season in 2011, Noga led all NCAA Division-II pitchers by averaging 0.62 walks per nine innings.

DEWING WORK: Wingnuts' closer Josh Dew has earned the save in four of the last five games. Dew ranks second in the American Association with 13 saves and is the Wingnuts' franchise leader with 42 since joining the team in 2011.

HINSON PURCHASED BY BRAVES: Wingnuts' left-hander Ryan Hinson was purchased by the Atlanta Braves' organization on July 11th . Hinson was 7-2 in 10 starts with a league-best 1.53 ERA. Hinson also ranked seventh in the American Association in strikeouts (57) at the time of his purchase. Hinson allowed two or fewer earned runs in nine of 10 starts this season, and did not allow more than three earned runs in any of them. Hinson was named the American Association's Pitcher of the Month for June.

Hinson was 27-15 with a 3.58 ERA during his three seasons with the Wingnuts over 51 starts and three relief outings. Hinson ranks first all-time in Wingnuts' history in wins (27) and strikeouts (234). Hinson was also 2-1 with a 4.19 ERA in three postseason starts from 2011-12. During his time with the Wingnuts, Hinson was especially tough at home. Including the postseason, Hinson was 18-7 with a 2.84 ERA at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium over 29 starts and two relief appearances.

'J-ROD' REACHES MAJOR MILESTONES: Wingnuts' DH John Rodriguez hit a two-out, three-run home run in the bottom of the second inning on July 8th vs. Amarillo for the 1,500th base hit of his 17-year professional career. The home run also have Rodriguez 902 career RBI. On July 14th at Sioux City, Rodriguez hit a two-run home run in the top of the third inning that tied him with Josh Horn (2009-11) for the most RBI in franchise history (125).

KHOURY BREAKS TEAM STEALS RECORD: Wingnuts' shortstop Ryan Khoury set a franchise record with his 47th stolen base on July 6th vs. Amarillo. Josh Horn (2009-11) held the previous record with 46. Last year, Khoury established a Wingnuts' single-season record with 37 stolen bases, surpassing current manager Kevin Hooper's mark of 34 set in 2008.

NIEVES STAYING HOT: Wingnuts' third baseman Abel Nieves leads the American Association in batting average (.383) and is 70 for 160 (.438) in his last 44 games with 35 runs scored, 14 doubles, and 24 walks. Nieves had a 19-game hitting streak from June 8th -26th (38 for 76, .500) which ranks tied for the second-longest in team history (Greg Porter 2009 and Jorge Delgado 2010). The team record is held by Josh Horn, who hit safely in 20 consecutive games from August 29th, 2009 through June 5th, 2010. Nieves finished second in the Frontier League in batting average last year, hitting .320 for the Joliet Slammers. On May 27th vs. Amarillo, Nieves picked up the 500th hit of his eight-year professional career. Nieves reached the Triple-A level three times with the Los Angeles Angels' organization.

KHOURY SETTING THE TABLE: Wingnuts' shortstop Ryan Khoury has reached base in 51 of 56 games this season with a hit, walk, or hit by pitch. Khoury reached base in 87 of 100 games in 2012, and was named the American Association's Defensive Player of the Year. Khoury also ranked in the top-four in the league in runs scored, walks, and stolen bases. On June 26th vs. Laredo, Khoury missed his first game since joining the Wingnuts last year. Including the postseason, Khoury had started 145 consecutive games both at shortstop and in the leadoff spot, and missed just five total innings in the field during that stretch. Prior to June 26th, the last time a Wingnuts' player other than Khoury started at shortstop was September 4th, 2011 when Josh Horn started Game Four of the Division Series vs. Grand Prairie. Jimmy Mojica was the last Wingnuts' player to bat leadoff, which was also on September 4th, 2011.

ZIEGLER CLEANING THE TABLE: Wingnuts' first baseman CJ Ziegler ranks first in the American Association in both home runs (17) and RBI (58). Ziegler tied a Wingnuts' single-game record with seven RBI on June 24th vs. Laredo. Last season, Ziegler ranked tied for third in the American Association with 18 home runs in just 58 games played. Ziegler has helped his team reach the playoffs in each of his first five professional seasons.

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.

TOUGH LOSSES: Of the Wingnuts' 18 losses this season, 11 have been by one run, two by two runs, and three by three runs. Wichita has held a lead at some point in 11 of their 18 losses.

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 August 27th, 2011 when Juan Richardson hit a bases loaded 'big fly' in a 19-2 rout at El Paso. Wichita hit .309 as a team with the bases loaded last year, and was hitting .400 with the sacks full going into June 11th of this season, but had gone 126 consecutive games without a grand slam. CJ Ziegler hit the Wingnuts' second grand slam of 2013 on June 28th vs. Sioux City.

PITCHING STRONG: The Wingnuts rank first in the American Association with a 3.10 team ERA. The Wingnuts ranked first in ERA in 2009 and 2010 while finishing third in 2011.

SWINGING STRONG: The Wingnuts rank tied for 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.

GLOVE WORK: The Wingnuts are tied for fourth in the American Association with a .976 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.

SCORELESS BALL: The Wingnuts have posted seven shutouts as a team this season. The franchise record for shutouts in a single season is nine set in both 2010 and 2011.

COMPLETE ME: The Wingnuts' pitching staff is tied for the league lead with five complete games. Wichita's club record for complete games in a single season is seven set in both 2009 and 2010.

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: The Wingnuts are 176-100 (.638) 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.

GUERRA PROTECTING THE HOME FRONT: Wingnuts' right-hander Junior Guerra has excelled when pitching at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. Guerra is 10-2 with a 3.05 ERA (39 ER, 115.0 IP) all-time in Wichita over 17 starts.

ALL HE DOES IS WIN: Wingnuts' fifth-year manager Kevin Hooper is 261-188 (.581) since taking over in 2009. Hooper has guided the Wingnuts to four consecutive winning seasons, as well as three playoff berths. Hooper's .581 winning percentage is the highest among American Association managers over the last five years. His 261 wins also rank first during that stretch. Hooper was a member of a team that made the playoffs in eight different seasons over his 10-year playing career. 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 Southern League's Montgomery Biscuits (Tampa Bay) with 13 strikeouts in 11.2 IP. RHP James Hoyt (2012) was recently promoted to the Double-A Southern League's Mississippi Braves (Atlanta) and has a 1.32 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 13.2 IP. Hoyt posted a 4.89 ERA with 72 strikeouts in just 49.2 IP earlier this year for the High-A Carolina League's Lynchburg Hillcats. LHP and Wingnuts' co-owner Nate Robertson (2012) has a 3.82 ERA in 37.2 IP for the Triple-A Pacific Coast League's Round Rock Express (Texas). RHP Jon Link was purchased by the Detroit Tigers in June 19th and is 3-1 with a 1.13 ERA in five starts for the Double-A Eastern League's Erie SeaWolves. LHP Ryan Hinson was purchased by the Atlanta Braves on July 11th and has been assigned to the High-A Carolina League's Lynchburg Hillcats.

• Discuss this story on the American Association message board...

American Association Stories from July 16, 2013


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Wichita Wingnuts Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central