Wild Game Falls in Favor of Laredo on Sunday Afternoon
August 23, 2015 - American Association (AA)
Wichita Wingnuts News Release
WICHITA, KS (August 23, 2015) - History was made during a battle between the Wichita Wingnuts and Laredo Lemurs on Sunday afternoon inside Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. Laredo starting pitcher Willy Paredes broke the record for walks in a game by a single pitcher by issuing nine free passes to Wichita hitters. Unfortunately, the Wingnuts could not take full advantage of the control issues, stranding 16 runners on base in a 7-6 series-ending loss.
Wingnuts hurler Jon Link was not as dominant out of the gate as usual and surrendered a crooked number in the very first inning. Ty Morrison opened the game with a walk against Link and raced to third on a double from Kevin Taylor. Another walk to Denis Phipps loaded the bases with one out. After striking out Travis Denker, J.D. Pulfer lined a bases clearing double into the right field corner to give Laredo (46-40) a 3-0 lead.
Wichita's patience paid off in the bottom of the inning when Paredes walked four batters. The right-hander struck out Nick Van Stratten to open the game and then walked each of the next three hitters to load the bases. T.J. Mittelstaedt drove in the first run for the home team with a sharp groundball to right. A second runner tried to score, but was thrown out at the plate by Phipps for the second out. Harrison Kain walked to load the bases once again, prior to a run-scoring infield single by Brent Dean. The game was tied at 3-3 when Taylor Smart chopped a ball to third that was mishandled by Juan Silverio.
Laredo moved back in front by taking advantage of back-to-back walks from Link to open the third. Abel Nieves advanced from second to third on a fly ball to right from Phipps and scored on a Denker sacrifice fly.
The Wingnuts (52-34) answered back in the bottom half to take their first lead. Mittelstaedt and Kain walked to start the frame and were bunted into scoring position by Dean. Smart's groundball to third resulted in Mittelstaedt being tagged out as he tried to score. Leo Vargas worked a walk to load the bases for Van Stratten. The center fielder brought home a pair of runs with a single that made it 5-4 Wichita.
A defensive miscue allowed the Lemurs to even the score once again in the fifth. With a runner on second and two outs, Denker tapped a ball to third. Mittelstaedt charged and gloved the ball, but his throw sailed wide of Espinosa and allowed a run to cross the plate.
The score remained tied at five as the game moved into the eighth inning. Wichita had a prime opportunity slip through their fingers in the bottom of the seventh when John Brebbia (7-2) struck out Espinosa to leave the bases loaded. The Lemurs took advantage by scoring an unearned run in the next half inning. Silverio reached base when Smart had a bouncing ball pop out of his glove at short. A single by Phil Pohl advanced him to scoring position which allowed him to score on Morrison's double down the left field line. The big hit put Laredo on top 6-5.
The Wingnuts loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the inning against Brebbia, but he escaped damage by striking out the side. Denker added a big insurance run in the opening half of the ninth by lifting an opposite field home run off of Paul Smyth. That hit became even bigger when Espinosa launched a solo home run of his own to right field in the bottom half. That was the final run of the game as Andy LaRoche rolled out to shortstop to end it.
Every member of the Laredo lineup and 16 of the 18 starters between the clubs mustered at least one hit. Kain led everyone by going 2-3 with two walks and a run scored. The teams combined to issue 18 walks in the game, 12 of them belonging to Laredo's staff.
The Wingnuts will open a three-game series with the St. Paul Saints on Monday night at 7:05 p.m. It is Kwik Shop Dollar Day so be sure to swing by your local Kwik Shop to pick up a voucher for a $1 general admission ticket to the game. RHP Scott Richmond (4-1) will square off against RHP Jeff Shields (12-2) of the Saints. For information on season tickets, group outings, and party packages, call the Wingnuts' main office at (316) 264-NUTS, or visit the Wingnuts' official website at www.wichitawingnuts.com.
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