Wingnuts Bounce Back in Impressive Win
June 11, 2013 - American Association (AA)
Wichita Wingnuts News Release
WINNIPEG, MANITOBA- The Wichita Wingnuts (16-8) shutout the Winnipeg Goldeyes (13-12) 11-0 at Shaw Park on Tuesday night.
Jon Link improved to a league-best 5-1 with eight shutout innings, while the Wingnuts powered their way to victory with a pair of home runs in the middle innings.
Wichita scored in the top of the first for a second consecutive game. Ryan Khoury doubled down the left field line leading off and took third base on Abel Nieves' groundball to shortstop. John Rodriguez plated Khoury with a sacrifice fly to deep center field.
Link made the early run stand up, and worked out of a first and second jam with no outs in the bottom of the fourth. Link struck out Casey Haerther for the first out of the inning, and kept Wichita in front when Leonard Davis grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Wichita broke the game open in the top of the fifth. Jared McDonald beat out an infield single on a groundball to short with one out and advanced to second when David Amberson lined a single to right. The single extended Amberson's hitting streak to 11 games. Tim Rotola made it 2-0 with a soft line drive single to right in which McDonald scored ahead of right fielder Fehlandt Lentini's throw to the plate. After Khoury walked to load the bases, Nieves hit a grand slam home run on a towering flyball to right-center. It was Wichita's first grand slam since August 27th, 2011.
In the top of the sixth, Cole Armstrong and Colt Loehrs both singled to left field. McDonald ripped the next pitch over the right-center field wall for a line drive, three-run homer.
The Wingnuts added two more runs in the top of the seventh. With the bases loaded and one out, McDonald bounced a single to right that scored Rodriguez from third. Amberson accounted for the final run of the game when he beat out a potential double play ball at first.
Link retired the leadoff hitter in five of the eight innings that he started. Link walked one and struck out six in the win. Link has pitched 18.1 consecutive scoreless innings dating back to his start on June 1st at Sioux Falls.
Josh Dew threw a perfect bottom of the ninth to finish the game.
All nine starters scored at least one run for Wichita, while eight of them had at least one hit.
Goldeyes' starter Matthew Rusch took the loss, allowing nine earned runs on nine hits in six innings. Rusch walked two and struck out four. Six of Wichita's nine hits against Rusch came on two-strike counts in which the batter started with an 0-2 count.
McDonald finished with three hits and four RBI, while Nieves, Armstrong, and Rotola each had two hits.
The series concludes Wednesday morning at 11:00 a.m. Chris Smith faces left-hander Mark Hardy. All the action can be heard locally on Oldies 92.7 KWME and worldwide at www.kleyam.com
The Wingnuts return home on Friday, June 14th when they host the St. Paul Saints for a double header beginning at 5:05 p.m. Individual tickets can be purchased by calling (316) 755-SEAT, or by visiting www.selectaseat.com
Beginning this season, fans can use cash at all points of sale in Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. Debit and credit cards will still be accepted.
For season tickets, group outings, or party packages, call the Wingnuts' main office at (316) 264-NUTS, or visit the Wingnuts' official website at www.wichitawingnuts.com.
American Association Stories from June 11, 2013
- Baumann Homers Twice in Birds' Lopsided Loss - Sioux Falls Canaries
- Top Hitter in League, Brad Boyer, Hits Walk-Off Homer for Saints in 8-7 Win - St. Paul Saints
- Everybody Pitches in as AirHogs Beat Lemurs - Grand Prairie AirHogs
- Fish Fall to Strongest Link in American Association - Winnipeg Goldeyes
- Wingnuts Bounce Back in Impressive Win - Wichita Wingnuts
- Rembisz Outduels Krout in Quebec's 3-1 Win - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- Wichita Wingnuts Game Notes - June 11th, 2013 - Wichita Wingnuts
- American Association Results - AA
- Haerther Heroic in Goldeyes Win - Winnipeg Goldeyes
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