Wingnuts Drop Final Road Game of Season in 10 Innings
Published on August 31, 2015 under American Association (AA)
Wichita Wingnuts News Release
SIOUX CITY, IOWA (August 30, 2015) - The Wichita Wingnuts felt very good heading into the ninth inning of Sunday night's game in Sioux City. Closer Paul Smyth was on the mound and the Wingnuts held a 4-1 advantage. Two walks and two hits later, Sioux City had tied the game and sent it to extra innings. A bases loaded two-out walk in the tenth from Noah Perio forced in the winning run as the Explorers walked-off 5-4 winners.
T.J. Mittelstaedt opened the scoring in the very first inning with his third extra-base hit of the series. Earlier in the frame, Nick Van Stratten and Brent Clevlen had worked walks from Sioux City starter Ryan Strufing. Mittelstaedt crushed a double off of the wall in right center to score both and make it 2-0.
The Wingnuts (55-38) chased Strufing and added to their lead in the sixth. A walk and a sacrifice bunt put a runner on second base with two outs, when Steve Montgomery turned to the bullpen. The first batter that reliever Jimmer Kennedy faced walked and the fourth ball slipped past catcher Brendan Slattery to increase the lead to 3-0. A fourth run was tacked on in the next frame. With two outs, Jayce Ray slapped a double into the right field corner and scored when Clevlen knocked an RBI single.
Sioux City (70-23) scored their first and only run off of Wingnuts hurler Tim Brown in the bottom of the seventh. Michael Lang opened the inning with an opposite field triple. Rene Tosoni followed with his 54th RBI of the season on a sharp single to cut the lead to 4-1. Brown departed after the inning having allowed just the one run on five hits.
Smyth entered the game for the save opportunity in the ninth after Alex Boshers worked out of a jam in the eighth. A diving play by Mittelstaedt at third recorded the first out of the inning. Smyth walked each of the next two hitters and watched them score when Noah Perio boomed a double into the gap. An ensuing single from Ryan Court tied the game and sent the contest into extra innings.
Wichita placed runners on the corners with one out against Rob Wort (10-3) in his third inning on the mound, but could not manufacture a run. Daniel Bennett (0-8) was handed the ball for the bottom half with the goal of extending the game another inning. He struck out Matt Koch to open the inning prior to a single on the infield by Matty Johnson. The right-hander hit Lang with a pitch to put two on base for Rene Tosoni. On the first pitch, both runners took off and succeeded in executing a double steal. The Wingnuts intentionally walked Tosoni to load the bases. Bennett rebounded to whiff Brock Kjeldgaard, but could not find the zone in the at bat with Perio at the plate.
The Wingnuts will take Monday off and then return home to welcome the Amarillo Thunderheads to Lawrence-Dumont Stadium on Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. 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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