Wingnuts Game Notes: August 30 vs. Joplin
August 30, 2016 - American Association (AA)
Wichita Wingnuts News Release
Wichita Wingnuts (57-36) vs. Joplin Blasters (35-58)
LHP Anthony Capra (0-3, 9.46) vs. RHP Alex De La Cruz (2-5, 5.42)
7:05 p.m. - Lawrence-Dumont Stadium (Wichita, Kans. )
WINGNUTS WALK-OFF
The Wichita Wingnuts picked up their sixth walk-off win of the year Monday, as T.J. Mittelstaedt hit a solo shot in the bottom of the ninth to a complete a comeback victory over the Joplin Blasters at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. It was all Blasters early, as the visitors built a 4-0 lead. Joplin opened the scoring in the third, plating three. Sergio Leon collected an RBI with a groundout, Mitch Glasser followed with an RBI double, and Geraldo Valentin singled to cap the three-run frame. The Blasters added another in the fifth, as a sacrifice fly by Mark Krueger pushed their advantage to four. Wichita's comeback began in the seventh. Martin Medina opened the inning with a double, and scored on an RBI triple by Christian Stringer. Zack Cox then brought Stringer in with a groundout to cut the deficit to two. Wichita then tied it in the next half inning on a two-run single by Harrison Kain. After Frankie Reed put up a zero in the top of the ninth, Joplin retired the first two Wingnuts in the bottom half before Mittelstaedt launched a 3-2 pitch for a walk-off home run, the club's second of the season.
MITTELSTAEDT MASHING
T.J. Mittelstaedt has been hot lately for Wichita, with last night's walk-off home run just adding to a a big month at the plate. The former Long Beach State Dirtbag is hitting .380 this month, with five homers, 20 RBIs, 12 extra-base hits and eight stolen bases. This hot month has brought Mittelstaedt's season average up to .303, his RBI total to 71, third-most in the league, and has upped his extra-base knock total to 47, most in the AA. He's also on a 15-game hitting streak, the second-longest by a Wingnut this year.
ALMOST THERE
With last night's victory over Joplin, the Wichita Wingnuts whittled their magic number to clinching the South Division down to two. This means the Wingnuts can clinch their sixth consecutive division title and playoff berth as soon as tonight, if they beat the Blasters again, and the Laredo Lemurs lose at home to the Texas AirHogs. Wichita's win last night also tied them with St. Paul for the league's best record at 57-36. The Wingnuts hold the tiebreaker against the Saints, after taking two of three from them at CHS Field last week.
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