After two successive nights of watching the Sioux City Explorers win in walk-off fashion, the Wichita Wingnuts were looking for a big night from ace Alex Boshers and that is exactly what he provided. The right-hander allowed just one-run in 8-innings for his seventh straight victory, as Wichita prevailed 5-1. Richard Prigatano homered and drove in two to lead the Wichita offense.

After a scoreless first, the Wichita Wingnuts took the lead in the second. With one down, Martin Medina singled and moved to second when Richard Prigatano reached on an error. Next up was Brennen Salgado, who lined a ball down the line that he legged out for a triple. Both runners came around to score and it was 2-0 Wichita. Leo Vargas then hit a sacrifice fly that brought home Salgado to extend the lead to three.

The Sioux City Explorers got one of those runs back in the bottom half of the inning. Tyler Ogle led off the inning with his fourth home run of the season off starter Alex Boshers to make it 3-1.

It remained that way until the sixth when the Wingnuts moved their lead back to three. Matt Chavez and Medina led off with back-to-back singles putting runners at the corners with no one out. Prigatano then followed with a sacrifice fly that brought home Chavez to make it 4-1.

In the ninth, the Wingnuts would add another run. With one down, Prigatano drilled a shot over the wall in right-center to extend the lead to four. It was the Wingnuts right fielder’s fifth homer of the year.

After giving up a run in the second, Alex Boshers was absolutely brilliant. He gave up just three-hits over the next six innings, and two runners would only reach in one inning, the eighth, when the right-hander gave up a double to Eudor Garcia to start the inning and walked Dre Gleason two batters later. However, he struck out Tanner Vavra before getting Tony Campana to fly out to end the inning.

Alex Boshers (10-2) would be done after 8-innings. The Wingnuts starter allowed just 4-hits, a walk and a run. He struck out a season-high 7. The winning streak has seen him lower his ERA from 5.95 to 3.17 since June 14. James Campbell came on in the ninth and gave up a lead-off single, but retired the next three batters to close out the game.

Richard Prigatano led the offense, going 1-3 with 2-runs and 2-RBI. Brennen Salgado was 2-4 with a run and 2-RBI. Sioux City was led by Tyler Ogle, who was 2-4 with a run and an RBI.

The final game of this four-game set is tomorrow. Tim Brown (2-1, 7.40) heads to the hill for Wichita. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05.

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By Robert Pannier