Following Monday night’s game, Eddie Medina recounted how his father has been telling him to not take that early punch in the mouth. In other words, do not give up the early runs. That is what happened Monday night, as the Winnipeg Goldeyes were on top just three batters into the game. However, the good fighters aren’t afraid to take a punch. They simply know how to withstand them and come out on top, and that is exactly what the right-hander did, rebounding to allow just one more run over the next six innings and the Wichita Wingnuts won, 7-4.

Andrew Sohn led off the game by drawing a walk. He then stole second and moved to third on a base hit by David Rohm. Josh Romanski then chopped a ball down to third that T.J. Mittelstaedt’s only play was to hope it went foul. It did not, and Romanski reached on a single plating Sohn to make it 1-0 Goldeyes. Winnipeg could have built on that lead with runners at first and second and no one out, butt Medina struck out Reggie Abercrombie before getting a fly out and a ground out to end the threat.

Wichita not only responded in the bottom half of the inning, but took the lead. Harrison Kain led off and worked the count full before singling into right. Christian Stringer then singled into right before Brent Clevlen singled up the middle to tie the game. Two batters later, Matt Chavez worked the count full before drilling his 10th home run of the season over the left-center field wall to make it 4-1 Wingnuts.

In the third, Wichita extended their lead to four. Stringer beat out a ground ball to short for a single to lead off the inning. Clevlen followed by drilling a double to the wall in the right field corner to put runners at second and third. Chavez was walked two batters later and Richard Prigatano walked with two down to score Stringer to make it 5-1.

In the fifth, Mittelstaedt walked with one down and scored on a double by Chavez.  A base hit by Zac Fisher moved Chavez to third and he scored on a sacrifice fly by Richard Prigatano. That made it 7-1.

Following the first inning run, Medina took command of the game. He gave up a two-out hit in the second, and then did not allow another hit until the seventh. The Goldeyes would finally get one more run against him in the seventh. Wes Darvill led off the inning by lining a single into right. Prigatano held up for a moment, then decided to charge the ball. It bounced just under his glove and rolled to the wall, allowing Darvill to reach third. Mason Katz brought him home with a ground out to make it 7-2.

Eddie Medina (6-1) would pitch 7-innings. He allowed 4-hits, 3-walks, and one-earned run. He also struck out 5. It was an impressive performance that saw him throw only 96-pitches. The victory was Medina’s sixth, tying his career high, and ties him for second in the American Association in victories.

The Goldeyes would add two more runs in the ninth. Shawn Pleffner walked and David Bergin followed with a double. A wild pitch scored Pleffner and Bergin came home on a sacrifice fly. It was a three-run game, but Winnipeg would get no closer.

Matt Chavez extended his hitting streak to 15-games, going 2-3 with 2-runs and 4-RBI. His 50-RBI lead the league. Christian Stringer was 2-4 with 2-runs scored and T.J. Mittelstaedt also scored 2-runs. Wes Darvill was 1-3 with a run and an RBI for Winnipeg.

The Wingnuts look to extend their winning streak to seven tomorrow. Jordan Cooper (3-0, 2.38) will start for Wichita against the Goldeyes Zack Dodson (2-2, 6.17). First pitch is set for 6:05.

Boxscore

By Robert Pannier