Jon Link Continuing to Make Right Connections; Wingnuts Down T-Bones 5-1
If anyone thought his two starts to begin the season were an indication that maybe the game had passed him by, think again. The Wichita Wingnuts Jon Link continues to dominate, recording his fourth win of the season, and tying the team record for most career wins by a Wichita pitcher in leading his team to a 5-1 victory over the Kansas City T-Bones.
After giving up a double to start the game, the Wingnuts right-hander buckled down, retiring Nate Tenbrink on a ground out before striking out the next two hitters to end the inning. In the bottom of the inning his team staked him to a 1-0 lead. Christian Stringer walked and moved to third on a double by Zack Cox. Brent Clevlen then grounded out, scoring Stringer and giving the Wingnuts a lead they would not relinquish.
In the fourth, the Wingnuts made it a 2-0 game. Richard Prigatano doubled with one out and, after stealing third, scored on a double by Harrison Kain.
The T-Bones only had one runner reach base in each of the first five innings of the game. Tyler Massey singled with one out in the third, but was caught stealing before Tenbrink struck out. In the fourth, Anthony Gallas walked with one out but was then cut down when Brandon Tierney hit into a double-play.
Finally, in the fifth inning, Kansas City got on the board. Vladimir Frias led off the inning, and fouled off the first pitch from Link. He then ripped his second homerun of the season to make it 2-1.
The game was a nail-biter, but in the bottom of the sixth the Wichita Wingnuts blew it open. Martin Medina singled to start the inning, and moved to second when Prigatano was hit by a pitch two batters later. Following a fly out, Leo Vargas doubled, scoring both runners and extending his hitting streak to 11 straight games. Cox would drive home Vargas with a single and it was 5-1 Wingnuts.
Link (4-2) would pitch through the seventh, allowing just 5-hits and a walk, while striking out 7. The victory is his 27th with Wichita, tying Ryan Hinson for first on the team’s all-time list.
The offensive hitting star of the day was Cox, who was 4-5 with a run driven in. Vargas finished 2-4 with a run and 2-RBI, and Prigatano scored two runs. Tierney was 3-4 for the T-Bones and Massey finished 2-3.
These two teams continue their three-game series Wednesday night. Alex Boshers (1-2, 3.85) takes the hill for the Wichita Wingnuts. David Holman (2-1, 3.17) will pitch for the Kansas City T-Bones. Game time is 7:05.
By Robert Pannier
