Miles Nordgren Outduels Eddie Medina in Canaries 1-0 Victory
The Wichita Wingnuts need to install a new rule for defeating the Sioux Falls Canaries – don’t play them on Sunday. A week after being shut down by Grady Wood in a 2-1 loss in Sioux Falls, the Canaries avoided the sweep as Miles Nordgren and Jose Ortega combined to blank the Wingnuts, 1-0. That ruined an outstanding outing by Eddie Medina (6-3), who allowed just one-run in 7-innings to take the loss.
This was an incredible battle between the two right-handers from the start. Medina allowed just two-hits through the first four-innings of the game, and one of those runners was erased when he was thrown out by Martin Medina trying to steal second base.
Nordgren was looking equally as impressive. He allowed a hit in each of the first four frames, but induced two double-plays to erase runners in two of those frames. Both starters were at the top of their game.
In the fifth, the Sioux Falls Canaries were finally able to break through. Burt Reynolds led off the inning by hitting a 2-1 pitch for his eighth home run of the season. That put the Canaries on top 1-0.
Eddie Medina allowed just one more hit over his final two frames. He would go 7-innings, allowing 4-hits and a run, while striking out 5.
The one run proved to be all the support that Miles Nordgren (3-3) needed. The Canaries starter allowed one-hit in each of his first seven innings of work, inducing three double-plays. He was absolutely brilliant, allowing 7-hits in 8-innings of work. The right-hander didn’t walk anyone and struck out 5.
In the ninth, Jose Ortega came on looking to close it out, and it looked like the Wingnuts would battle back to tie or even win the game. Christian Stringer walked to start the inning and moved to second when T.J. Mittelstaedt drew a base on balls two batters later. The two advanced on a double-steal after Matt Chavez flew out to put two runners in scoring position with two down. The red-hot Martin Medina walked and Ortega was clearly laboring, especially after Richard Prigatano fouled off two pitches to stay alive at 2-2. The seventh pitch of the at-bat he drilled down to third, but Louis Mele made a nice play and fired across to first for the final out. That gave Ortega his 10th save of the season.
The Wingnuts are off tomorrow before heading to the road for the next three weeks while the NBC tournament is going on. They begin a three-game series in Texas starting Tuesday night.
Featured Image by Ed Bailey
By Robert Pannier
