With Harrison Kain, Matt Chavez, T.J. Mittelstaedt, and Brent Clevlen off to such phenomenal starts for the Wichita Wingnuts, it is hard for other hitters in this lineup to grab the headlines, especially the day after Mittelstaedt set a Wichita record for home runs in a game (3). Tuesday, Richard Prigatano made sure he made his mark, hitting his third home run of the season and driving in three to lead the Wingnuts to the 9-1 victory over the Salina Stockade. Alex Boshers tossed his second complete game of the season, earning his fourth win.

The Wichita Wingnuts had their opportunities to take the lead in each of the first two innings when they loaded the bases against Tim Blackmon in both frames, but came away empty-handed. Two walks and a single loaded the bases in the first, but Blackmon was able to get strike out Zac Fisher to end the threat. In the second, he would give up a single and two walks once again before getting Brent Clevlen to fly out.

The Salina Stockade had lived dangerously through the first two frames, but would leave the third on top. Roche Woodard led off the top of the third by drilling a ball that seemed to keep carrying until it cleared the fence in center for his first home run of the season. That made it 1-0.

After loading the bases in each of the first two innings, Blackmon settled down and tossed perfect frames in the third and fourth. However, the number of pitches early on took their toll, and he would struggle in the fifth.

Kain led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a fly ball by Christian Stringer. Kain scored on a base hit by Clevlen and the game was tied. Next up was T.J. Mittelstaedt, who hit the first pitch he saw from Blackmon for a two-run homer, his fourth in two games. Chavez followed with a base hit, and that would be it for Blackmon.

T.J. Looney came on in relief, but was not able to stop the rally. Fisher doubled into right field to move Chavez to third, bringing Prigatano to the plate. He quickly got ahead in the count, 2-0, then blasted his third homer of the year to make it 6-1.

In the seventh, Wichita extended their lead to eight, thanks to another three-run homer. Prigatano started the inning by lining a single into left field and moved to third on a double by Brennen Salgado. Two batters later, Kain took the first pitch he saw and hit it over the left-center field fence to make it 9-1. That was his first homer of the season.

Following the run in the third, Alex Boshers was in complete command. He allowed just two-hits over the final six innings of the game, and both of those runners were erased by double-plays. Boshers (4-2) tossed his second complete game of the season, allowing 7-hits and a run while striking out 3.

Richard Prigatano finished the day 3-4 with 2-runs scored and 3-RBI. He also stole his 14th base of the year. Harrison Kain wasa 2-5 with 2-runs and 3-RBI. Roche Woodard led the Salina offense, going 1-2 with a run and an RBI. He was also hit by a pitch.

Tomorrow these two teams will play a double-header. First pitch of Game 1 is scheduled for 5:00.

Boxscore

Featured Image by Ed Bailey.

By Robert Pannier