Alex Boshers Continues to Heat Up in Wichita Wingnuts 5-2 Win
Alex Boshers continues to reward the Wichita Wingnuts coaching staff for moving him to the starting rotation. Tuesday night the Wingnuts starter held the red hot Lincoln Saltdogs to 2-runs in six-innings of work to lead Wichita to the 5-2 victory. That was his fourth win in a row and his seventh win in eight decisions since joining the rotation.
Matt Larkins started for Lincoln and both pitchers kept the game scoreless through the first, but in the second the Wingnuts would grab the lead. Matt Chavez walked with one out and moved to second on a single by Martin Medina. Next up was Brennen Salgado, who ripped a single that scored Chavez. That gave the Wingnuts the 1-0 lead. Brent Dean followed with a double into left that scored both runners and Wichita had quickly opened up a three-run lead. A single by Leo Vargas moved Dean to third and Christian Stringer’s groundout scored Dean to make it 4-0.
The Saltdogs responded right away, getting one of those runs back in the third. Monday night’s hero, Ryan Wiggins, doubled to start the inning and scored on a fielder’s choice by Austin Darby.
In the fourth, Lincoln would reduce the deficit to two. Jon Smith singled to start the inning and was replaced on the base paths on a fielder’s choice by Tyler Urps. Dainer Moriera singled to move Urps to third and Wiggins followed with a single that scored Urps to make it 4-2.
That would be all the runs that the Saltdogs would muster against Boshers (7-3). He would retire six of the next seven batters to keep his team on top. The right-hander finished with 10-hits allowed, 2-runs and no walks. He struck out 4. Of his 97-pitches, an impressive 69 went for strikes.
The Wingnuts turned to their bullpen and got outstanding work out of Chase Johnson and Chad Nading in the seventh and eighth innings. In the bottom of the eighth the offense would supply one more insurance run when T.J. Mittelstaedt drilled his 11th homerun of the season.
Frankie Reed came on in the ninth. He gave up a walk, but no other Lincoln player reached base giving the left-hander his 12th save of the season.
Vargas finished 3-3 for Wichita and Dean was 1-3 with a run and 2-RBI. Lincoln got 3-hits from Rene Leveret and Wiggins was 2-3 with a run and an RBI.
The rubber match for this series will be tomorrow. The Wichita Wingnuts send Jon Link (7-4, 3.67) to the hill. He will be opposed by LHP Jeff McKenzie. First pitch is 6:35.
By Robert Pannier
