Jared Mortensen Clamps Down Wingnuts in AirHogs 4-3 Victory
Friday night matched two of the best starters in the American Association, as Jared Mortensen faced off against Alex Boshers. The Wichita Wingnuts had the early 3-1 lead, but the Texas AirHogs refused to go down, eventually tying the score before taking the lead in the top of the ninth. Beamer Weems hit his eighth homer of the year, and Mortensen would earn win number 7 in the 4-3 victory.
Jared Mortensen and Alex Boshers kept the game scoreless through two but, in the third, each team would get a run. Jake Taylor started the inning for the AirHogs with a base hit. Two batters later Alvaro Rondon would drive him home with a base hit to make it 1-0 Texas.
The Wingnuts responded right away in the bottom of the third. Tyler Sullivan reached on an error to start the inning and moved to third when Christian Stringer singled two batters later. Sullivan scored on a sacrifice fly by Martin Medina and the game was tied at one.
In the fourth, the Wingnuts took the lead. Zac Fisher was the first batter of the frame, and he crushed an 0-1 pitch for his eighth homer of the year to make it 2-1.
An inning later the lead became two. Medina doubled into left with one down. With two down, Fisher doubled to score Medina to make it 3-1.
In the eighth, Texas would tie the score. Beamer Weems began the inning with his eighth home run of the year. Boshers retired the next two hitters, but walked Rondon with two down. Casio Grider followed with a base hit and that would be it for Boshers. James Campbell came on in relief and was greeted with a base hit by Levi Scott that tied the score.
In the ninth, Ryan Kussmaul came on for Wichita. Ryan Wagner and Weems delivered back-to-back singles with one down. That put runners at the corners and Wagner came home on a sacrifice fly by Taylor to make it 4-3.
In the bottom half of the ninth, Robert Tasin came on looking to close it out. He would give up a one-out walk, but retired the final two batters of the game for his fourth save of the season. Jared Mortensen (7-1) earned the victory with 8 outstanding innings, allowing 6-hits and 2-runs, while striking out 6.
Beamer Weems led the Texas offense, going 2-4 with a run and an RBI. Zac Fisher was 3-4 with a run and 2-RBI for Wichita.
These two teams will continue their three-game series tomorrow. Danny Gutierrez (0-0, 0.00) makes his second start for Wichita. He will be opposed by Leuris Gomez (4-3, 4.65). First pitch is 7:05.
By Robert Pannier
