Jordan Cooper Runs Scoreless Streak to 20, Wingnuts Win 13-0
Jordan Cooper took the hill for the Wichita Wingnuts for the third time this season, producing the exact same result that had been seen in his prior two outings. This time he blanked the Salina Stockade over seven innings, and his offense provided double-digits in runs as Wichita won, 13-0. Every hitter in the Wingnuts lineup had at least one hit and Brent Clevlen and Brennen Salgado each had their first home run of the season in the victory.
For the first two innings of the game, Joe Robinson and Jordan Cooper kept this a scoreless affair. However, in the bottom of the third Wichita took the lead. Harrison Kain started out the inning with a walk, and Clevlen drew the free pass two batters later. T.J. Mittelstaedt followed with a base hit to center that scored Kain, and both runners came home when Salgado hit his first homer of the season to make the score 4-0. Martin Medina walked before Richard Prigatano doubled into center field. A wild pitch brought both runners home to make it 6-0.
In the bottom of the fifth, Wichita extended that lead to nine. Joe Lewis relieved and was greeted by a base hit by Salgado. Medina and Prigatano followed with back-to-back walks to load the bases and there was still no one out. Leo Vargas then ripped a single in the left field that scored Salgado, and Medina scored on a fielder’s choice by Kain. A ground out by Christian Stringer plated Prigatano to make the score 9-0.
In the bottom of the sixth, Matt Chavez doubled with one out and he scored on a double by Prigatano. Two more runs came home in the bottom of the seventh. Stringer singled with one out, and Clevlan followed by ripping a 2-0 pitch over the left field wall for his first home run of the year. The Wingnuts added one final run in the bottom of the eighth when Vargas grounded out, scoring Medina who had doubled earlier in the inning.
While the offense was having a big night, the big story was Jordan Cooper (2-0). The right-hander was in complete command of this game from the very start. He retired the first six batters of the game, finally seeing that come to an end when Steven Taft singled to lead off the third. Roche Woodard singled to batters later to put runners at first and second with just one out, but Cooper induced a double-play to end the threat.
The Stockade had a prime opportunity to get back into the game in the top of the fifth when they loaded the bases on two singles and hit by pitch but, once again, Cooper remained cool and got a ground out to end the threat. Two runners would reach in the sixth as well, the first on an error in the second on a single with one out, but he then struck out Brad Cuyos before getting Taft to ground out to end another inning.
Cooper went 7-innings, allowing 6-hits while striking out 5. This season he has gone 20-innings without allowing a run, and has only allowed 12-hits. Jared Wilson relieved in the eighth and pitched two perfect innings to finish out the ballgame.
Brennen Salgado finished the evening 2-5 with 2-runs, a homer, and 3-RBI. Martin Medina walked three times and scored 3-runs. Both Leo Vargas and Brent Clevlen drove home two. The Stockade losing streak moved to 12.
The Wichita Wingnuts head to Fargo to take on the RedHawks on Friday evening. Tyler Kane (1-1, 6.75) heads to the hill for Wichita. He will be opposed by Dylan Mouzakes (2-0, 0.75). First pitch is at 7:05.
By Robert Pannier
