In a game between two teams that will face each other next week again in the first round of the American Association playoffs, the Wichita Wingnuts proved the old adage that three’s a charm. Not only is the team going for the league championship for their third straight year, but on this night the team used three big three-run innings to down the Laredo Lemurs and establish that they are the true kings of the division. The victory was also the Wingnuts 70th of the season, making them the first team in league history to win that many games.

Laredo got on the board first when Nick Van Stratten led off the game with a walk, stole second, advanced to third on a ground out, and scored on another ground out to make it 1-0. It is the kind of manufacturing genius that has made Van Stratten one of the most dangerous lead-off hitters in the league.

Tyler Pearson held the Wingnuts bats in check for the first three innings of the game, but in the fourth inning the Wingnuts started a run of scoring in three straight innings. In the bottom of the fourth Abel Nieves walked with one out and moved to second one out later on a single by Brent Dean. Chris McClendon and Ryan Khoury followed with back-to-back walks, with Khoury’s forcing Nieves home to tie the score. Jake Luce then hit a towering pop-up that should have ended the inning for Pearson, but second baseman Kyle Brandenburg misplayed the ball for an error and two more runs scored. The Wingnuts gained the 3-1 lead, on a hit and three walks in the inning.

In the fifth Wichita would plate three more. Brent Clevlen returned to the lineup and walked to lead-off the inning. Victor Diaz was then given the free pass to bring up Nieves, who promptly doubled into center field to score Clevlen and increase the lead to 4-1. Carlo Testa then walked to load the bases, and it looked like Pearson was staring a really big inning in the face, however he caught a big break. Dean hit a fly ball to center that was caught by Van Stratten. Diaz tagged and attempted to score but the center fielder’s throw to the plate was perfect to gun down Diaz and record the double-play. Pearson looked like he might get out of the inning, but a passed ball and a single by Chris McClendon scored two more to increase the lead to 6-1, and the  starter’s night was over.

In the sixth the Lemurs mounted a little rally of their own. Van Stratten reached on an error to start the inning, and one out later Travis Denker walked. That brought John Alonso to the plate who hit his 16th home run of the year to cut the deficit to just two. The home run knocked Wingnuts starter Jason Van Skike from the game.

In the bottom half of the inning Victor Diaz singled home David Espinosa to increase the lead back to three. Diaz finished with three RBI on the night, giving him 10 in 10 games since joining the team.

The score remained 7-4 until the eighth when the Lemurs allowed infielder Devin Goodwin to pitch. He allowed three of the four batters he faced to reach, and was relieved after recording just one out. Diaz had the big hit of the inning, a single that scored two, and Taylor Oldham added a sacrifice fly to make the lead 10-4.

Laredo added one more run in the ninth on back-to-back doubles to give the final score of 10-5. Van Stratten was the big hitter for the Lemurs, going 2-4 with three runs scored. Pearson (7-8) took the loss, struggling with his control. He walked 10 in five innings, and got very little help from his defense on this night.

Van Skike was the winner, moving to 12-5 on the year. He is tied for the American Association lead in wins. He is also a very impressive 8-0 at home this season, and will start Game 1 of the playoffs.

For the 70th time this season the Wichita Wingnuts found a way to win, and this time they did it behind a whole series of threes. They had three innings where they scored three runs and their run of scoring in three straight innings helped to propel them to victory.

The two teams will face-off again tomorrow. Anthony Capra (6-2) goes for Wichita against Michael Suk (5-1).

By Robert Pannier
Senior Baseball Editor
Member of the IBWAA