The Wingnuts scored four times in the bottom of the fifth to get within three runs. David Peralta led off with a groundball single to right and scored on Taylor Freeman's double to left-center. A pair of hit batsmen helped the Wingnuts load the bases for John Rodriguez, who lined a single to center that scored Freeman and Ryan Khoury. Juan Richardson followed Rodriguez with a broken bat single to center to cut the Explorers' lead to 7-4.
Sioux City came right back with five in the top of the sixth. With second and third and two outs, Sanchez looped a single to right field that opened a 9-4 advantage. Serrano then hit a two-run home run to left field. Adrian Martinez added an RBI single later in the inning to make it 12-4.
Sioux City scored its final run in the seventh on a two-out, RBI double to right-center from Sanchez.
The Wingnuts rallied for four runs again in the ninth. Rodriguez doubled home Jake Kahaulelio from first base and scored two batters later on Steve Carrillo's two-out, infield single. Ziegler lined a two-run homer off the batter's eye in center field to pull Wichita within five runs before Sioux City reliever Eddie Delacruz recorded the final out.
Derek Blacksher took the loss for the Wingnuts, allowing 12 runs, nine earned, on 13 hits in five and two-thirds innings. Blacksher walked two and struck out five. It was Blacksher's first loss at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in 12 career decisions.
Nick Schumacher earned the win for Sioux City. Schumacher allowed four earned runs on six hits in seven innings. Schumacher walked none and struck out two.
Jeff Nadeau pitched two scoreless relief innings for the Wingnuts. Ziegler extended his hitting streak to 14 games with an eighth-inning single. Ryan Khoury was hit by a pitch in the third and has reached base in 14 consecutive games.
Rookie catcher Kevin Whitehead made his professional debut in the top of the eighth when he replaced Freeman on defense. Whitehead then walked in his first career plate appearance in the bottom of the inning.
Whitehead was signed prior to Wednesday's game. The left-handed batting catcher recently finished a four-year career at Texas Tech University.
The Wingnuts open a six-game road trip Friday night in Kansas City. First pitch at Community America Ballpark is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Ryan Hinson takes the mound for the Wingnuts. All the action can be heard locally on Oldies 92.7 KWME and worldwide at www.kleyam.com
Wichita returns home on Friday, June 15th when they host the Kansas City T-Bones at 7:05 p.m.
