Sioux City

The Wichita Wingnuts, in conjunction with the American Association, announced a plan for realignment in 2011. The most significant change will be the addition of four new franchises.  The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, Gary SouthShore RailCats, Kansas City T-Bones, and Winnipeg Goldeyes (all formerly of the Northern League) join the existing 10 American Association clubs to create a 14-team league for next season.  The four new teams all have histories of at least nine years and have combined for six Northern League championships.

The Wichita Wingnuts lost 15-3 to the Sioux City Explorers at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium on Thursday afternoon. The X's used a six-run top of the fourth to break the game open in which six consecutive hitters all reached base and scored.  Jacob Cruz started the rally with a one-out single down the right field line.  Singles from Kent Sakamoto and Ray Serrano loaded the bases.  Steve Pearson hit a groundball to second that was thrown into foul territory behind home plate by Cesar Suarez allowing two runs to score.

The Wichita Wingnuts lost 8-3 to the Sioux City Explorers at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium on Wednesday night. Sioux City hit two-run home runs in consecutive innings to build a 5-1 lead that Wichita could not overcome.  The Wingnuts committed five errors and allowed four unearned runs. With the game tied 1-1, Eric Williams was hit by a pitch leading off the top of the third and scored on the next pitch when Dustin Jones hit a line drive home run to left off of Wingnuts' starter Adam Cowart.

The Wichita Wingnuts swept a double header from the Sioux City Explorers at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium on Tuesday night, winning 7-0 and 2-0. Jae Jung pitched a complete game, three-hit shutout in the opener.  Jung walked one, struck out one, and did not allow a runner past first base at any point in the game.  Sioux City also failed to have multiple runners on in any inning.  Jung had not pitched since July 23rd when he was a member of the X's.  The shutout was the fourth in the last two seasons for Jung who threw just 74 pitches in the win. The Wingnuts gave Jung plenty of support with a five-run fifth against starter Ty Marotz.

Sunday evening's game between Wichita and Sioux City has been postponed due to inclement weather and will be made up as part of a double header on Tuesday, August 17th at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. The August 17th twinbill begins at 5:05 p.m. with each game scheduled for seven innings.  The Explorers will serve as the home team in the opening game. The Wingnuts head to Lincoln for a three-game series on Monday at 7:05 p.m.

Today the Wichita Wingnuts traded outfielder Stephen Pearson to the Sioux City Explorers for right-handed pitcher Jae Jung. Pearson has been with Wichita since the team's inception in 2008.  This season Pearson is hitting .306 for the Wingnuts with 3 home-runs and 33 RBI. Jung is 5-7 this season for Sioux City with a 4.44 ERA in 13 games.  The Wingnuts are off today and continue their 13 game road trip tomorrow at Sioux City.

The American Association announced Thursday that shortstop Josh Horn and pitchers Nick Singleton and Justin Dowdy have been voted to the North Division All-Star Team. Horn enters Thursday eighth in the league in the batting race at .366 and will be the North's starting shortstop for a second straight year.  Horn has hit safely in 41 of 48 games and has not had consecutive games without a hit at any point this season.  The Shelbyville, TN native set a Wingnuts' club record in May with a 20-game hitting streak that dated back to the end of 2009.

WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Wingnuts lost 4-2 to the Sioux City Explorers at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. Dustin Jones set the tone for the game hitting a two-out, three-run home run of of Doug Hurn in the top of the first inning. The Wingnuts answered back with one run in the bottom half.  Josh Horn doubled off the glove of right fielder Jon Owings with two outs and scored on an RBI single to center by Mario Delgado. Kent Sakamoto hit a solo home run off of Hurn in the top of the fourth to extend the lead to 4-1. Explorers starter Mikael Ryder allowed just two runners past first base after Delgado's first inning single.

The Wichita Wingnuts lost 3-0 to the Sioux Falls Pheasants at Sioux Falls Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. With the game scoreless in the bottom of the sixth, the Pheasants scored three runs with two outs to take the lead.  Hunter Jobes hit a groundball off the mound that deflected towards second base and resulted in an infield hit that scored Beau Torbert from third to make it 1-0.  Two batters later, Kevin Carby doubled inside the first base bag off the glove of Mario Delgado to score Jobes.