Wingnuts

Wichita Wingnuts' right-handed pitcher James Hoyt and outfielder David Peralta have been named to Baseball America's 2012 Independent Leagues Top-20 Prospects list. The list encompasses the top prospects across each independent league in North America. Hoyt ranked ninth on the list after posting a 2.61 ERA for the Wingnuts with 15 strikeouts against only five walks in 10.1 innings pitched.  The 26-year-old Hoyt also made 11 appearances for the Mexican League's Tabasco Olmecas, striking out 20 batters in just 13.1 innings with a 2.02 ERA.  The Boise, ID native has averaged 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings over the first two years of his professional career.  Hoyt pitched to a 1.04 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 17.1 innings for the North American League's Edinburg Roadrunners prior to being traded to the Wingnuts in late-June.

The Winnigpeg Goldeyes scored 5 runs in the second inning and put the game away with three runs in the 7th to beat Wichita 8-3. That win sealed a championship for the Goldeyes in the American Association. The second inning was a nightmare for Wingnuts' starter Derek Blacksher who gave up two earned runs and had two errors from his defense allow three more runs to cross the plate.  Blacksher would last 5 and a third innings giving up 9 hits, 2 earned runs and striking out four batters.

The Wichita Wingnuts lost 7-3 to the Winnipeg Goldeyes in Game Two of the American Association Championship Series at Shaw Park on Wednesday night. Wichita trails the best-of-five series 2-0. Amos Ramon cracked a two-out, three-run homer off of Ryan Hinson in the bottom of the sixth inning to give Winnipeg a 5-3 lead. Six of the Goldeyes' seven runs scored on two outs. Josh Mazzola lined a single to left leading off the bottom of the sixth and advanced to second two batters later when Michael Coles was hit by a pitch.

The Wichita Wingnuts defeated the Laredo Lemurs 8-2 in Game Three of the American Association Division Series at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium on Friday night. The Wingnuts sweep the best-of-five series 3-0 and advance to the American Association Championship Series against the Winnipeg Goldeyes beginning Tuesday night at Shaw Park.  It is the Wingnuts' first postseason series win in franchise history. Wichita scored four runs in the bottom of the third to overcome an early 1-0 deficit.  Steve Stanley drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a single to center from Ryan Khoury.  Jake Kahaulelio followed with a soft groundball to third base.  Khoury beat John Allen's force attempt at second while Kahaulelio beat Anthony Scelfo's relay to first to load the bases with no outs.  John Rodriguez drove in the tying run with a groundball to first base.  Javier Brito gloved the ball and threw home for the force, but Stanley slid in just safe with the tying run.  C.J. Ziegler drew a bases loaded walk to give Wichita a 2-1 lead.  Two batters later, David Peralta grounded a single through the right side that made it 4-1. After working out of a first-inning jam, Derek Blacksher took control of the game through the middle innings.  Blacksher retired the leadoff hitter from the second through the seventh, and had a stretch of nine consecutive batters retired in a row.  Blacksher allowed two earned runs on seven hits to earn the win.  Blacksher...

Starter Ryan Hinson gave up just one run over 6 and two-thirds innings while John Rodriguez went 3-4 with 4 RBI, leading the Wingnuts to a 9-5 victory over Laredo on Thursday night. The win is the second victory for the 'Nuts in the best of five series against the Lemurs.  Wichita has a chance to clinch the series on Friday night at home.

The Wichita Wingnuts defeated the Laredo Lemurs 6-0 in Game One of the American Association Division Series at Uni-Trade Stadium on Wednesday night. Wichita leads the best-of-five series 1-0. Josh Lowey improved to 5-1 lifetime in the postseason with seven shutout innings to earn the win.  Lowey scattered four hits, walked two, and struck out four.  Lowey is now 5-1 with a 2.88 ERA in nine career playoff starts. Lowey worked out of the only jam he faced in the bottom of the second.  With the bases loaded and two outs, Anthony Scelfo drilled a deep flyball to right-center field that was caught by a sprinting David Peralta.  Following the threat, Lowey retired 16 of the final batters to face him through the end of the seventh.

The Wichita Wingnuts (59-41) defeated the St. Paul Saints (52-48) 10-4 in their regular season finale at Midway Stadium on Monday afternoon. It was Wichita's 59th win of the season, setting a new franchise record. Second baseman Jake Kahaulelio went 2 for 5 in the win to seal the Wingnuts' third batting title over their first five years.  Kahaulelio finished at .372 (89 for 239), eight percentage points in front of Grand Prairie's Brian Myrow (115 for 316, .364). The Wingnuts overcame an early 3-0 deficit in the win.  In the top of the second, Wichita loaded the bases with no outs and scratched out their first run when Jessie Mier was hit by a pitch.  Two batters later, Steve Stanley lined a single to left field that scored the tying runs.

The Wichita Wingnuts (56-39) defeated the El Paso Diablos (44-50) 5-4 at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium on Tuesday night. The Wingnuts won their fourth consecutive game in their final turn at bat, scoring the winning run in the bottom of the ninth.  Tied at 4-4, Jared McDonald led off with a single and took second on Mason Morioka's sacrifice bunt.  After Steve Stanley was intentionally walked, a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third. ...

The Wichita Wingnuts defeated the El Paso Diablos 1-0 in the game one of their double header on Monday night to clinch the American Association Central Division.   Steve Stanley drove in the game-winning run with a two-out, RBI single to center in the bottom of the seventh.   Josh Lowey earned the win with a complete game, two-hit shutout. The win was Lowey's 15th of the season to set an American Association single-season record. It was also Lowey's first career regular season complete game.

The Wichita Wingnuts (52-38) beat the Gary SouthShore RailCats (45-46) 6-4 at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium on Friday night. Tied at 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh, the Wingnuts rallied for three runs to take the lead. Ryan Khoury was hit by a pitch leading off and stole second base. RailCats' reliever Andrew Johnston retired Jake Kahaulelio and John Rodriguez, with a wild pitch during Rodriguez's at bat moving Khoury to third base. With two outs, C.J. Ziegler lined a two-run homer to left on a full count to make it 5-3. Greg Porter followed with an infield single.