Wingnuts Fall to Explorers

WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Wingnuts lost 5-3 to the Sioux City Explorers at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium on Sunday evening.

Kent Sakamoto hit a two-run, game-tying home run in the top of the seventh off of Nick Singleton to knot the game at 2-2.  The Explorers went on to score three times in the top of the eighth to take the lead.

Dustin Jones doubled to deep left-center leading off the eighth and beat relief pitcher Brandon Mathes's throw to third on Darrick Hale's bunt attempt.  Jones then beat Josh Horn's throw to the plate to give Sioux City the lead on T.J. Bohn's groundball to shortstop.  Two batters later, Ray Serrano hit a two-run double to left field to give the X's a 5-2 advantage.

Ryan Patterson hit a line drive home run to left in the eighth to cut the X's lead to 5-3 for the Wingnuts' final run of the game.

The Wingnuts took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth on a two-out, RBI single by Steve Pearson.  Patterson doubled home Eric Williams from first base in the bottom of the fifth to make it 2-0.

Singleton cruised through the first six innings, allowing just two hits and striking out four.  Singleton finished the night with six strikeouts and allowing just the two earned runs in seven innings of work.

Mikael Ryder earned the win, allowing three earned runs in 7.1 IP.  Brett Reid pitched a scoreless ninth for the save.

The Wingnuts have Monday off and then open a three-game series against the Fort Worth Cats on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.  Adam Cowart is scheduled to pitch for Wichita.  For tickets, call the Wingnuts' office at (316) 264-NUTS.

-Wingnuts-