Controversial Ninth Beats Wingnuts

WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Wingnuts lost 10-4 to the Fort Worth Cats at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium on Tuesday night.

Trailing 5-4 in the top of the ninth, the Cats broke the game open with five runs, all scored with two outs.  With the bases loaded, Nick McCoola hit a ground ball up the first base line that umpire Todd Waters ruled fair before it rolled into foul territory for a three-run triple.

Kevin Hooper came onto the field and was forced by Waters to make a pitching change, despite his intentions to argue the decision on the triple.  Brandon Mathes, who had not been warming up, came in for Cephas Howard and allowed two more runs on a wild pitch and a single from Brian Fryer.

The Wingnuts battled back three times to make it a one-run game.  Down 2-0 in the third, Mario Delgado drove in a run with an RBI groundout that scored Ryan Patterson.

With the Cats leading 4-1 in the fifth, Steve Pearson also plated a run with an RBI groundout to cut the lead to 4-2.  Eric Williams hit a two-out, RBI double to left-center to pull Wichita within one.

The Cats scored a run on a stolen base and throwing error by Jeff Christy in the top of the eighth, but Michael Thompson hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom half to cut the score to 5-4 before the Cats ninth-inning rally.

Adam Cowart battled through six innings, allowing four runs, two earned, on 11 hits.  Cowart threw 111 pitches, striking out four and walking none.  Dwayne Pollok earned the win, allowing three earned runs in 6.2 IP.  The Wingnuts committed a season-high four errors, leading to three unearned runs.  Josh Horn had three base hits for the Wingnuts.

The Wingnuts and Cats continue their series on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m.  Gabe Medina takes the mound against Cats' righty Jason Fernandez.  For tickets, call the Wingnuts' office at (316) 264-NUTS.

-Wingnuts-