Wingnuts Win Well-Pitched Contest

Photo Credit: Jancy Ireland Photography 

LAREDO, TX- The Wichita Wingnuts (38-29) defeated the Laredo Lemurs (31-34) 3-2 at Uni-Trade Stadium on Saturday night.

Postgame Comments From Kevin Hooper and Anthony Capra

Anthony Capra fired six strong innings to earn his first win as a member of the Wingnuts, while Nick Walters threw two shutout innings to record a six-out save.

Trailing 2-1 in the top of the sixth, Wilberto Ortiz reached first on an error by Lemurs' third baseman Anthony Scelfo.  Two batters later, Mark Wagner lined a two-out, two-run homer just over the left field fence to give the Wingnuts a 3-2 lead.

Capra kept Wichita in front through the bottom of the inning before turning the ball over to James Baker in the seventh.  After Baker worked a perfect frame, Walters faced the minimum over the final two innings to earn his second save of the year.  Walters ended the game on a groundball double play to shortstop by Steve Pearson.

Capra allowed two runs, one earned, on six hits in the win.  Capra struck out six and walked two.

Wichita took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second.  David Peralta doubled to left-center field with one out.  Two batters later, Jared McDonald triped to deep left-center to drive in Peralta.

Laredo scratched out two runs in the bottom of the fourth to take their only lead.  With two outs and no one on base, Pearson reached first on an infield single and advanced to second on a throwing error by Ortiz at second.  Brian Peterson reached on an infield single to the left of the mound resulting in a throwing error by Capra that scored Pearson with the tying run.  Scelfo doubled home Peterson from first base with a line drive to left-center to make it 2-1 Lemurs.

Mark Haynes started for Laredo and took the loss, allowing three runs, one earned, on three hits in seven and one-third innings.  Haynes walked three and struck out six.

Ortiz was signed before Saturday's game and is in his seventh year of professional baseball.  The right-handed hitting Ortiz has a lifetime .264 average with 109 doubles, 18 home runs, and 220 RBI.  Ortiz appeared in 29 games this season for the Atlantic League's Long Island Ducks, and collected 14 RBI.  The 27-year-old Ortiz has three years of experience at the Double-A level and reached Triple-A last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers' organization.

The series concludes on Sunday night at 7:30 p.m.  Derek Blacksher faces left-hander Matthew Way.  All the action can be heard locally on Oldies 92.7 KWME and worldwide at www.pressboxproductionsradio.com following the completion of the feature broadcast of the 78th annual NBC World Series.

The Wingnuts return home on Monday, August 13th.  Individual tickets can be purchased by calling (316) 755-SEAT, or by visiting www.selectaseat.com

For season tickets, group outings, and party packages, call the Wingnuts' main office at (316) 264-NUTS, or visit the Wingnuts' official website at www.wichitawingnuts.com

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