Delgado Powers Wingnuts in Second Straight

WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Wingnuts beat the St. Paul Saints 9-2 at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium on Saturday night.

Adam Cowart worked seven strong innings to earn his third win of the year, while Mario Delgado hit a pair of opposite field home runs to power a Wingnuts offense that scored in each of their first five at bats.

Josh Horn singled through the right side leading off the bottom of the first and advanced to second when Ryan Patterson singled through the left.  Horn and Patterson executed a double steal and both scored on Jackson Melian's line drive double to left.

Steve Pearson and Michael Thompson opened the second with back-to-back singles.  Newly signed second baseman Rene Ruiz sacrificed them to second and third.  Josh Horn followed with a sacrifice fly to center that brought in Pearson to give the Wingnuts a 3-0 lead.  Ryan Patterson was next and delivered a two-out, RBI single to short left to make it 4-0.

Jackson Melian led off the third with a single and came around on a two-run home run to left-center from Mario Delgado.  Jeff Christy walked and moved to second two batters later on a single to left by Thompson.  Ruiz lined a single to center to score Christy and open a 7-0 lead.

St. Paul finally got on the board in the top of the fourth on a solo home run by Gerard Haran.  The Wingnuts got the run back in the bottom half when Delgado slugged his second home run of the night, this one to left field.

Singles from Ruiz and Horn in the fifth set up an RBI single through the right side by Jorge Cortes to extend the lead to 9-1.  St. Paul added a run in the sixth on an RBI double by Jason Cooper.

Adam Cowart allowed two earned runs on seven hits in the win, striking out four and walking three.  Saints' starter Ashton Dorris, making his professional debut, allowed seven earned runs on 10 hits in three innings of work and took the loss.  Nick Singleton made his first relief appearance since July 28, 2008, when he worked against the Wingnuts while pitching for Sioux City, and pitched two scoreless innings to finish the game, striking out five.  Ruiz went 3 for 3 with an RBI and run scored in his Wingnuts' debut.

The Wingnuts finish the first half tomorrow night at St. Paul sending Gabe Medina to the mound against right-hander Zach Peterson at 7:05 p.m.  All the action can be heard locally on Oldies 93.5 KWME and worldwide at www.kleyam.com  The Wingnuts return home on Friday, July 9th when they host the Grand Prairie AirHogs.  For tickets, call the Wingnuts' office at (316) 264-NUTS.

-Wingnuts-