SIOUX CITY, IA- The Wichita Wingnuts defeated the Sioux City Explorers 5-2 at Lewis and Clark Park on Saturday night.
With two runners on and two outs in the seventh inning, Greg Porter chopped a single up the middle to score Josh Horn from second base and break a 1-1 tie.
Looking for insurance, the Wingnuts rallied for a second straight night in the ninth inning after starting with two outs and no one on base. Nick Blasi worked out a walk and then stole second base, his third steal of the year. Brenan Herrera and Greg Porter followed with walks to load the bases. Dustan Mohr, who scored the Wingnuts' insurance run in the ninth inning on Friday, dropped a single just inside the right field line that scored Blasi and Herrera. Porter came around to score on a throwing error by X's outfielder Dustin Jones to make it 5-1 Wingnuts.
Wichita scored first for the second straight game when Kelly Hunt hit a sacrifice fly to right field in the top of the first, giving the Wingnuts a 1-0 lead. The Explorers drew even on Nick McCoola's RBI single to right field. Sioux City went on to load the bases, but Wingnuts' starter Brad Davis worked out of the jam without further damage.
Davis worked six strong innings, allowing one run on five hits and striking out five to earn hisfirst win of the year. Davis was helped by two phenomenal defensive plays on consecutive hitters by second baseman Josh Horn in the bottom of the fifth inning. Horn ran down a ground ball off the bat of Nick McCoola in short right field before making a spinning throw to first base for the out. Anthony Webster came up next and hit a sharp grounder up the middle that Horn ran down and picked on the back hand before making another moving throw.
Ronnie Morales and Tyler Rhoden pitched scoreless baseball in the seventh and eighth innings. Neither pitcher has allowed an earned run this season. Kelly Hunt's single in the fourth inning extended his hitting streak to seven games, and is the longest hitting streak of the year for a Wingnuts' player.
The Wingnuts finish their series tomorrow night at 6:05 p.m. Wichita sends right-hander Gabe Medina to the mound to make his third start of the year. Sioux City counters with lefty Tim Layden. All the action can be heard on Sports Radio 1410AM KGSO.
Wichita returns to Lawrence-Dumont Stadium on Tuesday night when they open a three-game series against the St. Paul Saints at 7:05 p.m. For tickets, call the Wingnuts office at (316) 264-4625.
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