Balazovic's 11 Strikeouts Leads Surge to 9-0 Victory
Tulsa 0 Wichita 9 WICHITA, KS– The Wind Surge picked up an impressive 9-0 victory behind a stellar pitching performance by Jordan Balazovic in game three of this six game set against the Drillers. Despite an hour and a half rain delay, the Wind Surge did not let it affect
Tulsa 0
Wichita 9
WICHITA, KS– The Wind Surge picked up an impressive 9-0 victory behind a stellar pitching performance by Jordan Balazovic in game three of this six game set against the Drillers.
Despite an hour and a half rain delay, the Wind Surge did not let it affect them as they got off to a hot start. Aaron Whitefield led off the first inning with a single to left field. After Ernie De La Trinidad was hit by pitch to get on base and move Whitefield to second, Roy Morales put the Wind Surge on the board in just three plate appearances. Morales singled on a bloop fly ball to right field that landed between the first baseman and the right fielder to allow Whitefield to slide in safely at home and give Wichita the early lead.
Time of rain delay - long
— Wichita Wind Surge (@WindSurgeICT) July 16, 2021
Time it took Wind Surge to score - fast@roy_morales25 pic.twitter.com/oQyL6kYkXy
The Surge added two more to their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. With the bases loaded and no one out, Jermaine Palacios picked up his 29th RBI of the year on a sacrifice fly to center field allowing Spencer Steer to tag and score easily. After Wilbis Santiago reloaded the bases by reaching on a fielder’s choice, Aaron Whitefield grounded out to shortstop but drove in Andrew Bechtold to put Wichita ahead 3-0.
Spencer Steer added a little insurance in the bottom of the seventh with a two-run shot to left field. After a rough start to the home stand at the plate for Steer, he blasted his fourth home run to add to the Wind Surge lead and put some confidence back in his swing.
.@spenc__er adds a little insurance! pic.twitter.com/iR3oYMnMCq
— Wichita Wind Surge (@WindSurgeICT) July 16, 2021
Despite a comfortable 5-0 lead, the Wind Surge continued to pour it on in the bottom of the eighth inning. With two on, Aaron Whitefield scorched a ground ball all the way to the left corner for a two-RBI triple. Ernie De La Trinidad added the finishing touches in the next at-bat with a two-run home run over the right field wall. De La Trinidad’s sixth shot of the season capped a four-run inning and a 9-0 victory for the Wind Surge.
About that weight room thing...😳@ErnieDLT25 pic.twitter.com/Mm87zpK3Se
— Wichita Wind Surge (@WindSurgeICT) July 16, 2021
Jordan Balazovic had a record-setting night on the mound. Balazovic tossed seven scoreless innings and gave up only one hit. He also punched out 11 Driller batters to set the record for most strikeouts in a game by a Wind Surge pitcher this season. Ryan Mason and Adam Lau finished out the final two innings allowing just one more hit.
NOTES: Balazovic’s 11 strikeouts set an individual record for most by a Wind Surge player this season. Balazovic’s seven innings is tied for the longest outing by a Surge starter this year (7.0, Josh Winder, 6/23 at Midland). Balazovic has also not allowed a run in his last 18.2 innings pitched. The shutout for Wichita is their sixth of the season.
COMING UP: Wichita will play game four against the Tulsa Drillers tomorrow evening (7/16). First pitch is set for 7:05 pm from Riverfront Stadium. Wichita will start LHP Bryan Sammons (0-3, 6.19 ERA) against Tulsa’s RHP Andre Jackson (2-2, 2.78 ERA). RADIO/TV: KGSO 1410 AM and 93.9 FM, MiLB.TV and Windsurge.com.