Week 13 - Split Propellor Series Preview
SERIES INFO The Propeller Series resumes in the second half between the Wichita Wind Surge (2-4, 33-42) and the Tulsa Drillers (4-2, 38-37) across Riverfront Stadium and ONEOK Field to kickstart July. The current season series is even at 6-6, with both teams splitting the two first-half series in the
SERIES INFO
The Propeller Series resumes in the second half between the Wichita Wind Surge (2-4, 33-42) and the Tulsa Drillers (4-2, 38-37) across Riverfront Stadium and ONEOK Field to kickstart July. The current season series is even at 6-6, with both teams splitting the two first-half series in the Air and Oil Capitals of the World.
SCHEDULE
Monday, July 1, 7:05 PM, Riverfront Stadium, Midsummer Monday:
LHP Aaron Rozek (3-3, 1.89 ERA) vs. RHP Hyun-il Choi (3-5, 5.18 ERA)
Wichita aims to carry momentum from their series finale win over Northwest Arkansas yesterday as Aaron Rozek makes his third start with the Wind Surge this season.
Come by the ballpark for a special Monday night game to enjoy $5 Berm Tickets and $3 Select Beers!
Tuesday, July 2, 7:05 PM, Riverfront Stadium, Tumba Vacas de Wichita, Two For Tuesday:
RHP Andrew Morris (3-1, 1.49 ERA) vs. RHP Jerming Rosario (1-0, 2.45 ERA)
Andrew Morris and the Wichita Wind Surge become the Tumba Vacas de Wichita for their final time before the All-Star Break. Come down to the ballpark for all of the festivities and cultural activities!
Show your Dillons Shopper Card or Dillons App at the Wind Surge Box Office to get two tickets for the price of one every Tuesday home game!
Wednesday, July 3, 6:35 PM, Riverfront Stadium, Independence Day Celebration:
RHP Zebby Matthews (2-1, 1.75 ERA) vs. RHP Chris Campos (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Independence Weekend kicks off in the ICT with Zebby Matthews taking the hill for the Wind Surge against Tulsa, the same team against which Matthews earned his first Double-A win this past May. After the game ends, a post-game fireworks show follows against the pitch-black Wichita sky.
Groups of 20 fans or more will receive 50% off ticket purchases, and you can enjoy a $6 5oz pour of select wines!
Thursday, July 4, 7:00 PM, ONEOK Field:
LHP Jaylen Nowlin (4-4, 4.35 ERA) vs. TBA
The series shifts to Tulsa, and Jaylen Nowlin gets the nod on the mound for Independence Day Baseball.
Friday, July 5, 7:00 PM, ONEOK Field:
RHP Marco Raya (0-1, 4.75 ERA) vs. TBA
Marco Raya continues his typical Friday night starting schedule as the split series winds down.
Saturday, July 6, 7:00 PM, ONEOK Field:
RHP Cory Lewis (0-1, 2.61 ERA) vs. TBA
Knuckleballer Cory Lewis will finish off his first month in Double-A with a sub-3 ERA at 2.61 across 10.2 innings in the series finale under the lights.
WIND SURGE STORYLINES
HOW DID JUNE FINISH?: After a 7-3 series finale victory over Northwest Arkansas yesterday, Wichita went 14-13 in June, marking the first month of the 2024 season in which the team finishes with an above-.500 record. Aaron Sabato led the Texas League with seven home runs in 23 games last month, alternating as a DH and the primary Wind Surge first baseman. Kyler Fedko, Jeferson Morales, and Jake Rucker all hit at the .300 level or above (minimum 50 at-bats), with Morales leading the qualified hitters on the team with a .306 batting clip at the plate. On the mound, Andrew Morris went a perfect 3-0 with a 1.01 ERA in 26.2 innings pitched across five appearances (four starts) while tying for the June staff lead in strikeouts with fellow starter Travis Adams at 27.
THEY WON’T COME OFTEN: July is a strange month for the MiLB season and the Wind Surge, who will only play eight games at Riverfront Stadium of the 23 scheduled contests. After splitting this current series with the Drillers, who host the latter three of the series from July 4-6, Wichita won’t play in their home ballpark until after the All-Star Break as a trip to Hammons Stadium with the Springfield Cardinals starts up next week. They’ll host Frisco for a weekend three-game set after the break before playing their lone six this season against the Amarillo Sod Poodles at HODGETOWN in the Texas Panhandle. The Wind Surge play their final two of eight at Riverfront in July on the 30th and 31st of the month in their final series with NorthWest Arkansas, which carries over into August.
MONDAY, MONDAY: The upcoming series with Tulsa also marks the first of two times this season where the Wichita Wind Surge plays on Monday, typically a designated off-day on the schedule. After July 1, the series opener against the Drillers, Wichita won’t play on Monday again until the regular season's penultimate week on Labor Day, September 2, against the Frisco RoughRiders at Riders Field. The game will become the first time in team history that the Wind Surge will play on Labor Day, and unlike this week against Tulsa, the following day will be an off day on the schedule for everyone to recharge ahead of the rest of the series.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
SOLID SECOND HALF START: Tulsa took four of six last week at ONEOK Field against the Amarillo Sod Poodles, where they finished the season series with the Soddies with a 7-5 advantage. A pair of those wins on Wednesday and Saturday saw the team scoring 16 and 10 runs, respectively, while their other two came by slim one-run margins, showing that the Drillers can survive in both blowout and close game situations. Their losses came by margins of three or more runs.
WE GOT SPEEDY ON DA TRACK: Drillers middle infielder Taylor Young leads the Texas League with 27 stolen bases, one away from reaching the halfway mark to his total of 56 last season at High-A in the Midwest League with the Great Lakes Loons. In 11 games played against the Wind Surge this season in the Propellor Series, he is a perfect 9-for-9, tied for his most converted steals against a team (Northwest Arkansas, 9-for-11), and the highest steal tally against a team that has yet to get him out on the basepaths this season.
LUCKY 13: Looking at current active streaks, Tulsa utility man Brendon Davis has reached base in 13 straight games in the final two weeks of June. In that stretch, he’s slashing .283/.389/.522 with eight walks and 13 base knocks, with three multi-hit contests. He’s two games away from tying teammates Taylor Young and Alex Freeland for the third-longest on-base streak by a Driller in 2024.
BROADCAST
You can listen to Wind Surge games with Tim Grubbs on the call on ESPN Wichita 92.3 FM and windsurge.com, or watch them online at MiLB.TV and Bally Live.