Wichita Outlasted In First Extra Innings Contest In Second Half By Northwest Arkansas
WICHITA, Kan.—The Wichita Wind Surge lost 7-2 in 10 innings to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals at Riverfront Stadium. Throughout the night, which included Wichita donning the black Tumba Vacas jerseys, the home team went a collective 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position while leaving 14 men on base. Ben Ross
WICHITA, Kan.—The Wichita Wind Surge lost 7-2 in 10 innings to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals at Riverfront Stadium. Throughout the night, which included Wichita donning the black Tumba Vacas jerseys, the home team went a collective 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position while leaving 14 men on base.
Ben Ross pushed a sacrifice fly to center in the bottom of the third to bring in Noah Cardenas from third for the game’s first run. Javier Vaz responded with a solo home run, his fifth of the season, to the Naturals bullpen in right field to knot the game up at 1-1 in the opening half of the fourth.
Josh Lester singled by a diving Jake Rucker toward right field, and Tyler Tolbert scored in the top of the sixth to put Northwest Arkansas ahead 2-1. Ross responded right back after the stretch in the last of the seventh with a solo shot, his fifth of the season, to the left-center berm to even the contest once again. After the home run, the Wind Surge would strand the bases loaded to end both the seventh and eighth innings while striking out in order in the ninth, which pushed the game to extra innings.
Leonel Valera entered the game as the free runner at second in the top of the tenth, was awarded third after interference on a pickoff attempt, and then scored on a single up the middle by Diego Hernandez. Javier Vaz singled Hernandez home for another score, and then Tyler Tolbert doubled in two more runs to the left-center alley. Tolbert later came in for the Naturals after a fielder’s choice and an infield throwing error. Dalton Shuffield later walked and stole second before two straight strikeouts ended the game.
Jared Solomon is 2-4 on the season after the loss, surrendering five runs (three earned) on four hits and a walk besides three strikeouts in one and one-thirds innings pitched.
The Wind Surge continue the series at Riverfront Stadium against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Friday, June 28, with a 7:05 PM first pitch on Fireworks Friday. You can listen to Wind Surge games on ESPN Wichita 92.3 FM, windsurge.com, or watch them online at MiLB.TV and Bally Live. For ticket information, please visit windsurge.com.