Wichita’s Four Homers Not Enough Offense Against Springfield
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.—The Wichita Wind Surge connected on four solo home runs in a 6-4 loss to the Springfield Cardinals at Hammons Field. The defeat pushes the Wind Surge to 5-11 in two-run games this season. Luke Keaschall opened Thursday’s game the same way that he did two nights ago in
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.—The Wichita Wind Surge connected on four solo home runs in a 6-4 loss to the Springfield Cardinals at Hammons Field. The defeat pushes the Wind Surge to 5-11 in two-run games this season.
Luke Keaschall opened Thursday’s game the same way that he did two nights ago in Tuesday’s series opener, with a solo home run. The former Sun Devil sent his fourth Double-A long ball and ninth leadoff round-tripper this season out to the berm in left-center on the sixth pitch of the night in the top of the first. For Wichita, that’s now six leadoff homers this season, with Keaschall responsible for each of the last three; Emmanuel Rodriguez (2) and Kala’i Rosario (1) are the other two players who have accomplished the feat.
He's Leading Off, You Know The Drill!
— Wichita Wind Surge (@WindSurgeICT) July 12, 2024
Luke Keaschall leaves the yard toward the left-center berm for his second leadoff homer of the week.
T1
Wind Surge: 1
Cardinals: 0 pic.twitter.com/dqW9Nz5D6o
Bryan Torres reached on an error to begin the home half of the first, advanced from first to third on a Matt Lloyd single, then tied the game on a Jimmy Crooks infield single. Wind Surge starter Travis Adams would leave runners stranded at second and third after forcing Nathan Church to pop out to Jorel Ortega.
Tanner Schobel seemed to agree with Keaschall’s use of the long ball this week, so he left the yard himself on another solo blast for his third of the season and a 2-1 Wichita advantage. Ortega said three could play that game and demolished his sixth home run of the season, a third solo shot, to deep left field in the third to make the score 3-1 Wind Surge through two and a half frames.
Jorel's Sixth Is Our Third!
— Wichita Wind Surge (@WindSurgeICT) July 12, 2024
Jorel Ortega demolishes the third Wind Surge solo shot of the night for his sixth homer of the season.
E3
Wind Surge: 3
Cardinals: 1 pic.twitter.com/Q3jsri6bzf
Matt Lloyd laced a sacrifice fly to left field in the bottom of the fifth, allowing the Cardinals to get within one run before Mike Antico sent a two-out, two-run dinger, his seventh of the year, the opposite way over the left field wall. Springfield jumped ahead 4-3 and forced Wichita to go to their bullpen to record the inning’s last out.
Schobel tied the game on his second bomb of the night and fourth of the year, a solo swat that he yanked to left in the top of the seventh. Lloyd responded with an RBI double that bounced around the wall in the left-center alley to regain the lead for the Cardinals at 5-4. Nathan Church would single in Lloyd to make the score 6-4 Cardinals after seven.
Tyler Dearden collected his first extra-base hit in his Wind Surge debut on a bloop double down the left field line before the following two batters went down on a flyout and an infield groundout to end the night.
Scott Engler received his first loss in a Wind Surge uniform and now stands at 4-1 on the season. He surrendered two earned runs on two hits and two walks with a punchout in one and one-third innings pitched.
The Wind Surge continue their final series before the All-Star Break at Springfield tomorrow, Friday, July 12, at Hammons Stadium, with a 7:05 PM first pitch. 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.