Wind Surge Put Up Five Runs In The Final Three Innings To Win At Springfield
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.—The Wichita Wind Surge won for the first time this season at Hammons Stadium with a 7-3 final score over the Springfield Cardinals. Five of the seven runs came across the final three innings, with the last three being unanswered tallies over the eighth and ninth innings. After having
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.—The Wichita Wind Surge won for the first time this season at Hammons Stadium with a 7-3 final score over the Springfield Cardinals. Five of the seven runs came across the final three innings, with the last three being unanswered tallies over the eighth and ninth innings.
After having five chances at the plate with runners in scoring position and stranding as many runners over the first three innings, Jorel Ortega and Luke Keaschall brought in Tanner Schobel and Ben Ross on back-to-back RBI singles in the top of the fourth.
Two Knocks, Two Runs!
— Wichita Wind Surge (@WindSurgeICT) July 11, 2024
Jorel Ortega and Luke Keaschall bring home runs in back-to-back at-bats on singles that reach the outfield grass.
M4
Wind Surge: 2
Cardinals: 0 pic.twitter.com/yafTx8eCUH
As has become tradition in the season series, if the Wind Surge score first, the Cardinals won’t take long to answer. Matt Lloyd crushed his team-leading 13th home run, a solo shot, to deep right field to cut the deficit in half in the home half of the fourth frame. Kyle Jones retired the following two batters on a groundout and a strikeout to finish his second Double-A appearance on a strong note.
Lloyd tied the game up 2-2 after grounding out to short in the last of the sixth as Jeremy Rivas was able to score from third. Jeferson Morales doubled home Keaschall and Jake Rucker toward the left field corner to give the lead back to Wichita at 4-2 heading into the stretch.
Doubling Home Two More!
— Wichita Wind Surge (@WindSurgeICT) July 11, 2024
Jeferson Morales keeps his 17th double of the season fair into the left field corner, Luke Keaschall and Jake Rucker both come in to score.
M7
Wind Surge: 4
Cardinals: 2 pic.twitter.com/RoAEd424Jl
Aaron McKeithan gave Springfield their third run on a sacrifice fly to center after consecutive singles by Nathan Church and Noah Mendlinger opened the bottom of the seventh. Jacob Buchberger singled to left field, where Morales threw the ball back toward the infield. Mendlinger hesitated off of third base, then tried to score as the tying run. Schobel tagged him for the second out after some hot potato with the Wind Surge fielders and an early slide from Springfield’s second baseman. Jaylen Nowlin proceeded to strike out Bryan Torres with the tying and leading run on base at second and first to keep the game 4-3 heading into the eighth.
Keaschall recorded his second RBI of the night on a single to the left-center alley. Ross scored from second, and then Ortega got awarded the plate on an obstruction call at third for a 6-3 Wichita advantage in the top of the eighth. Carson McCusker strode across home on a wild pitch in the top of the ninth for the final insurance run ahead of a 7-3 final. For the first time this season, the Wind Surge have won a game at Hammons Field.
Nowlin is back to a positive record at 5-4 with the win after throwing five innings of two-run baseball with seven hits and two walks given up, besides two strikeouts, as the Wichita piggyback man in relief.
The Wind Surge continue their final series before the All-Star Break at Springfield tomorrow, Thursday, July 11, 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.