Sioux City ends Wingnuts’ run

The same disposition that carried the Wingnuts to an 11-game winning streak will likely be a key to their 5-1 loss to Sioux City on Monday night not escalating into a more serious skid.

The Wingnuts were certainly aware of the streak, which set a record for the fifth-year franchise, but they were hardly focused on it. As fatigued as it appeared at times in being victimized by Explorers starter Jason Jarvis, Wichita is approaching Monday’s loss the same way it did the streak — by thinking about tomorrow.

"You’d think the guys would talk a lot about the streak and be cocky," Wingnuts second baseman Jake Kahaulelio said. "But we’re all level-headed. This is a sport, it happens. Sometimes a pitcher has his night and sometimes hitters don’t."

The Wingnuts made few offensive adjusments against Jarvis, who was 0-2 with a 5.51 ERA through his first three starts, so Jarvis didn’t have to alter his plan of attack. The right-handed Jarvis gained strength throughout his outing, recording five of his seven strikeouts during the final three innings.

The ninth inning was perhaps Jarvis’ best. He retired the Wingnuts in order four times, but in the ninth, approaching 100 pitches he exploited the outside corner to notch called strikeouts against Wichita cleanup hitter Juan Richardson and Mitch Einertson.

Wichita managed five hits against Jarvis and an unearned run in the second inning. The Wingnuts had two hits after the second and only one — Kahaulelio’s two-out double in the eighth — that left the infield.

After a pedestrian start to his season, Jarvis rose to the challenge of pitching against the American Association’s hottest team. The Wingnuts narrowly avoided their first shutout of the season.

"(Wichita’s winning streak) actually did kind of motivate me, because I wanted to show what I have," Jarvis said.

Following the run in the second, Wichita’s opportunities to score against Jarvis were scarce but not non-existent. Sioux City took a 2-1 lead in the third, but a major reason for the Wingnuts’ winning streak — their ability to answer runs quickly — failed to materialize on Monday.

The Wingnuts had runners on first and second with one out in the fifth and Kahaulelio, a .391 hitter, at the plate. Kahaulelio worked the count to 2-0 before grounding into an inning-ending double play.

Kahauelio’s double three innings later accounted for the only time after the fifth that a Wichita baserunner reached scoring position.

"We weren’t ready to hit tonight like we usually are," Wingnuts manager Kevin Hooper said. "A lot of guys taking first pitches right in the zone that usually we’ll handle pretty well. We let him off the hook quite a few times, too."

Wichita starter Ben Graham minimized damage against him, allowing two runs in 6 2/3 innings. Sioux City left eight runners on base during Graham’s outing but he left when the Wingnuts were one swing from tying it.

Sioux City added three unearned runs in the eighth, aided by two Wichita errors. Catcher Taylor Freeman threw wide to first on a third strike in the dirt, and the Explorers followed by scoring on a walk, an infield single and another error. The Wingnuts still own the league’s best record at 13-4 and are confident Monday’s loss can turn into just a blip.

"Maybe it’s just a little fatigue in general with what’s been going on," Hooper said. "With the streak and everything, everybody’s been getting hyped up and there’s a lot of energy out there. We’re allowed to play bad some nights — we’re going to play bad some nights. Tonight was one of those nights, but we’ll find out what we’re all about (tonight) with the way we bounce back from this."

E—Priddy (7), Khoury (1), Freeman (3). LOB—Sioux City 11, Wichita 5. DP— Sioux City 1. 2B—Inoguchi (2), Backman (4), Serrano (8),, Goodro (3), Kahaulelio (5). 3B—Inoguchi (1). HBP—Lang (1), Khoury (4). S—Conroy. SB—Backman (2).

PB—Freeman. HBP—Khoury by Jarvis (2), Lang by Graham (2).

Umpires — home, Mike Riggers; 1st, Dan Hoffman; 3rd, Joe Stegner. T — 2:20. A — 2,906.