Wichita Wind Surge lose Game 1 of Double-A baseball playoffs to Northwest Arkansas
The Wichita Wind Surge lost 7-5 to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals in the first game of a best-of-five series to decide the Double-A Central championship.
Wichita briefly tied the game, 4-4, on a Jermaine Palacios home run to right field, the team’s third homer of the game, in the top of the sixth inning, but the Naturals plated three runs in the seventh and eighth innings to pull away for the series-opening win in the playoffs.
The Wind Surge’s downfall was their pitching staff being unable to keep Northwest Arkansas off the board after Wichita would score in the top-half of the inning. Wichita plated a run in the second, third and fourth innings, but Northwest Arkansas led 4-3 after four innings because it always found the answer off Wichita starter Jordan Balazovic.
After Palacious’ deep ball brought Wichita level after six innings, Northwest Arkansas took the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning on a solo blast by Brewer Hicklen. The Naturals extended their lead on a 2-RBI single by Freddy Fermin in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Wichita tried to rally in the top of the ninth inning, as back-to-back singles by Aaron Whitefield and Austin Martin put two runners on with one out. Roy Morales brought one run home with an RBI single, but the game-tying run was stranded at first base when Spencer Steer grounded out to end the game.
Game 2 of the championship series is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch on Wednesday evening in Springdale, Arkansas. The series will shift to Wichita on Friday with the Wind Surge hosting at least one playoff game at Riverfront Stadium at 7:05 p.m. Tickets can be purchased through the Wind Surge team website.
This story was originally published September 22, 2021 at 1:00 AM.
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