Wingnuts snap three-game losing streak

Because of injuries, trades and departures, the Wingnuts’ offense, defense and pitching have been weakened over the last week.

Saturday proved that on any given night, Wichita needs only one of those aspects to click.

Starting pitcher Jason Van Skike failed to make it out of the fourth inning and the Wingnuts made their eighth error in four games, but they also enjoyed a plethora of baserunners in a 16-8 win over Joplin at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.

The Wingnuts (19-15) snapped a three-game losing streak and won for the third time in 10 games on the same day they traded leading hitter Dustin Geiger to Laredo for starting pitcher Omar Bencomo.

Wichita needed pitching because left-hander Anthony Capra left for the Mexican League this week.

Another former Wichita State starter, Charlie Lowell, went on the disabled list on Saturday with an elbow injury and newcomer Scott Richmond is leaving after his next start to join Team Canada for the upcoming Pan-American Games.

The Wingnuts had previously traded Bencomo to Laredo for Matt Padgett. They didn’t seem to have much offense to expend after falling to Joplin three games in a row, but the need for pitching prompted them to deal Geiger, who was batting .355 with seven homers.

“I hope the worst is over, injury-wise and with guys getting plucked,” Wingnuts manager Kevin Hooper said. “But you know me, I’m not going to make excuses. Whatever we have here, if you put this uniform on, I expect us to win. That will never change.”

Geiger’s absence didn’t affect the Wingnuts on Saturday, as they rapped 15 hits and were aided by Joplin’s 13 walks in rallying from an 8-3 deficit. Wichita didn’t appear to have the energy for a comeback after Joplin scored two runs in four straight innings, but it was finally summoned after a leadoff walk to David Espinosa in the fifth.

Joplin starter Jon Jones issued three walks and threw 41 pitches in the Wingnuts’ three-run first innings. He allowed one hit while throwing 29 pitches over the next three innings, but the Wingnuts pounced on Jones the next time he availed himself of the opportunity.

Following Espinosa’s walk were Matt Padgett’s single and two more walks, one by reliever Jacob Negrete, who couldn’t escape Jones’ jam and issued a four-pitch RBI walk to T.J. Mittelstaedt.

Two batters later, Brent Dean drove home three runs with a double, and Dean scored soon after on an error by shortstop Maikel Gonzalez, tying the score 8-8.

The Wingnuts’ pitching calmed after Van Skike departed, as relievers Alex Boshers and Daniel Bennett held Joplin at eight runs. Wichita’s offense thanked them with a plodding three-run eighth inning that was ignited by a single by Dean.

After a sacrifice bunt, Dean scored on Jayce Ray’s line-drive single. Padgett and Mittelstaedt each drove in runs with walks. The Wingnuts broke it open with a five-run eighth, starting the inning with six straight baserunners.

Boshers earned the win with two scoreless innings in his third appearance since joining the Wingnuts on Thursday. Bennett worked a clean eighth inning before Brad Mincey pitched the ninth inning, losing a chance at save after Wichita scored in the eighth.

Wichita’s former closer, Matt Nevarez, also joined the Mexican League this week, the third time he has left the team for Mexico or affiliated baseball in his three seasons with the Wingnuts.

The Wingnuts are expected to address their remaining roster openings in the coming days – John Nester has been out since being hit in the midsection by a foul ball this week — but on Saturday they showed they can be effective with a short-handed club.

“We’re going to hit our bumps at times, but hopefully they’re to a minimum,” Hooper said. “We’ve got to keep them minimum if we’re going to

This story was originally published June 27, 2015 at 11:13 PM with the headline "Wingnuts snap three-game losing streak."