WICHITA, Kan. — The Wichita Wind Surge (6-5) took game two of a six-game series with a 5-3 win over the Springfield Cardinals (4-6) on Wednesday afternoon at Equity Bank Park, powered by four home runs and a multi-homer performance from Ben Ross.
Wichita showed power throughout the game, with five of its six hits going for extra bases, including four home runs. Ross reached base in all four plate appearances and hit two home runs, while Kala’i Rosario and Jose Salas also went deep. Hendry Mendez added a double, his fifth extra-base hit over the last three games.
On the mound, right-hander Ryan Gallagher delivered 4 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out four. Right-hander Sam Armstrong provided 3 2/3 innings of one-run relief to earn the win, and left-hander Aaron Rozek recorded his first save of the season.
THE RUNDOWN
Springfield opened the scoring in the first with a solo home run to left field, but a strike-’em-out, throw-’em-out double play helped Wichita limit the damage.
The Wind Surge answered in the bottom half of the inning with a pair of big flys, as Ross led off with a solo shot and Rosario followed with an opposite-field homer to give Wichita a 2-1 lead.
After allowing the early run, Gallagher settled in, tossing two scoreless innings and striking out four.
Wichita extended its lead in the third when Ross launched his second home run of the game, a line drive over the visiting bullpen, to make it 3-1.
The Cardinals cut into the lead in the fifth with an RBI single, but a runner was thrown out attempting to stretch the hit into a double to end the inning.
Wichita added another run in the bottom of the fifth after Ross drew a walk and Mendez doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Rosario drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 4-2.
The Wind Surge continued the slugfest in the sixth as Salas hit a home run down the right-field line over the foul pole, pushing the lead to 5-2.
Springfield added a run in the seventh on an RBI single to cut the deficit to 5-3.
Rozek entered in the ninth and secured the win, closing out Wichita’s fourth consecutive victory.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Wichita hit four home runs, a season high.
- The Surge have had back-to-back mulit-home run performances (4/14 Hendry Mendez and 4/15 Ben Ross)
- Five of Wichita’s six hits went for extra bases.
- Ross extended his hitting streak to 11 games and recorded his seventh multi-hit performance of the season.
- Ross hit two home runs and recorded his third multi-RBI game of the year.
- Mendez extended his hitting streak to four games and recorded his fifth extra-base hit over the last three games.
- Rosario homered for the second consecutive game.
- Salas hit his first home run of the season.
- Armstrong earned his first win of 2026.
- Rozek recorded his first save of the season, 3rd career Wind Surge save.
STAT OF THE DAY
4 — Wichita hit four home runs, a season high.
WHAT’S NEXT