WICHITA, Kan. — The Wichita Wind Surge (12-10) dropped the opener of a six-game series to the Arkansas Travelers (11-11), 4-3, on Tuesday night at Equity Bank Park as Arkansas starter Michael Morales held Wichita to one hit over 5.2 innings.
Wichita mounted a late comeback but could not overcome a slow offensive start, managing just two hits through the first six innings. The Wind Surge did homer twice, with Garrett Spain hitting a solo shot and Billy Amick launching a two-run home run during a multi-hit performance.
On the mound, Jose Olivares turned in a solid start, allowing one run on two hits while striking out four over three innings. Sam Ryan also impressed in relief, tossing two scoreless innings with two strikeouts.
THE RUNDOWN
Olivares started on the mound for Wichita and worked around a pair of walks in a scoreless first inning while striking out one.
Arkansas opened the scoring in the second after a leadoff double came around to score on an infield single that advanced to second on a throwing error. Olivares limited the damage by striking out the final two batters of the inning. Wichita trailed 1-0 after two.
Olivares finished his outing after three innings, allowing one run while striking out four.
The Travelers added to their lead in the fourth, scoring on two doubles surrounding a flyout to make it 2-0.
Arkansas extended its advantage in the fifth, using a walk and two singles to plate another run and push the lead to 3-0.
Wichita got on the board in the sixth when Spain launched a solo home run to right field, his sixth of the season, cutting the deficit to 3-1.
The Travelers answered immediately in the seventh with a solo home run of their own to restore a three-run lead at 4-1.
The Wind Surge rallied in the bottom half of the inning. After a leadoff walk, Amick crushed a two-run home run, his sixth of the year, to cut the deficit to one.
Ryan entered in the eighth and kept Wichita within striking distance, throwing two scoreless innings in relief.
The Wind Surge threatened in the ninth but came up just short, as the game ended on a warning-track fly ball just shy of the wall.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Wichita has homered in 13 consecutive games.
- CF Garrett Spain extended his on-base streak to nine games and hit his sixth home run of the year.
- Spain has homered in back-to-back games.
- RF Kala’i Rosario has reached base safely in six consecutive games.
- 3B Billy Amick extended his on-base streak to seven games and hit his sixth home run of the season.
- Amick recorded his seventh multi-hit game of the year.
- SP Jose Olivares struck out a season-high four batters.
- RHP Sam Ryan logged his third scoreless outing of the season.
STAT OF THE DAY
13 — Wichita has homered in 13 straight games.
WHAT’S NEXT