NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (June 20, 2025)—Walker Jenkins, Gabby Gonzalez, and Ben Ross combine for six steals in the 7-2 win for the Wichita Wind Surge over the Arkansas Travelers. The Wind Surge started the night with three runs in the first and finished with four unanswered in their third win of the week.
For the second straight night, Wichita put up a crooked number in the top of the first, this time being three runs. After Jenkins singled to center on the first pitch of the night and swiped second base, Gonzalez and Kala’i Rosario struck consecutive RBI doubles to left field. Rosario later came home to score on an infield error on a pickoff attempt toward first base.
Blake Rambusch scored the first run for Arkansas run in the home half of the first on a fielder’s choice to make the score 3-1 Wind Surge after an inning. A bloop single that dropped in shallow left from Yoyner Fajardo in the bottom of the fourth put the Travelers within a run.
Wichita scored four unanswered runs throughout the rest of the night. Andrew Cossetti flared a single to shallow right to bring in Kyler Fedko in the top of the sixth. Two more runs came across two innings later when Jake Rucker lined a sacrifice fly to right and Ross stole home on a throw back to the pitcher Nick Davila, then Gonzalez scored on a wild pitch in the top of the ninth to get to the eventual 7-2 final.
The bullpen continued to shine for the Wind Surge, allowing just three hits over the final five and one-third innings. Mike Paredes went three and one-third innings with those three hits and a strikeout to follow the starter C.J. Culpepper and earn his Minor League Baseball-tying leading eighth win of the year. Michael Martinez struck out two and stranded two on first and second in the eighth, then Tanner Andrews needed just 15 pitches to retire the side in the ninth to secure the victory.
POSTGAME NOTES
- Prior to tonight’s game, Kaelen Culpepper got called up to Wichita from High-A Cedar Rapids.
- C.J. Culpepper strikes out a season-high six in his second start with the Wind Surge in 2025.
- Mike Paredes ties for the Minor League Baseball lead in wins (8).
- Ben Ross is the first Wichita player to steal three bases in a game since Alerick Soularie on Mau 15, 2024 vs. Tulsa.
- The six steals for the Wind Surge tie their season-high in a game (May 28 vs. Tulsa).
- Wichita improves to a season best seven games over .500.