712.277.WINS (9467)

Sioux City-----Wichita defeated the Explorers 13-4 Friday at Lewis and Clark Park as the Wingnuts have taken the first two games of the series.  It was second straight night that Wichita had double digits in the hit column as they banged out 16 hits Friday after getting 24 hits on Thursday. 

The Wingnuts took the lead early again when Jake Kahaulelio connected on a solo home run in the first inning.  Wichita added three runs in the second for a 4-0 lead.  The Explorers cut the lead to 4-2 on RBI's by Mike Murphy and Brian Bistange in the bottom of the third.  The game stayed at 4-2 Wichita until the sixth inning when the Explorers tied the game at 4-4.  Wally Backman, Jr. drove in a run with a single and then Yusuke Inoguchi walked with the bases loaded to tie the contest.  However, in the seventh inning, relief pitcher Eddie Delacruz gave up a two-out bases loaded triple to David Peralta and the Wingnuts took a 7-4 lead at that point and never looked back.  Delacruz gave up four runs in the eighth that increased the Wichita lead to 11-4 and the Wingnuts added two more in the ninth for a 13-4 win. 

With the loss, the third straight defeat, the Explorers drop back into third place in the Central Division of the American Association, ten games behind Wichita who won their seventh straight.  The Explorers and Wichita will meet in the third game of the four-game set Saturday at Lewis and Clark Park with game time set for 7:05.