The Wind Surge Improve to 7-2 on the Season With a 9-8 Victory

May 13, 2021

Amarillo 8

Wichita 9

Wichita, KS – After trailing by six runs at one point tonight, The Wind Surge improved to 7-2 on the season with a 9-8 victory on Thursday night at Riverfront Stadium over the Amarillo Sod Poodles.

Starting pitcher Dakota Chalmers struggled out of the gate, giving up a three-run home run to Amarillo’s Jose Herrera, the first in Riverfront Stadium’s history. Chalmers made it into the third inning, where the Sod Poodles would tag him again for 4 more runs, knocking him out after only 2 and a third innings of work and 3 strikeouts. After 3, Wichita trailed 7-1.

The Wind Surge offense would finally strike back on the back of Jermaine Palacios, who extended his hitting streak to 9 games with a 3-run shot in the bottom of the third, the first by a Wind Surge player at Riverfront Stadium. Contreras added an RBI single, and Ernie de la Trinidad launched a solo shot to deep right center in the bottom of the fourth, as the Surge drew within one of Amarillo, 7-6.

After Wichita starter Chalmers was taken out, the Wind Surge bullpen went to work. Josh Mitchell, Hector Lujan, and Calvin Faucher combined for five and two-thirds innings, 6 strikeouts, and no runs, holding the Sod Poodles to two hits over that period.

After the Wind Surge loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the 8th, Caleb Hamilton drew a walk to plate the tying run. The very next batter, pinch hitter Jose Miranda, walked and put Wichita up for the first time all game. Andrew Bechtold singled to right with the bases loaded, driving in another run and the Surge took a 9-7 lead into the 9th.

After allowing a leadoff triple, Josh Mitchell held the Sod Poodles to only one run in the 9th, en route to his first Wind Surge victory. The Wichita bullpen is 7-2 on the season, striking out 59 batters over 43 innings pitched.

NOTES- RHP Rob Whalen was signed by the Twins and assigned to Wichita. OF Aaron Whitefield was named the Double-A Central Hitter of the Week after posting a .444 batting average with 2 Homeruns and 7 RBI in the opening series vs Springfield. INF Jermaine Palacios extended his hitting streak to 9 games and leads the team in batting average. Wichita have yet to lose a game in their red uniforms, improving to 7-0.

COMING UP: Wichita and Amarillo will play the fourth game of the series on Friday night, with the first pitch at 7:05pm. Wichita will start RHP Josh Winder (0-0) against Amarillo’s RHP Tyler Holton (0-1). RADIO/TV: KGSO 1410 AM and 93.9 FM, MiLB-TV and Windsurge.com

3 games remain in the inaugural series at Riverfront Stadium for the Wind Surge, Friday (7:05pm), Saturday (6:05pm), and Sunday (1:05pm).