SAN ANTONIO, TX - On a hot and humid day in Texas, Alerick Soularie caught on fire. He hit two home runs, had five RBIs, stole a base and was the driving force for the Wind Surge scoring. The Wind Surge defeated the Missions 8-7 to close out of the series.
The Surge extended their streak of offensive production in the second inning to four games. Soularie crushed a ball, delivered in the middle of the strike zone by Missions pitcher Daniel Camarena, out of the park over the center field wall for a solo home run.
The Missions tied the game in the bottom of the second. Starting pitcher Blayne Enlow escaped the inning after loading the bases with only one run given up.
Camerena’s day came to an end in the top of the fourth. After walking two Surge batters and allowing them to advance to scoring position he was replaced by Jose Quezada. After the pitching change, Soularie kept his bat hot and smoked a line drive to center field that proved too much for the Missions center fielder Tirso Ornelas. As the ball rolled up and over his glove Alex Isola and Aaron Sabato were able to run home. Quezada sent a wild pitch past the catcher and Soularie made it home adding another run for the Surge.
Enlow dug his heels in and got himself out of a difficult bottom fourth inning after he allowed a triple and hit two Missions batters by pitch. He forced the Missions to end the inning with the bases loaded after he struck Ornelas out swinging.
In the top of the sixth after getting walked, Sabato stole second base and put himself in scoring position. Justin Lopez for the Missions walked another batter that then set up Soularie to hit his second home run of the day. The three-run shot over the left field wall added more cushion to the Surge lead.
After pitching five innings and giving up only one run Blayne Enlow’s day was over. Carlos Luna came in to replace him in the bottom of the sixth. He was able to pick off a runner on a throw to first base and had a strike out but did unfortunately did give up one run on a sacrifice fly by Kervin Pichardo to right field.
San Antonio continued to chip away at the Surge lead when Pedro Castellanos hit a two-run home run over the left field wall in the bottom of the seventh.
In the bottom of the eighth Chandler Seagle singled on a ground ball hit to right field that drove in a run for the Missions. Michael Boyle then came in to pitch for the Surge and recorded two strikeouts to keep the Missions rally at bay.
San Antonio refused to give up and got their bats going in the bottom of the ninth. Ray-Patrick Didder hit a two-run home run to make it a one run game. Jordan Brink earned the save when he held the Missions back from securing the come behind win and struck out the final batter swinging.
Enlow earned the win for the Surge and Camerena got the loss for the Missions.
The Wichita Wind Surge improve to 23-33 and the San Antonio Missions fall to 31-26. The Missions take the series 4-2.
NOTES: Soularie set career bests as a professional with his first two home run game and his first five RBI game. Soulaire’s five RBI day is second most for the Wind Surge this season, David Banuelos six on May 10 at Frisco. He also becomes the second Wind Surge player this season with two home runs in a game.
BROADCAST: ESPN Wichita 92.3 FM, Milb First Pitch App, Windsurge.com, MiLB.tv and Ballys Live app.
UPCOMING: The Wichita Wind Surge stay on the road in Texas, this time to face the Midland RockHounds Tuesday at 6:35 PM. RH Travis Adams for the Surge will face RH Ryan Cusick for the RockHounds.
NEXT HOME GAME: The Wind Surge return home on Tuesday, June 20th to play Arkansas Travelers at Riverfront Stadium. The Surge will be home for a two week homestand which includes the first ever postgame concert on Saturday, June 24th “The Spazmatics”.
CLICK HERE to download the Hutch Post mobile app.
CLICK HERE to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.