WICHITA, Kan. — Anthony Capra stymied Saltdogs (7-15) hitters all night as the Wichita Wingnuts (14-7) tallied the lone run on a passed ball in a 1-0 victory in front of 3,056 fans at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium Saturday night.
Capra (2-2) pitched eight sterling innings, allowing just three hits with three walks and eight strikeouts. After Brian Joynt singled to lead off the fifth inning, Wichita pitching retired the final 15 batters consecutively.
Wichita plated the game’s only run in the sixth. Following a Joash Brodin lead-off double, T.J. Mittelstaedt sacrificed Brodin to third. After John Nester grounded out, Brodin scored on a passed ball.
Jesse Smith (1-3) was superb for the ‘Dogs, pitching out of several jams and going six innings, yielding just an unearned run on six hits with three strikeouts and three walks to suffer the tough-luck loss.
Matt Nevarez worked a perfect ninth with two strikeouts to notch his sixth save.
Tonight was the first shutout the Saltdogs have been involved in in 2015. Jon Gaston went 0-for-2 with two walks to see his hit streak end at 13 games. Eddie Young went 0-for-4 as hit 10-gamer wrapped.
The Saltdogs again played error-free, and have not committed an error in three straight games for the first time this season.
Sunday at 1:05 p.m. is the series finale, with the ‘Dogs looking to save the split. LHP Kevin McGovern (1-1, 5.18) will face RHP Tim Brown (3-0, 2.00). Radio coverage begins at 12:35 p.m. on KFOR 1240.
Lincoln returns home June 19 for Fireworks Friday, a 7:05 p.m. game against Joplin. Get your tickets now at saltdogs.com.