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 WICHITA, Kansas – Geraldo Valentin finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI, and Cleburne used a four-run first inning in a 5-3 win over the Wichita Wingnuts at Lawrence Dumont Stadium on Friday night.

Valentin drove in a run with one of six Cleburne hits in a first inning that included RBI doubles from Shawn Zarraga and Fernelys Sanchez, and he also added singles in the third and seventh innings.

After Cleburne scored four runs in the first, they answered a third-inning Wichita run when Blake Grant-Parks doubled in Valentin in the seventh. And after the Wingnuts cut the deficit in half with two runs in the eighth, Winston Abreu worked a perfect ninth inning to earn his ninth save of the year.

Grant-Parks added three hits of his own, and all but one Cleburne starter finished with a hit.

Wander Perez, in his Railroaders debut, gave up one run on four hits with three walks and three strikeouts over five innings. Harrison Lee retired the first seven batters he faced before surrendering two runs on three hits over 2.2 innings, and Cortland Cox struck out the only batter he faced in the eighth.

Wichita committed a combined five errors, and starter Charlie Leesman worked only the first inning and gave up the four runs on six hits with a pair of strikeouts.

Game 2 of the three-game set is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Saturday, and the Railroaders Pregame Show will begin at 6:45 p.m.

The Railroaders return home to The Depot Monday, June 26 to open a three-game set with the Salina Stockade. Tickets are still available and can be purchased online at www.railroaderbaseball.com or by visiting the box office located near the main gate at The Depot.