Skydivers entered CommunityAmerica Ballpark Friday night to launch the T-Bones’ regular season. (Fan photo)
With skydivers, motorcycles, a grade school choir singing the national anthem, a speech by Unified Government Mayor Mark Holland and an appearance by the Bonner Springs VFW color guard, the Kansas City T-Bones kicked off the 13th regular season Friday night. And they did it with a 4-2 win over the Lincoln Saltdogs.
Set against a cloudy sky, the game never saw any rain. CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan., was almost filled, despite the cooler temperatures Friday night. Attendance was 6,330.
The T-Bones’ performance was notable for good pitching from starter Fernando Hernandez, who went five innings, and great work from reliever Joe Van Meter and closer Kris Regas..
The T-Bones jumped out to an early first-inning 1-0 lead, then fell behind in the fourth inning, 2-1. It was in the eighth inning that the T-Bones finally pulled ahead, 4-2.
Brian Erie reached second base on a hit and a wild pitch in the eighth. Then Ryan Cavan hit the ball to the shortstop, and Erie tied the game on a bad throw to first. Adam Bailey next hit a double to score Cavan. Joe Rapp then singled to right and Bailey scored.
A rally by the Saltdogs in the ninth inning fell short.
A notable addition to this season opener was a new scoreboard at the stadium that highlighted players’ statistics and showed some replays.
The T-Bones had their usual fan-pleasing antics, throwing T-shirts to the audience, giving away chicken salad sandwiches if an opposing player was struck out, dancing to the “YMCA” song, and generally being so entertaining that the fans don’t seem to care too much whether the team wins or loses, or at the very least, the entertainment softens the blow when the fans’ favorites fall behind.
While located in Kansas City, Kan., the T-Bones’ audience gave its greatest applause of the night not to a play by the T-Bones, but to the announcement that the Kansas City Royals beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 5-0.
More of the same fan-pleasing entertainment is planned for Saturday night, when the T-Bones and Saltdogs will meet at 7:05 p.m. at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan. Fireworks are planned after the game. For ticket information, call 913-328-5618 or visit tbonesbaseball.com. Motorcyclists also roared through CommunityAmerica Ballpark Friday night to kick off the regular season for the T-Bones. (Fan photo) Motorcyclists roared through CommunityAmerica Ballpark Friday night to kick off the regular season for the T-Bones. (Fan photo) Motorcyclists gathered before the start of the regular season for the T-Bones on Friday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. (Fan photo) Motorcyclists gathered before the start of the T-Bones regular season on Friday night at the CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan. (Fan photo) The KC Cryptonites were special guests of the T-Bones at the lineup before the start of the game Friday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan. (Fan photo) The KC Cryptonites were special guests of the T-Bones before the start of Friday night’s game at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan. (Fan photo) The Bonner Springs VFW Post 6401 was the color guard for the season opening T-Bones game at CommunityAmerica Ballpark Friday night. (Fan photo) T-Bones’ pitcher Fernando Hernandez gave up four hits and two runs in five innings Friday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. The T-Bones won, 4-2. (Fan photo) More action from the T-Bones’ season opener Friday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. (Fan photo) More action from the T-Bones’ season opener Friday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. (Fan photo) CommunityAmerica Ballpark has a new scoreboard this year. This was the scoreboard when catcher Brian Erie batted, just before he got a hit and tied the game. (Fan photo) Some fans carried signs supporting T-Bones’ players. (Fan photo) Entertainment included dancing to the song, “YMCA,” during a break in the action at Friday night’s T-Bones home opener at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. (Fan photo) Dancing during a break in the T-Bones’ game Friday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. (Fan photo) More entertainment during the T-Bones’ home opener Friday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark, Kansas City, Kan. (Fan photo) More entertainment during Friday night’s T-Bones’ season-opener at CommunityAmerica Ballpark, Kansas City, Kan. (Fan photo) More entertainment during Friday night’s T-Bones season-opener at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. (Fan photo) Posing with the T-Bones’ mascot, Sizzle, at the season-opener Friday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. (Fan photo)
The Kansas City, Kan., Fire Department boat crews responded to a call about 4:02 p.m. May 22 about a man at Kaw Point holding onto tree limbs over the Missouri River, according to a Fire Department spokesman.
Boat crews were able to get close enough to the man to give him a life vest and pull him from the river, the spokesman said. They brought him to a ramp at Kaw Point, and Kansas City, Kan., Fire Department personnel treated him for exhaustion and minor abrasions to his arms and legs, according to the spokesman.
Kansas City, Mo., Fire Department rescue boats had also been called in and assisted in deploying boats, the spokesman said.
The 54-year-old man, a resident of Kansas City, Mo., told the boat crews that he had been fishing on the bank when his fishing line got tangled on the tree limbs.
He said he tried to detangle his fishing line by going into the tree limbs, and he slipped, falling into the river.
He said he was taken down the river by the current and grabbed onto overhanging branches to prevent being swept down the river, the spokesman said.
Kaw Point is the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas rivers.
A flash flood watch is in effect from Saturday evening through Monday evening, according to the National Weather Service.
Showers and thunderstorms are expected to redevelop across the lower Missouri Valley this weekend as a series of upper-level disturbances move across the region, the weather service said.
These disturbances, combined with high amounts of atmospheric moisture, will lead to periods of moderate to locally heavy rainfall from Saturday night into early next week, according to the weather service.
Heavy rains combined with nearly saturated soils and elevated water levels on area rivers and streams will lead to possible flooding and flash flooding during the Memorial Day holiday weekend, the weather service said.
For up-to-date weather information, visit www.weather.gov.
