Month: June 2016

Fargo spoils Kickham’s T-Bones debut

Newly-signed pitcher Mike Kickham gave the T-Bones the type of start they needed, but Fargo-Moorhead’s offense broke through and went on to beat Kansas City, 9-6, Sunday afternoon at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.

Kickham, a former major-league pitcher for San Francisco who signed earlier Sunday, was starting after Kansas City’s first two starters in this series had given up a combined 18 runs to the RedHawks. With the T-Bones leading 1-0 after the first inning, thanks to a home run by Tyler Massey, Kickham faced eight batters, five of which singled, in the second, but he surrendered only two runs.

Kickham then faced one over the minimum — striking out two — in the third inning.

Kansas City tied the game in the bottom of the third against RedHawks starter Taylor Stanton (3-2). Dalton Wheat singled to right field. He advanced to second on a fielder’s choice by Brian Erie and then scored when the next batter, Starlin Rodriguez, reached first on an error by the shortstop.

The tie did not last long. Kansas City reliever Josh Tols came in for Kickham in the fifth and allowed four runs. With a run across after a throwing error to third by Erie, Tols walked K.D. Kang, putting runners on the corners. Brian Humphries ended that with a three-run home run, his second three-run homer of the series. Despite striking out the following two batters, the RedHawks took the lead, 6-2.

Trailing 7-2 in the bottom of the eighth, the T-Bones rallied, scoring four runs. Starlin Rodriguez doubled to centerfield and advanced on a wild pitch to Vladimir Frias. That was the end for Fargo-Moorhead’s starter Stanton, who went 7-plus innings, allowing two runs and five hits.

A single by Massey scored Rodriguez. Jake Blackwood and Brandon Tierney each singled and loaded the bases. Brett Wiley advanced to first on an error by the third baseman, which scored Massey. Wheat roped a two-run single to right against reliever Jose Almarante. That brought Kansas City to within one, 7-6, but that’s all the T-Bones were to put together.

Fargo-Moorhead added two insurance runs in the top of the ninth against relievers Johnny Shuttlesworth and Mark Haynes.

Kickham allowed two runs and seven hits, all singles, while walking one and striking out four in his Kansas City debut.

The T-Bones (14-22) and RedHawks (20-15) are scheduled to conclude their four-game series Monday night at 7:05. Tickets are available by calling the Providence Medical Center Box Office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618.

– Story from Matt Fulks, T-Bones

After foggy start, mostly sunny today

National Weather Service graphic
National Weather Service graphic

After patchy dense fog this morning, the weather will be mostly sunny with temperatures in the low 90s today, the National Weather Service said.

Temperatures on Tuesday and Wednesday will drop into the low to mid 80s, with Thursday being the next good chance of precipitation, the weather service said.

Today’s high will be 91, with an east wind of 3 to 6 mph, according to the weather service.
Tonight, expect a low of 69 with an east wind of 3 to 6 mph, the weather service said.

Tuesday, it will be mostly sunny with a high near 84, according to the weather service, with an east northeast wind of 8 mph. Tuesday night, the low will be around 65, with an east wind of 5 to 8 mph.

Wednesday, the high will be 81 with partly sunny skies and an east southeast wind of 6 to 8 mph, the weather service said.

Wednesday night, there is a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms with a low of 66. Less than a tenth of an inch of rain is expected.

Thursday, there is a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, the weather service said. The high will be near 84.

Thursday night, there will be a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a low of 67, according to the weather service.

Dwyer scores twice for Sporting KC in draw with Montreal

Dom Dwyer
Dom Dwyer

Dom Dwyer continued his remarkable scoring rate against the Montreal Impact on Saturday, netting a brace as Sporting Kansas City twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 road draw in an entertaining affair at Stade Saputo.

The Impact (5-4-6, 21 points) went ahead on two occasions through Lucas Ontivero and Ignacio Piatti, but Sporting Kansas City (6-8-4, 22 points) struck back with Dwyer’s eighth and ninth goals in just five meetings against Montreal. In doing so, the Englishman vaults into second place in Sporting Kansas City history with 53 career goals across all competitions and 44 in MLS regular season play.

Manager Peter Vermes fielded the same lineup from Sporting Kansas City’s 2-0 home win over FC Dallas last weekend. The lone positional change saw Soni Mustivar move into his conventional holding midfield spot, allowing Benny Feilhaber to assume a more advanced role in the middle of the field.

An enthralling first half unfolded with Montreal on the front foot, forcing Tim Melia to make more saves in the first 10 minutes than he had in his previous three MLS matches combined. His third save came in the ninth minute following a swift attack down the left side. Dominic Oduro neatly flicked Ambroise Oyongo’s low cross to Ontivero, whose curling strike was snagged by Sporting KC’s outstretched keeper.

The hosts were rewarded for their early pressure with an impressive go-ahead score in the 16th minute. Didier Drogba clipped a diagonal ball to Hassoun Camara, whose one-time cross from the right side of the box was nodded home by Ontivero. Ontivero’s second goal of the campaign snapped Sporting Kansas City’s 199-minute MLS shutout streak dating back to May 27, the club’s longest of 2016.

Sporting Kansas City was undeterred, however, and would gain a foothold after falling behind. Roger Espinoza was given space to cross from the left channel in the 21st minute and took full advantage, delivering a brilliant ball into the penalty area for Dwyer. The Englishman rose above his marker and directed a precise header just inside goalkeeper Evan Bush’s lefthand post to level proceedings and notch his team-leading seventh goal of the season.

Controversy marred the final moments of the opening stanza. Referee Mathieu Bourdeau awarded Montreal a 39th-minute penalty kick when Drogba fell to the turf under Jimmy Medranda’s challenge. Replays suggested there was minimal contact between the players, but Piatti nonetheless buried the spot kick to enter a tie for second in MLS with his ninth league goal.

Just three minutes later, Sporting Kansas City was denied a penalty of its own. Dwyer slipped a pass into the box for Feilhaber, who was chopped to the ground by the sliding Wandrille Lefevre. Bourdeau waved play to resume and the Impact took a 2-1 lead into halftime.

Saturday’s match remained delicately poised after the restart, and parity was again restored just shy of the hour mark. Feilhaber carried the ball into the attacking third and spread it left to Dwyer, who squared up Lefevre before unleashing a brilliant strike that caromed into the net off the far righthand post. The 59th-minute equalizer was Dwyer’s sixth goal in three games at Stade Saputo, while Feilhaber picked up an assist for the third consecutive game. Feilhaber also passed Davy Arnaud for sole possession of fourth place on Sporting Kansas City’s all-time chart with 41 assists in all competitions.

The final half-hour left all to play for, and both sides had chances to snatch a winner. Melia produced another fine stop in the 69th minute, springing to grab Ontivero’s diving header after Drogba had whipped a clever cross into the danger area. Drogba caused more trouble four minutes later, finding an open Piatti on the left side of the box, but the Argentine couldn’t catch his strike cleanly.

At the other end, Feilhaber continued to orchestrate his team’s attacking forays. His cutback pass from the left byline in the 72nd minute was nearly met by Jacob Peterson, who couldn’t direct a shot on target.

Peterson came agonizingly close to giving Sporting Kansas City its first lead two minutes later. Medranda’s tantalizing cross from the left wing was palmed away by Bush, who then reacted quickly to save Peterson’s right-footed rebound on the edge of the six-yard box.

Two matches beckon next week for Sporting Kansas City, who continue their defense of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in Wednesday’s Round of 16 clash at the Houston Dynamo. Captain Matt Besler and winger Graham Zusi are set to rejoin the club after spending the last month with the United States Men’s National Team at Copa America Centenario. Sporting Kansas City will then return home to Children’s Mercy Park, as host to Columbus Crew SC next Sunday, July 3. Tickets for that match can be secured via Ticketmaster.com or by calling 888-4KC-GOAL.

– Story from Sporting KC