Month: July 2016

T-Bones blast Joplin, 11-1

The Kansas City T-Bones hit three home runs, including a grand slam by Jake Blackwood, en route to an 11-1 win over the Joplin Blasters on Saturday night at Joe Becker Stadium in Joplin, Mo.

The T-Bones jumped ahead early, with two runs in the top of the first against Joplin starter Isaac Hess (0-1). After the first two batters, Tyson Gillies and Dalton Wheat, each reached with a single, Blackwood roped a double to left that scored Gillies. On the play, the ball was mishandled by second baseman Mitch Glasser, which allowed Wheat to score.

Although those two runs were all the T-Bones would need, Kansas City erupted for a six-run fourth inning. Vladimir Frias led off the inning with the first of Kansas City’s three home runs in the game. The T-Bones didn’t stop there.

After Brian Erie reached on a fielder’s choice, Sergio Leon doubled, moving Erie to third. Erie scored when the next batter, Tyson Gillies, grounded into the fielder’s choice. Starlin Rodriguez followed with a walk that loaded the bases for Blackwood.

On a 3-1 count, Blackwood lined the ball over the left-field wall for a grand slam, his ninth homer of the season that also ties him for the team lead. The grand slam, which gave the T-Bones an 8-0 lead, was Kansas City’s first grand slam since Jacob Hayes’ inside-the-park grand slam last September.

T-Bones’ starting pitcher Josh Hodges, whom Kansas City acquired from Joplin on July 7, was fantastic against his former teammates. Hodges (3-4) gave up four hits and one run, while walking one and striking out five in seven innings.

His only blemish came in the sixth inning, when Charlie Valerio smacked a solo home run to right field. Johnny Shuttlesworth pitched the final two innings, allowing only one baserunner.

The T-Bones added to their lead in the fifth with their third home run of the game. This one came off the bat of Leon — who’s on his second stint this season with Kansas City, sandwiching time with Joplin — and scored Erie, who reached on a double. It’s Leon’s third homer of the season, but first with the T-Bones.

Kansas City (25-30) and Joplin (17-37) are scheduled to conclude their three-game series Sunday evening at 6:05. All of the action can be heard online at TBonesBaseball.com.

– Story from Matt Fulks, T-Bones

Heat advisory in effect until 8 p.m.

A heat advisory is in effect until 8 p.m. today, according to the National Weather Service.

At 4 p.m., the heat index was 107 degrees in Wyandotte County, and the temperatures was 95 degrees, the weather service said.

A heat advisory also is in effect from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, July 18, according to the weather service.

Monday’s high is expected to be near 94, with a heat index as high as 103, according to the weather service.

Residents are advised to take extra precautions if they work or spend time outside, and reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. They should drink plenty of water, stay in an air-conditioned room and check on relatives and friends, the weather service said.

For more weather information, visit www.weather.gov.

Injury crash reported on I-35 after brakes failed on dump truck

An injury crash was reported at 1:16 p.m. Saturday, July 16, at Seventh Street and I-35 in Kansas City, Kan., according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

A Volvo dump truck was northbound on the ramp from I-35 northbound in the middle lane to turn north on Seventh Street Trafficway, when the brakes failed, according to the trooper’s report.

The dump truck ran a red light and struck the front of a Subaru Outback that had the right of way, the trooper’s report stated. The Subaru was southbound on Seventh Street in the right lane.

The Subaru’s driver, a 63-year-old woman from Jefferson City, Mo., was injured and taken to a hospital, the report stated.

A 39-year-old Kansas City, Kan., woman in the Subaru also was injured and taken to a hospital, according to the report.

The driver of the dump truck, a 49-year-old man from Kansas City, Kan., was not injured, according to the report.