Month: August 2016

T-Bones lose on walk-off

The T-Bones lost on a walk-off two-run home run to the Wichita Wingnuts, 7-6, in the bottom of the ninth Wednesday night at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in Wichita.

Kansas City, which had led since the top of the first inning, had turned to All-Star closer Mark Haynes in the eighth, clinging to a 6-5 lead.

Haynes (3-2) ended the inning by striking out Leo Vargas, stranding the tying run at third. In the ninth, however, with Christian Stringer on first following a lead-off single, Zack Cox sent his 10th home run of the season over the right field wall for the win.

The T-Bones took an early 1-0 lead against Wichita starter Anthony Capra. With one out, Dalton Wheat walked before Brett Wiley knocked him in with a double.

Kansas City added to its lead in the second. After back-to-back singles from Vladimir Frias and Tyler Moore opened the inning, Tyler Massey brought them home with a double, extending the T-Bones’ lead to 3-0.

In the fourth inning, Capra walked five batters, bringing home two more runs for Kansas City.

Capra walked eight T-Bones in his 3 2/3 innings, and the Wichita bullpen added three more throughout the rest of the game. That helped lead to Kansas City stranding 15 men on base.

The T-Bones’ commanding 5-0 lead was short-lived, as the Wingnuts began cutting into it in the bottom of the fourth.

After Stringer singled, Brent Clevlen singled, putting two on for former T-Bones player T.J. Mittelstaedt. He sent a ball to center field but Massey lost the ball in the lights, which allowed the ball to drop and get away from him. Mittelstaedt chugged around the bases for his second inside-the-park home run in as many nights, cutting the T-Bones lead to 5-3.

Each team added a run on a sacrifice fly. Wichita’s came in the bottom of the fifth, when Brennan Salgado scored on a fly ball by Stringer. A half-inning later, Frias’ fly ball brought in Anthony Gallas, giving Kansas City a 6-4 lead. Wichita inched closer, though, in the seventh. Stringer reached on a fielder’s choice before Clevlen drove him in with an RBI single to right field.

Frankie Reed came in for the ninth for Wichita and kept the T-Bones from adding to their one-run lead. Reed (5-3) sent the top of the T-Bones’ lineup down in order with two fly outs and a groundout.

Kansas City (38-44) concludes its four-game series at Wichita (51-31) Thursday night at 7:05. The action can be heard at TBonesBaseball.com.

– Story from Matt Fulks, T-Bones

Thursday’s temperatures to lead to heat index of mid-90s

Today’s high may be near 91, according to the National Weather Service, with a heat index of middle to upper 90s this afternoon.

Storms will affect the area from late Friday afternoon through Saturday, as a cold front moves through the region, the weather service said.

Some storms may be severe late Friday afternoon and evening, with damaging winds being the main severe weather concern, according to the weather service.

Tonight’s forecast is a low around 70, with a south southwest wind of 6 to 8 mph, the weather service said.

Friday, expect a 30 percent chance of showers and storms after 1 p.m., according to the weather service. The high will be near 87, with a south wind of 6 to 10 mph.

Friday night, the low will be around 66, with an 80 percent chance of precipitation and a south wind of 9 to 14 mph becoming west after midnight, according to the weather service. About three-quarters to one inch of rain is possible.

Saturday, there is a 30 percent chance of storms and showers before 1 p.m. The high will be near 77, the weather service said, with a north northwest wind of 10 to 14 mph gusting as high as 21 mph.

Sunday will be sunny with a high near 78, according to the weather service.

BPU approves change in rate hearing procedures

by William Crum

The Board of Public Utilities tonight approved a resolution to adopt a procedure for a rate hearing.

Also, Doug Quach, BPU manager of electric production, gave a presentation on Western Fuels.

Bill Johnson, BPU manager of electric operations and technology, gave an electric operations update.

He said the worst storm was on June 26, 2016. It cost the BPU $462,603.77 just for this storm itself.

He was asked who absorbed this cost – is it the consumer? He said that BPU absorbs this cost and by no means does this affect the rates. This is part of doing business, Johnson said.

BPU General Manager Don Gray talked about Mayor Mark Holland, who took a tour of the Nearman plant with his family. Mayor Holland was highly impressed, he said.