September 2017 – Page 76 – Welcome to Wyandotte Daily!

T-Bones walk off winners to close the curtain on 2017

With a buzz of an appearance by actor Bill Murray, maybe it was fitting that the Kansas City T-Bones (57-43) took their playoff hopes down to the final out and the final minutes on the final day of the season Monday afternoon.

In a script that would make Hollywood proud, the T-Bone blew a ninth inning save only to come back and walk off winners 9-8 over the St. Paul Saints (48-52).

While scoreboard-watching most of the afternoon and trailing a good portion of a must-win day, Kansas City got an RBI single from Chantz Mack to walk off winners in the bottom of the ninth.

As the inning unfolded the Gary SouthShore RailCats walked off winners in Indiana, meaning no matter what the T-Bones did they would not advance. Instead a three-way tie occurred once Fargo-Moorhead lost to Winnipeg in Canada a half-hour later.

The T-Bones needed three things to happen Monday and got two of them, which in the end meant the club came up one game short on making their first playoff appearance since 2010 and their first as members of the American Association.

In a valiant run reaching the second most wins in franchise history – 57 – and overcoming the loss of three front-line players to affiliated ball and three other starters’ late-season injuries, the team was left with the bittersweet feeling that comes with the final game of the season.

The script looked like it was over early as St. Paul built a lead of 5-0 and 6-1 through three and a half innings. Going into the bottom of the fourth Kansas City trailed 6-1 but chipped away with an RBI single from Cedric Hunter to cut the lead to 6-2.

The T-Bones scored one more on a Tucker Pennell single and it was a 6-3 ball game. An inning later it was Jordan Edgerton who had an RBI double and the Saints’ lead was trimmed to 6-4.

In the sixth Hunter was at it again with a two-run home run off Brandon Peterson to tie the game at six. Kansas City grabbed the lead in the eighth inning with one out on a solo homer from Pennell off Ken Frosch and with both other scores in the T-Bones favor the club went to the ninth with the lead.

Cody Winiarski gave up a two-out bases-loaded single to Mitch Delfino to give St. Paul the lead back at 8-7. But Kansas City battled back in the home half of the ninth against Vinny Nittoli.

Kevin Keyes, who was named the teams Player of the Year before the game, got a leadoff walk. Jordan Edgerton moved him to second on a sacrifice bunt. With one out Niko Vasquez doubled Keyes home to tie it just as Gary’s win over Lincoln went final. That set up the walk-off win for Kansas City with the Mack single to notch win number 57.

In the end Kansas City, Gary and Fargo-Moorhead were tied with 57-43 records. Kansas City and Gary both owned the tie breaker over Fargo but the T-Bones finished 6-7 against Gary including only going 1-5 at home against the RailCats despite a 5-2 record on the road.

Cody Winiarski (5-1) got the relief win while Vinny Nittoli (2-3) was charged with the loss.

– Story from T-Bones

T-Bones keep playoff hopes alive with 11-8 win

by Brian Turrel

The Kansas City T-Bones shook off an early four-run deficit to win Sunday evening’s game over the St. Paul Saints 11 – 8. The win kept alive the T-Bones playoff chances going into the regular season’s final game.

The T-Bones play the Saints at 1 p.m. Monday at Community America Ballpark in Kansas City, Kansas. The T-Bones are celebrating Fan Appreciation Day with a “Kids Eat Free” promotion and $1 general admission tickets.

The T-Bones earned the win for reliever Grant Sides with three runs in the 7th inning, after the Saints had scored four in the top of the inning. Designated hitter Tucker Pennell struck a two-run double, and center fielder Cedric Hunter hit an RBI single to take the 10 – 8 lead.

The T-Bones added a run in the eighth to complete the scoring, helped by two wild pitches from Saints reliever Ivan Vieitez, who took the loss. American Association Relief Pitcher of the Year winner Cody Winiarski pitched the ninth inning for the T-Bones to get the save.

The beginning of the game did not look promising, with T-Bones starter Jared Mortensen giving up two runs in each of the first two innings, assisted by some leaky defense. The T-Bones hit the ball solidly in the first two innings, but weren’t able to score.

The T-Bones turned up the power in the bottom of the third, with a three-run home run by Niko Vazquez, followed two batters later by Kyle Petty with a two-run homer.

The T-Bones extended their lead to 7 – 4 in the sixth inning, scoring on a sacrifice bunt from second baseman Marcus Lemon and a sacrifice fly from first baseman Kevin Keyes.

The T-Bones are still in contention for the second wild card spot in the American Association playoffs. To take advantage, they will need a win today, along with losses by the Gary Southshore Railcats and Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks.

T-Bones left fielder Kyle Petty hit a two-run home run in the third inning. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel)

T-Bones mascot Sizzle came face to face with the winner of the cutest baby contest. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel)

Starting pitcher Jared Mortensen pitched six innings, giving up six earned runs. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel)

Catcher Zane Chavez tagged out the Saints’ Maxx Garrett on a collision at home plate. Kyle Petty made the throw from left field for the assist. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel)

Pitcher Grant Sides celebrated after applying the final tag in a six-throw rundown play that involved holding runners on second and third base. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel)

Right fielder Chantz Mack’s shattered bat sailed into the infield. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel)

Catcher Zane Chavez hit an RBI single in the eighth inning to give the T-Bones a three-run lead. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel)

Reliever Cody Winiarski pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save. Winiarski was named the American Association’s Relief Pitcher of the Year and was named to the league’s post-season all-star team. (Photo copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel)

Blue Devils in 9-2 soccer rout; home to Neosho County Tuesday

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Coming off one of its biggest offensive performances in history, Kansas City Kansas Community College will kick off Jayhawk Conference and Region VI soccer play Tuesday when the Blue Devils entertain Neosho County at 7:30 p.m.

Scoring the final seven goals of the game, the Blue Devils ran their record to 2-0 with a 9-2 thumping of Blue River Friday. Tuesday’s conference opener will come on the heels of a women’s contest with Neosho starting at 5 p.m.

Freshman Reed Axthelm and sophomore Leonardo DaSilva each had three goals and sophomore Guilherme Grave a goal and two assists to lead the way.

The Blue Devils peppered the Blue River goalkeeper with 15 shots on goal. Blue River, meanwhile, had just five shots on goal, three of which were turned away by sophomore Youssef Gadelkerim.

The two teams battled to a 2-2 deadlock through the first 25 minutes. Axthelm gave the Blue Devils 1-0 and 2-1 leads on assists from Grave and Hector Valles, who had two for the game. But each time Blue River bounced back to tie.

Freshman Gustavo Palmeiri finally put KCKCC ahead to stay on a goal off a free kick at the 26.23 mark, then assisted Grave’s goal seven minutes later for 4-2 lead and DaSilva closed out first half scoring with his first two goals, the first on an assist from Jesse Calderon, the second on a penalty kick.

After freshman Abdulrahmen Khalid made it 7-2 on an assist from DaSilva early in the second half, Axthelm and DaSilva closed out their “hat tricks,” Axthelm on an assist from Grave and DaSilva from Valles.