Month: August 2018

Sioux City clinches south division title; T-Bones still in playoff hunt

The Kansas City T-Bones went into Monday night’s game looking to eclipse their all-time franchise win record, which they tied Sunday at 58 wins.

Meanwhile, Sioux City was looking to lock up the Southern Division title. In the end, it was Sioux City whose ambitions became reality as they defeated Kansas City 14-5 at T-Bones Stadium in Kansas City, Kansas.

A pair of two-run home runs and a late-game three-run homer for Sioux City helped fuel the fire. Noah Perio Jr. hit a two-run shot for the T-Bones, but it wasn’t enough to keep Kansas City’s early-game 5-1 lead from slipping away.

The Explorers grabbed a run in the top of the first on an RBI single to right by Jose Sermo that scored Luis Durango. But the T-Bones answered with one in the bottom of the first when Todd Cunningham reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Ryan Brett.

It was tied 1-1 going into the bottom of the third when the T-Bones went to town.

Kansas City got the go-ahead run when Mason Davis singled to right field and Keith Curcio was able to score on an error by the right fielder. Colin Walsh had an RBI single to center field that brought home Davis to make it 3-1 KC.

Then, Perio Jr., who was just named as the American Association’s Pointstreak Player of the Week, slammed a two-run home run out of the park to make it 5-1 in favor of the T-Bones.

In the top of the fifth, two runs came home for Sioux City when Daniel Jackson hit a long ball that edged in on the T-Bones lead by making the score 5-3.

Eleven batters made it to the plate for the Explorers in the top of the sixth as Sioux City came back to gain a lead, scoring six runs.

Nate Samson led off with a single, then Jose Sermo hit a two-run homer to left to even things up 5-5. Sioux City then got their first lead of the game when an RBI single by Dylan Kelly brought in Dean Green to make it 6-5 Explorers.

With runners on the corners and two out, Luis Durango drove the ball into right center which brought home Blake Schmit and Sioux City’s seventh run of the game. But before Kansas City could get out of the inning, Samson drove in a pair of runs on a single to give the Explorers a 9-5 advantage.

In the top of the ninth, newcomer Robert Calvano took the mound for KC, walking a man, advancing another on a hit by pitch, and walking another to load the bases. He then walked another to push home a run. Schmit scored on a sacrifice fly by Durango to make it 11-5. Then, a three-run home run by Michael Lang sealed it up at 14-5.

Kansas City wasn’t able to put any more runs on the board and the game ended 14-5. Hunter Adkins (6-6, 3.96) gets the loss for Kansas City, having worked 5.1 innings, giving up eight runs on ten hits. Justin Vernia (12-1, 3.20) is recorded with the win for Sioux City.

The T-Bones (58-33) look to decide the winner of the three-game series against Sioux City (67-26) Tuesday. It’s a rare day game, beginning at 11:05 a.m.

Season, group tickets, mini-plans and nightly party suites are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting the box office at T-Bones Stadium. Call the box office at 913-328-5618 or purchase and print at www.tbonesbaseball.com. Box office hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday – Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

– Story from T-Bones

Former Colyer campaign official backs Orman over Kobach

Greg Orman, an independent candidate for governor, with running mate state Sen. John Doll. (File photo, Kansas News Service)

by Stephen Koranda, Kansas News Service

Gov. Jeff Colyer lost a nail-biter Republican primary for governor to Secretary of Kris Kobach and quickly backed the man who beat him.

At least one key member of his campaign, however, moved on Monday to jump ship from the party’s nominee.

Colyer campaign chairman and longtime former Kansas Farm Bureau president Steve Baccus threw his support to independent candidate Greg Orman.

Baccus’ move marks a public defection from Colyer’s efforts to rally party regulars behind Kobach, and it’s a strategy to bring Colyer supporters to the Orman campaign.

“I made it clear when I joined Gov. Colyer’s campaign,” Baccus said in a statement, “that I believed Kansas needed a leader who was committed to the state.”

Baccus cited Orman’s business experience and the agricultural roots of his running mate, state Sen. John Doll.

Kobach is outspoken and sometimes controversial, billing himself as a “full-throttled conservative.”

Orman said he’s hoping to build a wide coalition, and he’s working to attract Republicans who are put off by what he calls Kobach’s “extreme” policies.

“I hope that all Kansans who are concerned about those policies take a hard look at my campaign,” Orman said in a phone interview. “I think when they do, they’ll realize that we are the best choice to move the state of Kansas forward.”

Baccus and Orman were campaigning Monday after the announcement. Baccus said his decision was driven by policies, not Kobach’s style.

“I’ve been involved with politics long enough that I prefer not to get personal about it,” Baccus said in a phone interview. “If you’re worried about where this state is, worried about rural Kansas, take a look at Greg Orman.”

The Kansas Farm Bureau endorsed Colyer in the primary but has not yet backed anyone in the general election.

Colyer came out in support of Kobach after the primary and he doubled down on that Monday.

“While Steve can certainly campaign for whoever he likes,” Colyer said in a statement, “I have made my support for Republican candidate Kris Kobach very clear and encourage all Republicans to rally around our nominee.”

Kobach characterized the endorsement as political insiders sticking together.

“Our campaign to fight special interests, bring good-paying jobs to hard-working Kansans, and fix Topeka is not going to be popular with the special-interest crowd,” he said. “I’m OK with that.”

Democratic state Sen. Laura Kelly rounds out the high-profile candidates in the race for Kansas governor.

Stephen Koranda is Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio, a partner in the Kansas News Service. Follow him on Twitter @kprkoranda.
Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished at no cost with proper attribution and a link back to the original post.
See more at http://www.kcur.org/post/former-colyer-campaign-official-backs-orman-over-kobach-kansas-governor-race.