by Sophie Darting
The rubber match of the series between the Kansas City T-Bones and the Sioux City Explorers was a dogfight, with both teams playing for the series victory. In the end, the Explorers broke the T-Bones’ hearts when they stunned them for three runs in the top of the ninth to steal the game and the series away from Kansas City.
Kansas City (15-16) hurler Erik Manoah (1-0) was shaky to begin the first inning, allowing a leadoff walk to Kyle Wren that would eventually come around to score off of a wild pitch, a stolen base, and an RBI-ground out by Nate Samson to give Sioux City (17-17) a 1-0 lead.
The T-Bones made it a new ballgame in the bottom of the first when Dylan Tice took a one-out walk, and then Casey Gillaspie drove him in with a double down the right field line to even the score.
After throwing a scoreless frame in the second, Manoah ran into trouble again in the top of the third. A two-run shot by Wren and a solo home run by Samson gave the Explorers a three-run lead, 4-1.
Sioux City starting pitcher Eric Karch (0-3) settled down after allowing an earned run in the first inning, and he went on to pitch four scoreless innings before the T-Bones got to him for a second time.
A one-out walk to Gillaspie was followed by a ground-rule double to center by Taylor Sparks. After Shawn O’Malley walked to load the bases, the T-Bones offense was back in business.
Forresst Allday hit a double into the gap in center field that cleared the bases and tied the game at four runs each.
The game remained tied until the top of the ninth inning, when Kansas City sent reliever Nathan Foriest (0-1) to the mound. The inning started out harmless, with a leadoff single by Jose Sermo off the first pitch that he saw. Then a series of back-to-back-to-back walks allowed the Explorers to score the go-ahead run, while still having the bases loaded and nobody out.
Robert Calvano (0-2) came in to relieve Foriest and forced a double play that allowed another run to cross the plate and Sioux City padded their lead on an RBI double by Dylan Kelly that put them up 7-4.
The T-Bones found themselves down three runs with only three outs remaining and the bottom of the order batting. Kansas City was unable to get a man on base in the bottom of the ninth, and fell to Sioux City in the series finale.
The Kansas City T-Bones will play host to the Cleburne Railroaders in a three-game series starting at 7:05 p.m. Friday, June 21.
Full and half-season 2019 ticket packages as well as mini plans are on sale online or by calling 913-328-5618 or by visiting the Saint Luke’s Box Office between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Group ticket sales are also on sale.
