Month: July 2019

T-Bones outlast Goldeyes in 14-inning midnight special

by Sophie Darting

It took 14 innings, but the Kansas City T-Bones were able to fend off the Winnipeg Goldeyes long enough to win the game, 4-3, at JustBats field at T-Bones Stadium in front of 4,181 fans, including Patrick Mahomes Sr. and his son Patrick Mahomes Jr.

The T-Bones (30-27) attempted to score first in the bottom of the first when Danny Mars hit a single to first base, then advanced to second on an out by Dylan Tice. However, no one brought him home to score.

Later, the Goldeyes (31-26) tried to fight back when Willy Garcia hit a triple, but he got out as he attempted to run home later in the top of the second.

Winnipeg got on the board first in the top of the fifth. Reggie Abercrombie hit a two-run home run off starter Jose Mesa Jr. (0-0), scoring Dominic Ficociello, and making it 2-0.

However, after struggling to put runners on base against Winnipeg starter Joel Seddon (2-3), the T-Bones got the bats going in the bottom of the fifth.

Christian Correa got the inning started with a laser up the middle for a base hit. Mason Davis followed with a double to right field that advanced Correa to third and brought Ramsey Romano to the plate. Romano singled to left, driving in Correa and putting the T-Bones on the board.

Danny Mars and Dylan Tice then drew back-to-back walks, with Tice’s walk bringing Davis home and tying the game at two runs apiece. Shawn O’Malley brought the go-ahead run home with a sacrifice fly to make it a 3-2 T-Bones advantage.

The lead didn’t last long. Winnipeg continued to attack Mesa Jr. when James Harris doubled in the top of the sixth and was brought home on a single by Willy Garcia to tie the game. Garcia’s single also knocked Mesa Jr. out of the game and brought in Evan Korson (0-0).

The score remained knotted at three and would send the game into extra innings until the 14th inning. The T-Bones’ bullpen and above-average defense kept them in the game long enough to give the offense an opportunity to score and win the game.

The bottom of the 14th inning started just before midnight, and the T-Bones needed to score in order to avoid postponing the end of the game until Saturday owing to league curfew.

It started with Mitchell Aker (1-2) walking Daniel Nava, and Christian Correa followed up with a just-fair double to left field to give Kansas City runners on second and third with only one out. After Mason Davis was intentionally walked, and then Ramsey Romano stepped up to the plate. Romano shot a dribbler to the third baseman for an infield hit, and Nava was able to come around and score the winning run.

After throwing two scoreless frames, Robert Calvano (1-2) was awarded the win, and Aker was awarded the loss for the Goldeyes.

The T-Bones and Goldeyes will continue the series with game two at 7:05 p.m. Saturday, July 20. The game will be on the T-Bones Broadcast Network at http://mixlr.com/t-bones-baseball/ with a first pitch of 7:05 p.m. It will be First Responders’ Night with post-game fireworks.

Single game tickets 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. Promotional events are at www.tbonesbaseball.com.

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Sporting KC faces FC Dallas tonight in KCK

Winners of two straight matches, Sporting Kansas City (6-7-7, 25 points) will look to continue their upward surge this Saturday when FC Dallas (8-8-5, 29 points) visits Children’s Mercy Park for a pivotal Western Conference battle at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets for the matchup between MLS charter members remain available at SeatGeek.com, and the first 7,500 fans through the stadium gates will receive a free pair of sunglasses.

FOX Sports Kansas City Plus, FOX Sports Midwest Plus and FOX Sports GO will provide three hours of live matchday coverage beginning at 7 p.m., while Sports Radio 810 WHB and ESPN Deportes KC 1480 AM will air live radio broadcasts. The Final Whistle postgame show will also air immediately afterward on 810 WHB.

Supporters are encouraged to arrive early as former Kansas City great and current U.S. Men’s National Team assistant coach Josh Wolff will be inducted into the Sporting Legends hall of honor during a pre-match ceremony.

The annual Sporting KC Media Game will also take place at halftime, featuring media members from across the Kansas City area.

Sporting approaches Saturday with newfound confidence, having notched both back-to-back wins and consecutive shutouts for the first time this season.

Last weekend’s 3-0 road triumph over Vancouver Whitecaps FC was headlined by Gerso Fernandes, who was involved in all three goals.

In addition to assisting Felipe Gutierrez’s team-best eighth goal of 2019, Gerso struck in the 90th minute and forced an early own goal from Whitecaps defender Ali Adnan. Between the posts, goalkeeper Tim Melia passed Jimmy Nielsen as the winningest goalkeeper in club history with his 58th career regular season victory.

A slew of injuries through the first four months of 2019 have put Sporting’s depth to the test, but manager Peter Vermes’ side enters Saturday with a much-improved bill of health. Long-term absentees Jaylin Lindsey and Rodney Wallace are the only names on the latest injury report, meaning influential midfielder Roger Espinoza could be in line for a highly anticipated return after missing the last three months due to a knee ailment.

Despite an improved injury outlook, Sporting will still have to account for a notable absence in the center of the park as midfielder Ilie Sanchez will serve a one-game suspension for caution accumulation. Ilie has appeared in all 27 competitive matches this season and in all but one of Sporting’s 108 competitive matches since the start of 2017. The suspension will end his streak of 80 straight appearances in all competitions, which began in August 2017.

Four points ahead of ninth-place Sporting and two points above the playoff line in the West, FC Dallas will aim to bounce back from a dramatic 1-0 loss to Minnesota United FC last Saturday at Allianz Field.

Mason Toye scored in stoppage time for the hosts before Minnesota goalkeeper Vito Mannone saved Reto Ziegler’s penalty kick in the dying seconds to preserve the Loons’ win and condemn FC Dallas to their eighth loss of 2019.

Led by first-year head coach Luchi Gonzalez, the club’s former academy director, FC Dallas are 0-5-1 in their last six away games and have yet to earn a road clean sheet this season.

The Texas outfit is 2-7-1 away from home and last prevailed on their travels with an impressive 2-0 result at reigning MLS Cup champion Atlanta United FC on April 20. Dominique Badji and 18-year-old Academy product Jesus Ferreira are tied for the team lead with five goals, while midfielder Michael Barrios is tied for third in MLS with seven primary assists.

FC Dallas took the field on Wednesday for an international friendly versus Spanish club Sevilla FC at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. Sevilla emerged 3-1 winners in a game where most of Dallas’ starters featured for the first 45 minutes-including Badji, Barrios, Ziegler and emerging American talents Reggie Cannon and Paxton Pomykal.

Sporting is 8-1-2 in its last 11 home meetings with FC Dallas across all competitions, scoring 28 goals and conceding 10. FC Dallas went winless in 10 straight trips to Children’s Mercy Park across all competitions from 2012-2018 before winning 3-2 last July behind a Barrios hat-trick.

Vermes’ men won two of three meetings against Dallas last season in all competitions, including a 3-2 thriller in the 2018 U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 that saw Yohan Croizet bag a breathtaking late volley that eventually won Sporting KC Goal of the Year honors.

The sides would later meet on the penultimate weekend of the 2018 regular season in Frisco, when Sporting struck through Espinoza, Daniel Salloi and Johnny Russell to claim a momentous 3-0 triumph.

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Excessive heat warning in effect until 8 p.m. tonight; rain possible on Sunday

Today, temperatures could reach 98, with a heat index of 107. An excessive heat warning is in effect until 8 p.m. (National Weather Service graphic)
Strong storms and rain are possible after 1 a.m. (National Weather Service graphic)
Strong storms are possible Sunday in Wyandotte County. (National Weather Service graphic)

The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning in effect for Wyandotte County until 8 p.m. Saturday.

Temperatures could reach 98 today, with a heat index as high as 107, according to the weather service. There is relief in sight, with rain in the forecast for Sunday morning.

The weather service said dangerously high temperatures and humidity today could quickly cause heat stress or heat stroke if precautions are not taken. The very young, the elderly, those without air conditioning and those participating in strenuous outdoor activities will be the most susceptible, according to the weather service.

Car interiors can reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes, the weather service said. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles. Always check the back seat before exiting the vehicle.

Heat illnesses are likely. Residents are advised to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun and check up on relatives and neighbors, according to the weather service.

Cooling centers are available, and include local libraries, YMCAs, Salvation Army locations and recreation buildings.

For a list of cooling centers open today in Wyandotte County and the hours they are open, visit https://wyandotteonline.com/salvation-army-ymcas-open-cooling-shelters-today/ or https://www.facebook.com/notes/kansas-city-kansas-unified-government/cooling-centers-spray-parks-and-pools/3422385014453781/.

Today, it will be sunny and hot, with a high near 98 and heat index as high as 107, the weather service said. A south wind of 14 mph will gust as high as 20 mph.

Tonight, there is a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 a.m., according to the weather service. It will be partly cloudy, with a low of 77 and a south wind of 9 to 11 mph.

Sunday, there is a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 10 a.m., the weather service said. The high will be near 90 with a heat index as high as 96. Between a tenth and quarter-inch of rain is possible.

Sunday night, there is a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a low of 67 and a northeast wind of 6 mph, according to the weather service. Between a quarter and half-inch of rain is possible.

Monday, it will be mostly cloudy, then sunny, with a high near 81 and a north northeast wind of 6 to 9 mph, the weather service said.

Monday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 61, according to the weather service.