Month: July 2019

by Sophie Darting and Gabby Albertson

The Kansas City T-Bones played the rubber match of the three-game series with the Sioux Falls Canaries on Thursday, July 4.

The nation’s birthday turned into a game-winning party for 6,017 fans, as KC won the game 6-3, securing the series win.

It was another pitchers’ duel for the first part of the contest, with both teams’ pitchers matching the other and escaping jams whenever a runner happened to get on base.

T-Bones starter Henry Owens struggled with his command during the first five innings, hitting three batters and walking five. However, he buckled down, struck out five Canaries and was able to escape every jam that he found himself in, throwing four scoreless frames. Owens also forced three double plays, a new T-Bones record on the season.

Kansas City’s offense had no trouble getting men on base, but it was tricky for the T-Bones to find a way to bring them around to score, as the T-Bones left six men on base during the first four innings.

Finally, the T-Bones made it on the board first in a six-run bottom of the fifth. Daniel Nava singled, sending home Danny Mars. Then, Christopher Colabello advanced to first on an error by the shortstop, Andrew Ely, and scored Dylan Tice.

Soon after, Casey Gillaspie got a walk, scoring Nava on a wild pitch. Then, Colabello scored on an RBI-double by Shawn O’Malley. After that, Gillaspie scored on a ground out. Then, Mason Davis hit a single that scored O’Malley, ending the fifth strong.

With KC leading 6-0, Robert Calvano took over for Henry Owens in the sixth. Owens held the Canaries hitless through five. Calvano combined to hold Sioux Falls hitless over the next three innings. It took a leadoff single in the top of the ninth from Alay Lago to break up the no-hitter in the top of the ninth.

Sioux Falls fought back in the top of the ninth with Alay Lago scoring on a ground out after advancing on a balk by T-Bones pitcher Robert Calvano. Then, Clint Coulter scored on a single by Nyles Nygaard. Brett Vertigan hit a single, scoring Nygaard, making the final score 6-3.

The winning pitcher was Henry Owens (2-1) for the Kansas City T-Bones, and the losing pitcher was Taylor Hill (5-2) for the Sioux Falls Canaries. Calvano picked up his first save of the season, working three innings.

The T-Bones head to Lincoln Friday, July 5, where they play the Lincoln Saltdogs at Haymarket Park. The first game of the three-game series is set for a 7:05 p.m. first pitch. The game will be on the T-Bones Broadcast Network, http://mixlr.com/t-bones-baseball/.

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.

– Story from T-Bones