Fargo-Moorhead scored in each of their final three innings and dropped the T-Bones, 4-3, Thursday afternoon at Newman Outdoor Field, Fargo, N.D., in Kansas City’s final road game of the season.
With the T-Bones holding a 3-1 going into the bottom of the seventh inning, Fargo’s Brian Humphries led off with a triple against T-Bones reliever Johnny Shuttlesworth.
Dustin Geiger tied the game on one swing, sending his 11th home run over the left-field wall, tying the game at 3-3. Shuttlesworth (3-7) got out of the jam by striking out two of the next three batters.
In the eighth inning, with the game tied, back-to-back one-out singles from Ryan Pineda and K.D. Kang put two runners on when Josh Mazzola was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Humphries grounded out but the run scored and put the RedHawks ahead, 4-3.
Kansas City had a chance in the ninth inning. Dalton Wheat led off the inning with a single. Colton Reavis entered for Fargo-Moorhead and walked Tyler Massey before giving up a single to Vladimir Frias. Reavis then retired the next three T-Bones and stranded the bases loaded.
Kansas City jumped on the RedHawks early. Brett Wiley led off the first with a single against Fargo starter Taylor Stanton (5-5). Tyson Gillies followed with a walk. Consecutive fielder’s choice grounders from Jake Blackwood and Anthony Gallas scored Wiley. Wheat dug in with two outs and lined a double that scored Gallas and gave the T-Bones a 2-0 lead.
The T-Bones added to their lead in the third when Gallas doubled with two outs and was sent home by the next batter, Wheat, putting the T-Bones ahead 3-0 after three innings.
T-Bones starter Josh Tols started hot by striking out six of the first 10 batters he faced. Tols went 5 1/3 innings, striking out seven and allowing just one hit that drove in one run. Kes Carter reached on a fielder’s choice in the sixth before Ryan Pineda drove him home with a double that put the RedHawks on the board, 3-1.
After finishing this season with an 18-32 road record, Kansas City (41-55) returns home to start its final home series with four games against Sioux Falls, starting Friday evening at 7:05. Tickets are available by calling the Providence Medical Center Box Office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618.
– Story from Matt Fulks, T-Bones