It was back to the normal routine for the Kansas City T-Bones with the Monday doubleheader behind them Tuesday night in Wichita, Kan.
Unfortunately the team’s losing streak reached two as the Wichita Wingnuts scored two runs in each of the first three innings to take down Kansas City, 7-1.
Starter Gabe Perez was coming in off an impressive 8.1 inning performance against Salina, but the Wingnuts were ready for the right hander. Christian Stringer led off the game with a single and came home on a two-run home run from Brent Clevelen. From there Wichita never looked back the rest of the way.
In the second Perez gave up a single to Brennan Salgado to start the inning and a walk to Wes Phillips. He struck out Leo Vargas then gave up a bases clearing double to Stringer to make it 4-0 Wingnuts after two.
In the home half of the third, TJ Mittelstaedt led off with a single then stole second. Richard Prigatano then singled Mittelstaedt around and it was 5-0 Wichita. Salgado then drove in the final run of the inning on a sacrifice fly to center to give the Wingnuts the 6-0 advantage.
Kansas City had no answer at the plate against Tyler Kane, who went seven innings to get the win for Wichita. The right-hander held Kansas City to six hits on the night. The T-Bones picked up an unearned run in the sixth but that was all the damage Kansas City could muster.
Wichita picked up its final run in the sixth on an RBI single from Martin Medina to close out the scoring against Perez. Perez fell to (7-5), while Kane upped his record to (9-1). It was his third win against Kansas City this season.
The loss cut the T-Bones’ lead in the American Association Wild Card race to 1.5 games over Gary SouthShore, which won its fifth straight to stay hot on the T-Bones trail. Kansas City (47-34) trails Lincoln in the Central Division by three games. Wichita (48-33) still holds a comfortable 11.5 game lead over Cleburne in the South Division of the American Association. The two teams will play game four of their series Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m.
The game can be heard online on the T-Bones Broadcast Network. Tickets for all T-Bones games are available online or by calling 913-328-5618 or visiting in person the Providence Medical Center Box Office.
– Story from T-Bones