Two days after the Kansas City T-Bones set a new franchise high in wins in a season, right-hander Tommy Collier set a new single season high of 140 strikeouts, while striking out 12 Wichita Wingnuts, leading Kansas City to a 6-0 shutout win Thursday night at T-Bones Stadium in Kansas City, Kansas.
In game two of the big three-game series Kansas City needed to bounce back after the opening night loss 6-3 where they saw their wild card lead trimmed to just a half game.
They got just the recipe they needed in Collier, who tossed 6.2 shutout innings with a season-high 12 strikeouts to give the T-Bones a game and a half lead with four games to play in the season.
The offense also was able to pound out 15 hits and did not waste any time grabbing the first-inning lead.
Colin Walsh drove in Mason Davis from second with a single to left to make it 1-0 off Wingnuts starter Casey Harman in the home half of the first.
After a pair of promising innings that ended scoreless Kansas City finally got the big inning in the fourth. Alay Lago then had a single, one of his three hits on the night.
Harman then hit Anthony Phillips on the left elbow to put runners at first and second. Keith Curcio then moved the runners to second and third on a sacrifice bunt sending up the top of the order
Ryan Brett then smashed a double to left scoring both runners for a 3-0 lead. Davis followed with a single on the right side past second baseman Logan Watkins to score Brett and it was 4-0 off Harman.
In the fifth Curcio hit a blooper single just over the head of Watkins at second off Scott Kuzminsky to score Noah Perio Jr., who singled to start the inning and the lead was 5-0. Adrian Nieto hit a solo home run to right in the seventh off Kuzminsky giving the T-Bones a 6-0 cushion.
Collier was in control most of the way. He scattered three hits in the first five innings including striking out the side in the fifth. Collier at 102 pitches came back out in the seventh and he got the first two but a couple of hits for the Wingnuts forced Collier from the game.
Marcus Crescentini took over and got the final out and worked another scoreless inning. Cody Winiarski worked a 1-2-3 ninth to close out the game.
Collier has 140 strikeouts on the season, and that is one more that Johnathan Krysa had in 2004. Collier (12-3) tossed his 14th quality start and Kansas City now has a game and a half lead over Wichita with four to play. Harman (11-5) was charged with the loss for the Wingnuts. The win gives Kansas City (60-35) record and a new franchise high, while Wichita drops to (59-36).
The two teams will wrap up the series Friday night at T-Bones Stadium.
The two teams are vying for the final playoff spot in the American Association. For Wichita they are seeking their eighth straight post season spot while Kansas City seeks to end a drought dating back to 2010.
The pitching matchup will feature right-handed pitcher Seth Harvey (7-1, 2.61) going for Wichita against right-handed pitcher Barrett Astin (9-3, 5.69) for Kansas City. The game can be heard online on the T-Bones Broadcast Network.
The game can be heard online on the T-Bones Broadcast Network, http://mixlr.com/t-bones-baseball/.
Season, group tickets, mini-plans and nightly party suites are on sale and can be purchased by visiting the box office at T-Bones Stadium. Call the box office at 913-328-5618 or purchase and print at www.tbonesbaseball.com. Box office hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday – Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
– Story from T-Bones