After a heavy dose of rain in the metro area the last 24 hours all it took was “chamber of commerce weather” and the normal Kansas City T-Bones recipe for success to help end a two-game losing streak.
The T-Bones beat the Cleburne Railroaders 9-4 Tuesday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kansas.
The first part of that recipe was the long ball. Kevin Keyes launched his league-leading 24th home run in the bottom of the first off Dylan Mouzakes, a two-run shot to right, to make it 2-0 Kansas City. Keyes added a pair of RBIs to his team-leading 77 total, good for second in the American Association.
Cleburne got a solo shot of its own in the top of the third from Maikol Gonzalez off Billy Waltrip to cut the lead to 2-1. Cedric Hunter answered on the first pitch of the home half of the third with a solo blast to right, and it was 3-1 Kansas City.
Billy Waltrip continued to struggle for Kansas City in his third start since being acquired from Texas in a trade on Aug. 11. In the fourth he gave up a single to Pichi Balet and a one-out walk to Blake Grant-Parks. Waltrip got the second out on a strikeout of Hunter Courson but Cleburne did not waste the opportunity.
Alex Polston doubled to right to get one run home to cut the lead to 3-2. Jackson Lowery came into the game and issued a pair of wild pitches to tie it up and eventually give Cleburne the 4-3 lead.
The T-Bones then came back and took the lead in the bottom of the inning. Zane Chavez and Jordan Edgerton each got on base with a single, then Chantz Mack tied the game with an RBI single at 4-4. With runners at the corners, Cedric Hunter then hit a sacrifice fly to left to give the T-Bones the lead.
In the fifth Cedric Hunter had a big two-out single to center to score a pair and give Kansas City some breathing room at 8-4. Chantz Mack had a single in the sixth to make it 9-4 in favor of Kansas City but that was as close as the Railroaders would get.
The bullpen, which has been the other big constant this season, retired 10 straight and was in lockdown mode once Kansas City got the lead. The pen allowed just two hits and held the Railroaders in check, getting the win.
Dylan Mouzakes (6-7) was charged with the loss while Jackson Lowery (2-1) got the win for Kansas City.
The win ended a two-game losing streak for Kansas City and kept the team a half-game back in the American Association Wild Card race. Gary still has the lead followed by Kansas City and Fargo-Moorhead.
The two teams play game two of the three game series at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. Right-handed pitcher Patrick Mincey (8-7, 3.33) will take the mound for Cleburne while right-handed pitcher Alex Blackford (0-1, 4.50) will go for Kansas City.
Tickets are available online, by calling 913-328-5618 or by visiting in person the Providence Medical Center Box Office.
– Story from T-Bones