Bougher stalls T-Bones bats

The T-Bones failed to get their offense going yet again off Gary SouthShore starter Stephen Bougher, as they fell 8-1 in front of 5,395 fans at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan., on Friday night.

Bougher is now 3-0 against the T-Bones in four starts. Kansas City managed to get only one run off six hits in 6 innings off Bougher (7-5).

Gary SouthShore jumped on T-Bones starter Joe Van Meter out of the gates. Following back-to-back singles starting the game off, Ryan Babineau flew out to left bringing in Danny Pulfer from third.

Kansas City answered back with their lone run in the bottom of the fourth. With one on and two out, Bryan Sabatella sliced an RBI single toward second that scored Matt Padgett, who led off the inning with a walk. That base hit for Sabatella — one of his two in the game — extended his hitting streak to nine games.

After tacking on one in the fifth, the RailCats poured it on in the sixth when they scored three runs off four hits, forcing Kansas City to reach into their bullpen. Babineau drove in his second run of the evening with an RBI double into left-center.

Van Meter (0-1) allowed four runs off five hits and struck out seven batters over the course of 5 innings on the mound. His replacement, Hamilton Bennett, gave up four runs and four hits in 1 1/3 innings.

With the loss the T-Bones fall to 37-46, while the RailCats improve to 44-40. Game two of the three-game series is scheduled for Saturday evening at 7:05. Tickets are available by calling the Providence Medical Center Box Office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618.

Box score: http://www.pointstreak.com/baseball/boxscoretext.html?gameid=178148
– Story from T-Bones

T-Bones lose to Amarillo

Amarillo, Texas – The T-Bones held two leads Thursday night, but it was Amarillo taking the three-game series with a 7-4 win.

It was déjà vu for Kansas City, which scored first six out of the seven games in Texas, but claimed just one win. Thursday night was no different, as Kansas City scored two runs in the top of the first to take an early 2-0 lead off of Amarillo starting pitcher Anthony Figliolia. Danny Richar singled with one out and scored on an RBI triple from Ray Sadler. The next batter, Nick Schwaner got an RBI infield single that gave the T-Bones an early — albeit short-lived — lead.

The Sox rebounded with a run against Kansas City starting pitcher Andy Noga in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Derrek Perren doubled and was driven home by Andres Rodriguez. Amarillo took the lead in the bottom of the second with two runs as the first four batters reached in the inning (three singles and a walk).

The T-Bones, down 3-2 in the third inning, tied the game at 3-3 with Matt Padgett’s second home run of the season. They took their last lead of the night in the next inning when Robby Kuzdale knocked in Vladimir Frias and gave Kansas City a 4-3 advantage.

Amarillo re-took the lead and chased Noga (2-5) out of the game in the fourth with another two-run inning. Noga allowed five earned runs and seven hits over 3 1/3 innings. Kansas City used three relievers to pitch the remaining 4 2/3 innings.

Amarillo pitcher Kristhiam Linares, who started the season with Kansas City, pitched 1 1/3 innings in relief of starter Anthony Figliolia, and got the win for the Sox.

After going 1-6 during this Texas trip, the T-Bones (37-45) return home for a six-game homestand beginning Friday night against Gary SouthShore at 7:05. For tickets, call the Providence Medical Center Box Office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618.

Box score: http://www.pointstreak.com/baseball/boxscoretext.html?gameid=178142

– Story from T-Bones

Messer sharp as T-Bones snap streak

Amarillo, Texas – Kansas City used a strong start from pitcher Jared Messer as it snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over Amarillo on Wednesday night.

The T-Bones got on the board first with a two-run fourth inning. Matt Padgett scored the first run off a wild pitch from Amarillo starting pitcher Clayton Tanner (2-2), and Bryan Sabatella grounded out to the shortstop Kyle Bellows, allowing Ray Sadler to score and giving the T-Bones a 2-0 lead.

In the fifth inning, Kansas City used two doubles from Brian Erie and T.J. Mittelstaedt to take a 3-0 lead.

That’s all Messer needed. Making just his second professional start, Messer gave up only one run and five hits, struck out seven and didn’t allow a walk in 7 innings.

Amarillo finally was able to break through against Messer in the bottom of the fifth, when the Sox scratched across their only run of the night courtesy of Gerardo Valentin’s RBI single that scored Jason Martin from second base.

T-Bones closer Kris Regas battled through the final 1 1/3 innings, but slammed the door for his 17th save of the season.

The win breaks a seven-game losing streak, which was the longest since the club lost eight in a row early in the 2011 season.

The T-Bones (37-44) look to win the series outright Thursday night against Amarillo (29-51), with first pitch scheduled for 7:05.

Box score: http://www.pointstreak.com/baseball/boxscoretext.html?gameid=178135
– Story from T-Bones