Category: Sports

T-Bones rally, win in extras


The T-Bones rallied to a 4-3 victory in 10 innings against Grand Prairie Thursday night in front of 5,514 fans at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan.

Down 3-2 in the ninth, Bryan Sabatella slapped a leadoff single to left off Grand Prairie closer Dakota Watts (0-2) and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Vladimir Frias.

Nick Schwaner then grounded out, advancing Sabatella to third before Brian Erie shot a single to right field that scored Sabatella and tied the game at 3-3.

David Espinosa tripled with one out in the 10th and Danny Richar lifted a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Espinosa and won the game, salvaging the three-game series.

Kansas City had jumped out to an early advantage on Grand Prairie starter Aaron Wilkerson in the second inning.

Sabatella walked and Frias doubled before Schwaner knocked an RBI single into left field, scoring Sabatella. Erie later reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Frias and extended the Kansas City lead to 2-0.

Trailing 2-1 in the sixth, Grand Prairie took the lead courtesy of a two-out, bases-loaded double by Madison Carter that scored Abel Nieves and Brian Myrow.

Vince DiFazio, who was at first on the hit, was thrown out by Frias after over-running third, which ended the inning, but not before the AirHogs had taken a 3-2 lead that stood until the bottom of the ninth.

Kris Regas (4-1) pitched 3 innings and picked up the win for the T-Bones.

With the win, the T-Bones move to 26-27 on the season, while the AirHogs fall to 21-31. Kansas City begins a three-game series at St. Paul (27-23) Friday night at 7:05 p.m. The game can be heard on 1660-AM or online at tbonesbaseball.com.

Box score: http://www.pointstreak.com/baseball/boxscore.html?gameid=177948

– Story from T-Bones

T-Bones acquire veteran Sadler

Ray Sadler

The Kansas City T-Bones announced they have acquired veteran outfielder Ray Sadler from Winnipeg to complete an earlier trade between the two clubs.

Sadler, 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, is no stranger to the T-Bones. Spending all or parts of the last four seasons, 2010-13, with Kansas City, Sadler holds several career and single-season offensive records for the club, including career home runs (71), career RBIs (268), career extra-base hits (147), single-season RBIs (100 in 2011), and games played in a season (100 in ’11).

The T-Bones traded Sadler to Winnipeg on July 2, 2013, for a player to be determined. With the Goldeyes this season, Sadler is batting .235 with 47 hits, 10 home runs, 31 RBIs and eight stolen bases in 50 games. Wednesday night, Sadler went 1-for-3 with a home run in Winnipeg’s 9-2 loss to Sioux City.

The Chicago Cubs drafted Sadler, a native of Clifton, Texas, in the 30th round in 1999. He has spent time at nearly every level of professional baseball, including three games in the major leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2005. Besides the Cubs and Pirates, he’s played in the Houston and Tampa Bay organizations, also.

Sadler is scheduled to be in uniform tonight for the T-Bones against Grand Prairie at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan. First pitch is 7:05.

To make room for Sadler, the T-Bones placed Byron Wiley on irrevocable waivers for the purpose of giving him his unconditional release.
– Story from T-Bones

Two Sporting KC Academy alumni selected to MLS Homegrown Game roster

Sporting Kansas City Academy products Jon Kempin and Erik Palmer-Brown were named to the 20-player roster for the 2014 Chipotle MLS Homegrown Game.

The inaugural event will feature the League’s top Homegrown players against the Portland Timbers U-23s on Aug. 4 at Providence Park in Portland, Oregon, as part of the festivities leading up to the 2014 AT&T MLS All-Star Game.

Kempin is currently on loan with USL PRO affiliate OKC Energy FC for its inaugural season and has five shutouts and 37 saves with a 1.38 goals against average in 13 games played.

The 21-year-old goalkeeper was Sporting Kansas City’s first Homegrown player upon signing in 2010 at age 17 and is now in his fifth professional season. Kempin made his competitive debut for Sporting KC during the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and made 34 saves in nine games while on loan with USL PRO champions Orlando City SC in 2013.

A Leawood, Kan., native, Kempin was a member of the U.S. Soccer Under-17 Residency Program at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida and has extensive experience for the United States at the Youth National Team level. He most recently joined the United States Under-21 Men’s National Team in April and has also trained with the U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team.

“It’s a huge honor to be named to this roster and a huge honor to represent your hometown team,” Kempin said. “I’ve been blessed with that opportunity as a Homegrown player and I look forward to continuing to represent Kansas City for many years to come.”

Palmer-Brown became the youngest signing in club history at age 16 in August 2013 and is the youngest active player in Major League Soccer. The Lee’s Summit, Missouri native has logged five appearances for Sporting Kansas City in all competition in 2014 and made his professional debut in May, becoming the youngest player in MLS history to start a regular season match as a defender.

Also a product of the U.S. Soccer Residency Program, Palmer-Brown represented the United States at the Under-15, Under-17 and Under-18 levels in 2013 en route to being named one of five finalists for U.S. Soccer’s Young Male Athlete of the Year. He most recently was a member of the U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team that finished runners-up at the 2014 Dallas Cup in April.

“It’s a privilege to play in the inaugural Chipotle MLS Homegrown Game,” Palmer-Brown said. “There are many great Homegrown players in Major League Soccer and I look forward to playing alongside them in Portland.”

The 2014 Chipotle MLS Homegrown Game will kick off at 9 p.m. on Aug. 4 and will be streamed live on WatchESPN and MLSsoccer.com. MLS Director of Player Programs Alfonso Mondelo will coach the Homegrown team.
– Story from Sporting KC