Category: T-Bones

Following an afternoon-long downpour, it was questionable whether the Kansas City T-Bones would actually play Friday night.

After seven and a half innings, it was questionable whether they would actually win Friday night. The weather did hold off and Kansas City came from behind with three runs in the eighth inning, on the way to winning the series opener over the Lincoln Saltdogs Friday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kansas.

Right-hander Calvin Drummond got the season started on the mound for the T-Bones. He held Lincoln scoreless until early in the third inning, when Cesar Valera gave the Saltdogs a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Brent Dean.

Lincoln added to the lead in the fourth when Randolph Oduber hit a single RBI to left field to bring Curt Smith home putting the Saltdogs up 2-0.

T-Bones right-hander Kamakani Usui relieved Drummond with two outs and the bases loaded in the fourth and retired Lincoln’s Chris Garia off a fly ball to right field to keep the score at 2-0. Both teams remained deadlocked until the home half eighth inning when the T-Bones began their comeback.

Brett Wiley led off the inning on a four pitch walk from reliever Zac Person. Patrick Brady followed with a flyout to center for the first out of the inning. Christian Correa then singled to right to put runners at first and second. Wiley moved to third on a wild pitch and then Eddie Newton stepped up and delivered an RBI single to make it 2-1 Lincoln.

This prompted the Saltdogs to bring in right-hander Josh Laxer. Following a wild pitch, Correa moved the runners up to second and third.

Marcus Lemon drove in the game tying and winning runs with a single just beyond second base, scoring both runners and giving Kansas City a 3-2 lead.

To keep the Saltdogs at bay, Cody Winiarski threw a quick 1-2-3 ninth inning to secure the win and earn the save for Kansas City’s home opener.

This marked Joe Calfapietra’s first game as manager of the T-Bones. He was previously the manager of the New Jersey Jackals for 14 years. Under his reign, the Jackals reached the league championship series from 2011 to 2015 for five consecutive seasons. He is the sixth general manager in Kansas City’s history. This game also marked the celebration of the T-Bones’15th season.

The T-Bones will continue the 2017 opening series against Lincoln Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. at home. Post-game fireworks are planned along with special military pricing on tickets.

Tickets are available online, by calling 913-328-5618 or by visiting in person the Providence Medical Center Box Office.

– Story from T-Bones

With the Kansas City T-Bones scheduled to begin their 15th anniversary season on Friday night against Lincoln at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kansas, manager Joe Calfapietra has announced his opening day roster with the league maximum of 23 active players.

The team will feature 22 new players who were not members of the club last season. The team will open with 12 pitchers headlined by former Chicago White Sox and Liberty, Mo native Scott Carroll.

He is joined by fellow righties Jeff Walters, Grant Sides and Myles Smith, who all have AAA experience under their belts.

Four members of the staff have AA experience in right-handers Aaron Brooks, Calvin Drummond, Chris Perry and Cody Winiarski.

The roster includes three pitchers classified as rookies in the American Association, in lefty Rich Mascheri, righties Luis Paula and Kamakani Usui. Gabe Perez a right-hander from Puerta Plata, Dominican Republic, rounds out the pitching staff for Kansas City.

The position players are led by the lone returning T-Bone infielder Brett Wiley. Wiley, is one of four position players with AAA experience for Kansas City joined by infielder/outfielder Patrick Brady, outfielder Marcus Lemon and first baseman-DH Kevin Keyes.

The catching duo will include Leo Rojas and newly signed Christian Correa, of the Houston Astros organization. Correa began this season with Buis Creek in the High A Carolina League for Houston.

The roster includes two players, who played for new manager Joe Calfapietra last season at New Jersey in the CAN-AM League in outfielder Daniel Rockett and infielder Eddie Newton.

Joe Jackson, who began camp as a catcher, will move to the outfield and join the speedy Omar Garcia to round out the active roster.

The team will open with infielder Jordan Edgerton on the disabled list and right-handed pitcher Stephen Johnson on the inactive list.

The T-Bones traded left-handed pitcher Mark McCoy to Sussex County of the CAN-AM League for a player to be named to reach the 23-man active roster limit for opening day.

The T-Bones open the 2017 regular season at home on Friday night May 19 against Lincoln at 7:05 p.m. Tickets are available online or by calling 913-328-5618 or visiting in person the Providence Medical Center Box Office.

– Story from T-Bones

On a breezy and beautiful Monday evening, the Kansas City T-Bones defeated the Winnipeg Goldeyes, 3-1 in their final exhibition game of the 2017 season at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kansas.

The T-Bones’ trend of grabbing the early lead throughout the first three innings ended when Goldeyes’ shortstop Andrew Sohn hit a homerun off right-handed pitcher Jeff Walters, giving Winnipeg the early 1-0 lead.

That lead didn’t last too long; after a long offensive drought, catcher Joe Jackson got the T-Bones going with a double in the bottom of the fifth inning. Advancing to third with a steal, shortstop Brett Wiley then sent Jackson home to give the T-Bones their first run of the evening and tie the game 1-1.

The T-Bones got the momentum rolling in the bottom of the sixth when Kevin Keyes hit a two-run home run down the left field line, bringing Marcus Lemon home to give the T-Bones their first lead of the night 3-1.

The Kansas City bullpen retired the next 10 batters to help seal the win. With the win the T-Bones finished the preseason schedule at 4-2.

The T-Bones batted in the bottom of the ninth despite leading in the game to allow Winnipeg to get some extra work in for their pitching staff. Kevin Keyes hit his second home run of the night, a deep blast to center field clearing the bullpen off Victor Capellan to make the score an unofficial 5-1.

The T-Bones will open the 2017 regular season at home on May 19 against Lincoln. Tickets are available online, by calling 913-328-5618 or by visiting in person the Providence Medical Center Box Office.

Story from T-Bones