Category: T-Bones

The Kansas City T-Bones gave up a late run to Wichita on Thursday night, resulting in a 5-4 loss to the Wingnuts at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in Wichita.

In the eighth, with the game tied at 4-4, Wichita scored what would be the winning run. Josh Tols struck out lead-off batter Brent Clevlen, but Clevelen reached on a dropped third strike by catcher Tyler Moore.

Tols (5-4) then walked former Kansas City teammate T.J. Mittelstaedt and gave up a single to Matt Chavez, loading the bases. Martin Medina sent a fly to left field that was deep enough to score Clevlen and give the Wingnuts a 5-4 lead. Tols limited the damage by striking out the next two Wingnuts.

Kansas City, which tied the game with a run in the top of the seventh, was retired in order by Wichita closer Frankie Reed. The 18th save of the season for Reed, who’s now tied for second-most saves in the league, didn’t start off easily, as Dalton Wheat battled for a 10-pitch at-bat before grounding out for the first out.

The Wingnuts jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first against T-Bones starter Sean Furney, when Christian Stringer led off the inning with a single and the next batter, Zack Cox, hit his 11th home run of the season. The T-Bones tied it over the next two innings, though, when Starlin Rodriguez led off the second with a home run, and Brett Wiley knocked in Tyler Massey with a base hit in the third.

Kansas City took a 3-2 lead in the fourth after Rodriguez led off with a base hit and went to third on a single by Moore, Sergio Leon gave the T-Bones the lead with a sacrifice fly to left that brought in Rodriguez.

Wichita took the lead in the bottom of the fifth when Stringer doubled with two outs and then Furney issued back-to-back walks to Cox and Clevelen. Mittelstaedt then singled to right, bringing home Stringer and Cox, and giving the Wingnuts a 4-3 lead. Furney allowed four runs on six hits with four walks in 4 2/3 innings.

Kansas City answered in the seventh, tying the game at 4-4. Wheat and Wiley led off the inning with back-to-back singles. With one out, Anthony Gallas drove Wheat home with an RBI double, but the T-Bones stranded two after Rodriguez struck out and Vladimir Frias flied out. The T-Bones left nine runners on base in the game.

Kansas City (38-45), which lost three of four to Wichita, returns to CommunityAmerica Ballpark for a six-game home stand that starts Friday evening at 7:05 against the Texas AirHogs (28-55). Tickets are available by calling the Providence Medical Center Box Office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618.

– Story from Matt Fulks, T-Bones

The T-Bones lost on a walk-off two-run home run to the Wichita Wingnuts, 7-6, in the bottom of the ninth Wednesday night at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in Wichita.

Kansas City, which had led since the top of the first inning, had turned to All-Star closer Mark Haynes in the eighth, clinging to a 6-5 lead.

Haynes (3-2) ended the inning by striking out Leo Vargas, stranding the tying run at third. In the ninth, however, with Christian Stringer on first following a lead-off single, Zack Cox sent his 10th home run of the season over the right field wall for the win.

The T-Bones took an early 1-0 lead against Wichita starter Anthony Capra. With one out, Dalton Wheat walked before Brett Wiley knocked him in with a double.

Kansas City added to its lead in the second. After back-to-back singles from Vladimir Frias and Tyler Moore opened the inning, Tyler Massey brought them home with a double, extending the T-Bones’ lead to 3-0.

In the fourth inning, Capra walked five batters, bringing home two more runs for Kansas City.

Capra walked eight T-Bones in his 3 2/3 innings, and the Wichita bullpen added three more throughout the rest of the game. That helped lead to Kansas City stranding 15 men on base.

The T-Bones’ commanding 5-0 lead was short-lived, as the Wingnuts began cutting into it in the bottom of the fourth.

After Stringer singled, Brent Clevlen singled, putting two on for former T-Bones player T.J. Mittelstaedt. He sent a ball to center field but Massey lost the ball in the lights, which allowed the ball to drop and get away from him. Mittelstaedt chugged around the bases for his second inside-the-park home run in as many nights, cutting the T-Bones lead to 5-3.

Each team added a run on a sacrifice fly. Wichita’s came in the bottom of the fifth, when Brennan Salgado scored on a fly ball by Stringer. A half-inning later, Frias’ fly ball brought in Anthony Gallas, giving Kansas City a 6-4 lead. Wichita inched closer, though, in the seventh. Stringer reached on a fielder’s choice before Clevlen drove him in with an RBI single to right field.

Frankie Reed came in for the ninth for Wichita and kept the T-Bones from adding to their one-run lead. Reed (5-3) sent the top of the T-Bones’ lineup down in order with two fly outs and a groundout.

Kansas City (38-44) concludes its four-game series at Wichita (51-31) Thursday night at 7:05. The action can be heard at TBonesBaseball.com.

– Story from Matt Fulks, T-Bones

Kansas City smashed three home runs in the second game of a doubleheader against Wichita, salvaging the twin-bill with a 6-3 win on Tuesday night at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in Wichita.

The T-Bones got started early in the first inning. With one out Dalton Wheat singled and was followed by a walk from Brett Wiley, putting two on for Jake Blackwood, who smashed a three-run home run over the left field fence, his 13th of the season. Blackwood went 3-for-4 with one run scored and three RBIs in the nightcap.

The offense did not stop at there. Leading 3-1 in the second inning, newly-signed Nolan Johnson reached base thanks to a dropped fly ball from former T-Bones player T.J. Mittlestaedt in center. Johnson came around to score when Wheat grounded into a double play.

The very next inning, Anthony Gallas launched a solo homer over the left field fence, his 14th of the season. He was immediately followed by Starlin Rodriguez’s fourth home run of the year, a solo shot that put the T-Bones ahead 6-1.

T-Bones starter Josh Hodges gave up three earned runs but held the Wingnuts in check for the most part. Hodges (4-6) pitched 6 innings and gave up eight hits with seven strikeouts and no walks. Mark Haynes (15) came in to pitch the seventh and pitched masterfully in his 1 inning of work. Haynes allowed one walk and struck out one, and shut the door on the Wingnuts.

In the first game, Wichita snapped Kansas City’s seven-game winning streak with a 3-0 win behind starter Jesse Pratt, who allowed only one runner in scoring position through his 5 innings of work. In the third inning, Tyler Massey doubled with two outs and was followed by a Tyson Gillies walk. Wiley, however, flew out to left and ended the threat. Pratt (5-2) allowed three hits and two walks while striking out five. Frankie Reed (17) induced three straight fly outs in the seventh for the save.

Christian Stringer began the bottom of the first with a double off Kansas City starter Jordan Cooper. Two batters later, Mittlestaedt sent a shot to centerfield that bounced past Massey. Mittlestaedt came around for a two-run inside-the-park home run that gave Wichita a lead it wouldn’t lose. Cooper (3-4) gave up six hits and three runs with three strikeouts in 6 innings.

Kansas City (38-43) continues the four-game series at Wichita (50-31) with game three Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. All of the action can be heard at TBonesBaseball.com.

– Story from Matt Fulks, T-Bones