Category: T-Bones

For a second consecutive night, the T-Bones put together a late rally, this time using it to beat the Laredo Lemurs, 5-3, in the series opener Thursday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan. It’s Kansas City’s fourth consecutive win.

The T-Bones took the lead in the eighth inning, breaking a 3-3 tie. After Laredo reliever Kamakani Usui walked Tyson Gillies, Starlin Rodriguez got his second hit of the night. A sacrifice bunt by Vladimir Frias advanced the two runners.

Pinch-hitter Dalton Wheat then gave Kansas City the 4-3 lead when he grounded a ball to shortstop Alvaro Rondon, whose throw to home was too late to get a diving Gillies.

Usui, trying to intentionally walk the next batter, Tyler Massey, threw the first pitch over the head of catcher Jesus Posso, which allowed Rodriguez to score and give Kansas City the 5-3 lead.

With the game scoreless in the fourth inning, the Lemurs took the lead against Kansas City starter Josh Hodges. Hodges, who went 6 innings, walked Denis Phipps before facing Zane Chavez, who doubled to deep center field and sent Phipps home.

Three batters later, after Massey made a terrific diving catch on a fly ball by J.D. Pulfer, Posso hit a home run to left, extending Laredo’s lead to 3-0.

Frias led off the fifth inning with a home run to right-center that put Kansas City on the board. Massey followed with a double and advanced to third on a fly-out by Jimmy Mojica. Brett Wiley then doubled and got his 38th RBI as Massey scored, cutting into Laredo’s lead, 3-2.

The T-Bones tied the game 3-3 in the sixth as Anthony Gallas hit the team’s second lead-off home run of the night.

Josh Tols (5-3) faced the minimum in the seventh and eighth innings, holding the Lemurs at three runs, before Tyler Ybarra picked up his first save of the season, working around two singles in the ninth.

On Wednesday night, Kansas City scored three runs in the eighth and then got a walk-off homer in the ninth by Gillies en route to a 4-3 win over Lincoln.

The T-Bones (34-42) will continue to play host to the Laredo Lemurs (43-34) on Friday night at 7:05. Tickets are available by calling the Providence Medical Center Box Office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618.

– Story from Matt Fulks, T-Bones

A walk-off homerun by Tyson Gillies in the ninth inning lifted the Kansas City T-Bones over the Lincoln Saltdogs, 4-3, Wednesday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan.

Kansas City tied the game in the bottom of the eighth, overcoming a 3-0 deficit. Vladimir Frias led off the inning with a single off reliever Stephen Shackleford. Shackleford then sandwiched a walk to Tyler Massey with strikeouts to Steve Swingle and Jimmy Mojica.

With two outs and runners at first and second, Brett Wiley singled to center field, scoring Frias and advancing Massey to third. Jake Blackwood roped an opposite field single to right field that scored Massey from third and Wiley from first, and tied the game at 3-3.

After Kansas City closer Mark Haynes (3-1) worked around a bases loaded jam in the top of the ninth, Gillies jumped on the second pitch he saw from Lincoln closer Evan Reed, and launched it to right center for his first home run since July 26. It was also the first home run given up by Reed this season in 31 innings.

With the win, the T-Bones have their first three-game winning streak of the season, and their first sweep since Aug. 24-26 of last season.

Rene Leveret gave Lincoln its first lead of the series with a solo homer in the second inning off Kansas City starter Jordan Cooper. With two outs in the next inning, Cooper hit Brandon Jacobs before Curt Smith hit a two-run home run that extended Lincoln’s lead to 3-0.

It seemed that might be enough for Lincoln starter Ryan O’Sullivan, who cruised through 7 innings, allowing only three hits and walking two.

Cooper gave up three runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings before giving way to Tyler Ybarra, who allowed one hit in 1 1/3 innings.

Kansas City (32-42) will open up a four-game series against Laredo (43-33) Thursday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:05 p.m. Tickets are available by calling the Providence Medical Center Box Office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618.
– Story from Matt Fulks, T-Bones

Mike Kickham threw eight shutout innings as the Kansas City T-Bones shut out the Lincoln Saltdogs, 8-0, Tuesday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan.

After struggling in his last outing, Kickham (3-2) returned to dominance Tuesday night. He struck out nine batters, gave up seven hits and no walks in 8 innings.

Kansas City’s offense helped Kickham with a six-run sixth inning in which 10 T-Bones went to the plate. With one out and the T-Bones leading 2-0 already, Tyson Gillies followed an Anthony Gallas single with a double to left field. Lincoln starting pitcher Graham Johnson (5-4) loaded the bases after intentionally walking Dalton Wheat.

Johnson then walked Vladimir Frias on a full count, which scored Gallas. Tyler Moore added another run with a single to right field, scoring Gillies. After Tyler Massey struck out swinging, Jimmy Mojica added a two-run single that scored both Wheat and Frias.

The next batter, Brett Wiley, topped off the inning with a two-run double that brought in Moore and Mojica, giving Kansas City the 8-0 lead.

The T-Bones took the early 2-0 lead after scoring runs in the third and fourth inning. With one out in the third, Frias bunted for an infield single before stealing second base. Massey recorded the RBI with a single to left field that scored Frias. Singles in the fourth by Blackwood and Gillies were followed by a fielders’ choice from Wheat, scoring Blackwood.

Johnson gave up 10 hits, eight runs and three walks in 6 innings. Five hits and six runs came in the sixth inning.

Tuesday night’s shut out in front of 4,016 fans was Kansas City’s first since June 29th at Lincoln, where the T-Bones took a 2-0 victory.

Kansas City (32-42) will look to sweep Lincoln (40-34) Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. Tickets are available by calling the Providence Medical Center Box Office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618.

– Story from Matt Fulks, T-Bones