Category: T-Bones

The T-Bones were able to hold off a ninth-inning rally by the Lincoln Saltdogs, taking an 8-7 victory Monday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan.

The T-Bones held a comfortable 8-2 lead entering the ninth inning, before Rene Leveret started the Saltdogs’ rally with a lead-off single. Leveret advanced to second on a wild pitch from reliever Evan DeLuca. Austin Darby followed up with a single to left field, moving Leveret to third.

After DeLuca got Dainer Moreira to fly out and Ryan Wiggins to strike out, back-to-back throwing errors by third baseman Jimmy Mojica on grounders by Robby Kuzdale and Tyler Urps allowed three runs to score, cutting Kansas City’s lead to 8-5. A Brandon Jacobs double was followed by a bloop single by Curt Smith over the head of second baseman Brett Wiley, bringing the go-ahead run to the plate with a runner at first. Mark Haynes (14) relieved DeLuca and walked pinch-hitter Jon Smith before retiring Leveret on a fly ball, ending the game.

After taking an early 2-0 lead in the second, the T-Bones distanced themselves from Lincoln in the fourth by adding six additional runs. Dalton Wheat led off the inning with a walk.

After Vladimir Frias flied out to center, three straight singles from Steve Swingle, Brett Wiley and Jimmy Mojica scored two runs for Kansas City. Jake Blackwood reached base on a fielder’s choice before a throwing error by third baseman Luis Alen allowed Wiley to score. Anthony Gallas followed with a triple, scoring both Blackwood and Mojica. A sacrifice fly by Tyler Massey scored Gallas, giving the T-Bones an 8-0 lead.

Sean Furney made his return to the Kansas City rotation in his first appearance since June 18. Furney, who’d been on the disabled list, gave up one hit and struck out one batter in 2 innings. David Holman (4-4) gave up eight hits and two runs in 4 innings.

Lincoln starting pitcher Jeff McKenzie (5-4) gave up nine hits, eight runs and three walks in 4 innings.

Kansas City (31-42) will continue its series against Lincoln (40-33) at CommunityAmerica Ballpark Tuesday night 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

Kansas City took Sioux City 11 innings Sunday afternoon but ultimately fell, 5-4, after a bases loaded infield single at Lewis and Clark Park in Sioux City, Iowa.

With the game tied at 4-4, T-Bones reliever Johnny Shuttlesworth allowed a lead-off double to Tim Colwell in the bottom of the 11th. After Ino Patron sacrificed Colwell to second, Shuttlesworth (3-5) walked the next two batters — one intentionally to load the bases — with one out.

Bryan Johns stepped in and found himself behind in the count before hitting a dribbler back to the mound. Third baseman Jimmy Mojica charged and threw home but the throw brought T-Bones catcher Steve Swingle off the plate, giving the Explorers’ the 5-4 victory.

Kansas City went into the ninth inning trailing the Explorers 4-3. Sioux City closer Connor Overton came in for the ninth one day after taking the loss to the T-Bones.

Brett Wiley and Mojica led off with a walk and a single. With Tyler Massey batting, a wild pitch advanced both runners to second and third. After Massey struck out, Jake Blackwood sent a fly ball to left field that scored Wiley on the sacrifice fly, his sixth RBI of the series, tying the game at 4-4.

The T-Bones threatened in the 10th, putting two runners on against Sioux City reliever Hobbs Johnson. Starlin Rodriguez walked but was tagged out after Vladimir Frias grounded into a fielder’s’ choice. Frias was picked off for the third out. Johnson (1-1) stayed in the for the 11th and allowed one baserunner but also picked him, giving the Explorers a chance in the bottom half of the inning.

Kansas City’s offense came alive in the sixth. Trailing 4-1, with Massey on first after a lead-off walk, Anthony Gallas smashed his 12th home run of the season, pulling the T-Bones to within striking distance at 4-3.

In the eighth the T-Bones threatened but could not capitalize with the bases loaded. Gallas hit a one out double, and was followed by Tyson Gillies, who slapped a single that advanced Gallas to third. Rodriguez stepped in but popped out to Patron who made a nice play by reaching over the T-Bones dugout railing. After Frias loaded the bases by walking, Swingle struck out swinging. The T-Bones stranded 10 runners in the game.

Kansas City (30-42) returns to CommunityAmerica Ballpark for a seven game home stand that starts Monday evening at 7:05 against the Lincoln Saltdogs. 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 scored five runs in the final two innings and beat the Sioux City Explorers in 10 innings, 6-3, Saturday night at Lewis and Clark Park in Sioux City, Iowa.

After Sioux City broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the eighth inning with two runs, Tyler Massey led off the ninth for the T-Bones against reliever Connor Overton with a lead-off double.

Overton (5-1) forced the next two batters to fly out before Jimmy Mojica launched the first pitch of his at-bat over the left field wall, tying the game at 3-3. That was Mojica’s first home run since 2014. The runs were equally rare for Overton, who’d given up only four runs in 28 appearances this season, and only one run in his last 15 appearances.

Mark Haynes shut the Explorers down in the ninth and pushed the game to extra innings. In the 10th Kansas City kept the momentum. Overton hit the lead-off batter, Steve Swingle, with a pitch before Vladimir Frias sacrificed and reached on an error by Sioux City third baseman Tom Mendonca. Brett Wiley then hit the ball off the wall in left field and scored Starlin Rodriguez, who pinch ran for Swingle.

Kansas City added insurance runs, though. After Tyson Gillies reached on a single that loaded the bases, Jake Blackwood brought two in with a single, giving him five RBIs in this series, and extending the T-Bones lead to 6-3.

Haynes (2-1) was tasked with shutting down the Explorers in the bottom of the 10th. A walk to Nate Samson was his only mistake in the inning, but it was sandwiched between two strikeouts.

Josh Hodges got the start for Kansas City and was in a pitching duel with Sioux City starter Bryan Escanio. Hodges went 7 1/3, allowing seven hits, three runs and striking out five. Escanio found similar success going 7 with four hits and one run surrendered. He struck out five, also.

This victory ends the T-Bones’ losing streak at seven games, which was the club’s longest since August 2015.

Kansas City (30-41) concludes the four-game series with Sioux City (36-36) Sunday afternoon at 2, before returning home for a seven-game homestand. All of the action can be heard at TBonesBaseball.com.

– Story from Matt Fulks, T-Bones