Saltdogs beat T-Bones, 9-2

The Lincoln Saltdogs jumped out to an early lead Thursday night and stopped the Kansas City T-Bones from recording their first sweep of the season, as Lincoln won 9-2 at Haymarket Park in Lincoln, Neb.

Lincoln scored in five of its eight at-bats in the game. That included the first inning when Curt Smith hit a two-run homerun off Kansas City starter Jordan Cooper that scored former T-Bones outfielder Robby Kuzdale, who led off the first with a walk. Kuzdale, in his first game for the Saltdogs since being released Tuesday by Kansas City, went one for four with two runs scored against his former team.

The Saltdogs added two more runs in the fifth inning. Leading 3-0 after Brandon Jacobs brought in Luis Alen with a sacrifice fly in the third, Jacobs knocked an RBI single that scored Smith, who singled earlier in the inning. The next batter, Jon Smith, lifted a sacrifice fly to left off Cooper that scored Rene Leveret. Cooper (2-2) gave up eight hits and five runs in 5 innings, and recorded his second straight loss.

Kansas City scattered six hits against Lincoln starter Shairon Martis (5-4), who didn’t allow any walks in his 7 innings, but the T-Bones didn’t get on the board until the seventh. Jake Blackwood led off the inning with a double — his ninth of the season — and scored on a single by Brandon Tierney.

The Saltdogs came back in the bottom of the seventh and all but put the game out of reach by scoring three runs off T-Bones reliever Brett Zawacki, who replaced Cooper in the sixth, and taking an 8-1 lead.

The T-Bones loaded the bases in the ninth when Blackwood, Tierney and Brett Wiley each singled — the second hit for each in the game. Blackwood scored on a sacrifice fly by Dalton Wheat for the second out of the inning but that’s the only run the T-Bones would get in the inning.

Kansas City (16-24), which won the first two games of this series, will begin a three-game homestand Friday night against St. Paul (28-13) at 7:05. Tickets are available by calling the Providence Medical Center Box Office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618.

– Story from T-Bones

T-Bones win 2-1 over Lincoln

The Kansas City T-Bones beat Lincoln Wednesday night at Haymarket Park, Lincoln, Neb., in a 2-1 final.

Lincoln starting pitcher Lindsey Caughel (3-3) had a perfect game going into the seventh inning, and then took a loss.

New T-Bone Tyson Gillies, broke-up the perfect game with one out in the seventh inning, with a bloop single to left field. Two batters later, Jake Blackwood connected on his seventh home run of the season, and gave Kansas City a 2-0 lead.

The 2-0 lead was all the T-Bones relievers needed, as Kansas City starting pitcher Lucas Daugherty pitched four scoreless innings.

Josh Tols (3-2) got the win with two-plus innings of scoreless baseball. Mark Haynes entered the eighth inning with the bases loaded and one-out, but kept the runners in place. Haynes pitched a perfect ninth, and earned his fifth save of the season.

The T-Bones (16-23) continue the three-game series with Lincoln (18-20) Thursday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35, with the action available online at www.tbonesbaseball.com/.

Upcoming T-Bones’ promotions for the Fourth of July weekend include 7:05 p.m. Friday, July 1, Superhero Night, with an appearance by the Falcon skydiving team; 7:05 p.m. Saturday, July 2, post-game fireworks; and 7:05 p.m. Sunday, July 3, Independence Day celebration, with special post-game fireworks show and an appearance by the Falcon skydiving team.

– Story from T-Bones

T-Bones beat Saltdogs, 6-1

The Kansas City T-Bones prevailed to a 6-1 win over Lincoln Tuesday night at Haymarket Park in Lincoln, Neb.

The T-Bones got exactly what they needed from Jared Messer (2-0), who pitched eight innings of one-run ball, to go with five
strike outs. Aaron Baker pitched a perfect ninth, which included two strike outs.

Tyler Massey gave Kansas City the first lead of the game, with an RBI single in the first inning, which scored newly signed Tyson Gillies. Jake Blackwood doubled the lead with his sixth home run of the season.

Kansas City led 2-1 after the first inning, scored one in the second and two more runs in the third, to race out to a 5-1 lead.

Lincoln starting pitcher Ryan O’Sullivan (1-3) pitched eight plus innings, but was charged with all six runs on eight hits.

Rookie outfielder Dalton Wheat added two hits and two RBI for Kansas City.

The T-Bones (15-22) continue the three-game series with Lincoln (18-19) Wednesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., with the action available online at www.tbonesbaseball.com.

– Story from T-Bones