Category: T-Bones

The Kansas City T-Bones got a timely home run and solid pitching as they beat the Joplin Blasters, 4-2, on Friday night in front of 5,019 at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan.

With the T-Bones leading 1-0 in the third, Tyler Massey led off the inning with a single to left field. After he reached third on a one-out single by Jake Blackwood, Massey scored on a fielder’s choice by Steve Swingle. On that play, after Joplin got Blackwood out at second, Swingle beat out the throw to first, extending the inning.

The next batter, Brandon Tierney, hit his first home run as a T-Bone, giving Kansas City a 4-0 lead.

Joplin closed in on Kansas City’s lead in the sixth. The inning started with Geraldo Valentin’s base hit to left field off Kansas City starter David Holman.

He quickly moved to third as Charlie Valerio singled, but an error by T-Bones right fielder Starlin Rodriguez allowed Valentin to go to third.

Willie Cabrera gave the Blasters three consecutive singles in the inning as well as Joplin’s first run, as Valentin came in and made it a 4-1 game. After Will Soto grounded into a double play that moved Valerio to third, Joplin cut Kansas City’s lead in half at 4-2 with a double by Oscar Mesa.

Holman (2-1) went 5 2/3 innings for the T-Bones, scattering nine hits but allowing only the two runs. The Kansas City bullpen shut down the Blasters in the final 3 1/3. Mark Haynes picked up his second save as he allowed one hit and struck out one in the final 1 1/3 innings.

Kansas City, which snapped a three-game losing streak, started out strong in the bottom of the first inning against Joplin starter Josh Hodges (2-2). After Vladimir Frias tripled with one out, Massey sent him home on a grounder to second baseman Mitch Glasser, giving Kansas City a 1-0 lead.

The T-Bones (9-13) will continue to play host to the Blasters (8-13) on Saturday 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

The Wichita Wingnuts completed a three-game sweep over the Kansas City T-Bones with a 9-0 victory Wednesday afternoon at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.

After the leadoff batter, Tyler Urps, grounded out in the first inning, the Wingnuts had four consecutive extra-base hits starting with a triple to the right-field corner by Christian Stringer. Then, following back-to-back doubles by Zack Cox and T.J. Mittelstaedt, Dustin Geiger smashed a home run that gave Wichita a four-run lead. Brennnan Salgado followed the homer with a base hit before scoring on a fielder’s choice by Brent Dean that put the Wingnuts ahead, 5-0, before Kansas City came to the plate.

In the third inning, after Salgado was hit by pitch and Richard Prigatano singled, Dean gave Wichita an 8-0 lead with his first home run of the season. That was the final inning for Kansas City starter Casey Barnes (1-3), who gave up nine hits and the first eight runs to the Wingnuts.

Kansas City reliever Jeremy Strawn prevented further damage until the ninth inning, when Aaron Baker gave up a double to Salgado that scored Stringer, who had singled earlier in the inning, extending Wichita’s lead to nine.

The T-Bones had six hits in the game, all against Wichita starter Jon Link (3-2), who struck out six in seven innings.

Wichita completed comeback victories on both Monday and Tuesday night against the T-Bones. After winning Monday’s game in 14 innings, overcoming a four-run deficit in the ninth, Wichita erased a two-run deficit in the eighth inning on Tuesday.

The T-Bones will welcome the Joplin Blasters to CommunityAmerica Ballpark for a four-game series beginning Friday night at 7:05 p.m. Tickets are available by calling the Providence Medical Center Box Office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618.

An eighth-inning rally by the Wichita Wingnuts allowed them to complete their second comeback victory in as many nights against the Kansas City T-Bones, as Wichita won, 7-6, Tuesday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan.

Kansas City starting pitcher Jordan Cooper gave up four runs and struck out three batters in six innings, before reliever Josh Tols came in during the seventh inning with Kansas City leading 6-4.

Tols gave up a leadoff walk to Martin Medina before allowing a single from Dustin Geiger. After walking the bases loaded, Tols gave up a single to Harrison Kain, which allowed Medina to score and cut Kansas City’s lead to one. Leo Vargas then knocked in Geiger with a base hit, tying the game at 6-6.

Things started off the same for Kansas City in the top of the ninth, when reliever Evan DeLuca (0-1), walked the leadoff batter, Zack Cox, who eventually advanced to third on consecutive wild pitches. That allowed Brent Clevlen to knock in Cox with a sacrifice fly, giving Wichita the decisive 7-6 lead.

Kansas City jumped out to a quick lead, sending nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the first and coming away with three runs. Wichita, however, scored three of its own with two outs in the top of the second.

The T-Bones retook the lead in the third. After Jake Blackwood walked and Steve Swingle singled, Brett Wiley brought in Blackwood with a groundout to second, and Starlin Rodriguez knocked in Swingle. Kansas City went up 6-4 in the fourth on a leadoff home run by Tyler Massey.

Monday night, Wichita tied the game with four runs in the ninth inning before winning, 7-5, in 14 innings.

The T-Bones (8-12) will face Wichita (8-11) Wednesday morning at 11:05 for the final game of the series. Tickets are available by calling the Providence Medical Center Box Office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618.

– Story from Matt Fulks, T-Bones