Category: T-Bones

Byron Wiley had a career night for the T-Bones, falling a double short of the cycle in an 8-5 Kansas City win over Laredo in front of 5,564 at CommunityAmerica Ballpark on Friday night.

Wiley hit a three-run home run in the fourth and tied the game, and then an RBI triple in the sixth that gave Kansas City the lead, and the T-Bones never looked back.

The game started poorly for the T-Bones, however, as the Lemurs and their high-powered offense got off to a quick start against Kansas City starter Rick Zagone, who struggled in his previous start, last weekend at Laredo.

With one out in the second inning, Gerardo Avila singled and Angel Flores walked before Josh Scheffert shot a single up the middle, scoring Avila. Nick Van Stratten later singled in the inning, scoring Flores and pushing the Laredo advantage to 2-0. Travis Denker tacked on another run in the third, blasting his league-leading 13th home run over the left field wall.

Kansas City finally got to Laredo starter Tyler Pearson in the fourth, when David Espinosa led off the inning with a single and Danny Richar walked. Wiley then tied the game with one swing, knocking a 3-1 pitch over the left field wall for his third home run of the season.

Wiley was back at it in the sixth, shooting an RBI triple to right field that scored Richar, who opened the inning with a walk. Wiley then came home on a wild pitch by Seth Lintz, who had come on in relief of Pearson. Brian Erie appeared to hit into an inning-ending double play following a walk by T.J. Mittelstaedt and a Vladimir Frias single, but the relay throw skipped by first baseman John Alonso’s glove and allowed Mittelstaedt to come around and score, extending Kansas City’s lead to 6-3.

Both clubs scored two more runs apiece, but Kansas City came away with the victory. Zagone picked up his fifth win of the season for Kansas City, tossing six strong innings. Pearson took the loss for Laredo (4-3). Kris Regas picked up his seventh save.

With the win, Kansas City climbs back to .500 at 17-17, while Laredo falls to 17-16. The T-Bones continue the three-game series with Laredo 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 T-Bones

It took 10 innings and a squeeze bunt by the last batter in the lineup, but the T-Bones came away with a 7-6 victory over Sioux City in the rubber match Thursday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan.

Darrell Hudson sparked the extra-inning thriller with a leadoff double in the bottom of the 10th. He was moved over to third by a Brian Erie sacrifice bunt. That’s when Robby Kuzdale, the ninth hitter in Kansas City’s lineup, placed a perfect suicide squeeze bunt toward first, scoring Hudson.

Sioux City jumped on starter Pat Doyle early taking a 1-0 lead in the first. Andres Perez singled a one-out chopper toward short and was brought home two batters later when Nate Samson sneaked a single past shortstop.

Kansas City answered in the home half of the first. David Espinosa sliced a one-out triple into right center and was brought home on a single by Byron Wiley.

The T-Bones got to starter Kohei Tsukada in the second. Kuzdale was hit by a pitch following T.J. Mittelstaedt and Erie singles loading the bases for Bryan Sabatella, who lined a two-RBI single to center. Kuzdale would eventually score on a balk by Tsukada and Sabatella capped the four-run inning when he scored on a single by Espinosa.

Doyle surrendered the four-run lead in the top of the third. He gave up a one-out solo home run to Tommy Mendonca which spiraled a chaotic inning. A throwing error by Mittelstaedt and a wild pitch on Doyle’s second strikeout kept the Explorers in it long enough to string three consecutive singles together and even the score at 5-5.

With the win, the T-Bones now have a 16-17 record. They kick off a three-game series at home against Laredo on Friday night at 7:05. Tickets are available by calling the Providence Medical Center Box Office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618.

Box score: http://www.pointstreak.com/baseball/boxscoretext.html?gameid=177827

– Story from T-Bones

Kansas City scored five runs in the eighth inning, including three off a bases-loaded triple by Danny Richar, and beat Sioux City 8-5 in front of 5,641 Wednesday at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan.

Sioux City, protecting a 4-3 lead in the eighth, brought in former major leaguer Alex Burnett for only his second appearance in 2014. He gave up five runs on four hits, including a triple with the bases loaded by Richar, that blew things open for Kansas City, giving the T-Bones an 8-4 advantage.

Kansas City had the lead early. The second inning started harmlessly enough for Sioux City starter John Straka, retiring Richar and Nick Schwaner in order. But Darrell Hudson and Danny Masiello then drew back-to-back walks before Robby Kuzdale lined an RBI double off shortstop Nate Samson’s glove and into left field, scoring Hudson. Bryan Sabatella then legged out an RBI infield single that scored Masiello and extended the Kansas City lead to 2-0.

Sioux City responded in the fourth. Andres Perez opened the inning with a single and Rene Tosoni followed with a booming double that carried over Sabatella’s outstretched glove in right field and rolled to the wall. Samson then struck an RBI double of his own that scored Perez and Tosoni and evened the score at 2-2. Samson advanced to third, tagging on a fly ball and scoring on an RBI groundout by Peter Barrows that gave Sioux City the lead.

The Explorer lead was short-lived, however, as the T-Bones answered the following inning. Richar stroked a leadoff double into centerfield and came around to score on an RBI single off the bat of Vladimir Frias, tying the game at 3-3.

Perez finally broke the tie in the eighth for the Explorers with a solo home run off Kansas City reliever Jared Messer, knocking it off the “fair pole” in left field. The T-Bones then followed with a five-run frame, taking the lead and never looking back. Kris Regas (2-1), who entered the game in the eighth, picked up the win for Kansas City. Burnett (1-1) took the loss.

Kansas City climbs to 15-17 with the win, while Sioux City falls to 12-21, tied for the worst record in the league. The T-Bones and Explorers conclude their series Thursday night at 7:05. Tickets are available by calling the Providence Medical Center Box Office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618.

Box score: http://www.pointstreak.com/baseball/boxscoretext.html?gameid=177822

– Story from Matt Fulks, T-Bones