Category: T-Bones

It was Salute to Sandlot Night at T-Bones Stadium Friday, with a special appearance by Chauncey Leopardi, who played Squints in the movie.

And if “The Beast” would have been on the other side of the fence, he would have had a grand feast as the T-Bones and Goldeyes hit seven baseballs out of the park.

The two teams combined for a total of 36 hits and 24 runs. Unfortunately, more of those runs were for Winnipeg as they defeated the T-Bones 13-11. The Goldeyes crushed five home runs and Kansas City chalked up two – both from Noah Perio Jr.

It didn’t begin well for Kansas City. In the first inning, Grant Heyman and Reggie Abercrombie had back-to-back singles. Josh Mazzola then gave the Goldeyes a big lead early, hitting a three-run home run over the left field fence – his 18th homer of the season.

The Goldeyes weren’t done yet though. In the second, Josh Romanski singled, then Heyman hit a long ball into the bullpen, making the score 5-0.

And it only got worse in the third inning as Blake Adams hit a solo home run to dead center, putting Winnipeg up 6-0.

Kansas City began to come back in the bottom of the fourth when Perio Jr. hit a three-run double down the right field line that scored Ryan Brett, Todd Cunningham and Colin Walsh – and cut the Goldeyes lead in half with the score 6-3. Perio Jr. then scored on a right field single by Adrian Nieto to make it 6-4 Goldeyes.

In the fifth, the T-Bones not only evened up the game but took the lead with a six-run inning. Keith Curcio and Brett singled, then Mason Davis walked to load the bases for Cunningham.

With one down, Cunningham hit into a fielder’s choice to score Curcio and make it 6-5 Winnipeg. Walsh followed with an RBI single to the shortstop that scored Brett to tie it up 6-6.

Perio Jr. then stepped in and crushed the ball deep to right field for a three-run home run that made it 9-6 Kansas City. Nieto singled to center and advanced to third on a double by newcomer Danny Hayes. Alay Lago then stepped in with a single to left to score Nieto and pad Kansas City’s lead to 10-6.

Winnipeg put one run on the board in the sixth as pinch runner Josh McAdams scored on an RBI single by Abercrombie. 10-7

The bottom of the seventh saw Perio Jr. hit his second home run of the game – a solo shot that put Kansas City up 11-7.

The eighth inning, however, was a turning point in the game as the Goldeyes scored five runs to re-gain the lead.

Romanski reached on a fielder’s choice, Heyman doubled, then Abercrombie singled to center, which scored both runners on base. An error by Curcio on a hit by Mazzola allowed Abercrombie to score. Tucker Nathans then hit a two-run home run that put Winnipeg ahead 12-11.

Winnipeg added on an insurance run in the top of the ninth when Topeka native Tyler Baker hit a solo home run over the right field wall to make it 13-11 Goldeyes.

Facts from the night:
• Perio Jr. ended the night with seven runs driven in and two home runs.
• At least one run was scored in every inning, but neither team scored in the same inning.
• Every game in the league Friday evening had seven or more runs scored by one the teams playing.
• Every player on each team had a hit except for Kansas City’s Cunningham and Winnipeg’s Andrew Sohn.
• While Winnipeg out-hit Kansas City 20-16, the Goldeyes stranded seven runners while the T-Bones only left three on base.

With the 13-11 win, Winnipeg is now 37-54 on the season and Kansas City dips to 56-33.

Kansas City will take on Winnipeg Saturday at 7:05 p.m. at T-Bones Stadium in the rubber match of the three-game series. It will be Military Aprpeciation Night, with an appearance by a renowned anthem artist.

KC will then continue its nine-game homestand with three games against Sioux City and three games versus Wichita. Saturday will feature post-game fireworks and Sunday is Bark at the Park.

Season, group tickets, mini-plans and nightly party suites are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting the box office at T-Bones Stadium. Call the box office at 913-328-5618 or purchase and print at www.tbonesbaseball.com. Box office hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday – Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

– Story from T-Bones

The Kansas City T-Bones (55-32) kept their season rolling, splitting a doubleheader with the Lincoln Saltdogs (43-45) Wednesday.

Lincoln took game one 3-1 after scoring all of their runs in the bottom of the second. In the second game of the doubleheader, the T-Bones broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the seventh, then scored three in the ninth to seal a 5-1 victory.

Game No. 1: Lincoln 3, Kansas City 1

In the first game of the doubleheader, the Saltdogs went to work in the second when Alex Glenn doubled to left, sending home three Saltdog runners. In that same inning,

T-Bones starting pitcher Hunter Adkins later stopped another bases-loaded threat by striking out Curt Smith for the third out. After two complete, KC trailed Lincoln 3-0.

In the fourth, Hunter Adkins was also able to stave off runners in scoring position by striking out Brandon Jacobs for the final out of the inning.

The T-Bones bats were a bit sleepy, only connecting for a couple of hits in the first four innings – a Noah Perio Jr. single in the second and a Keith Curcio single in the fourth.

The T-Bones started a rally in the top of the seventh when Anthony Phillips singled down the middle. The rally was helped along with some missteps from the Saltdogs defense.

While Tucker Pennell was at the plate, Phillips advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on an error by the catcher. A sacrifice fly to right by Pennell finally scored Phillips, making the score 3-1 Lincoln.

There was strong pitching from Lincoln starter Brandon Thoutt, who worked six innings, giving up no runs and only walking two as the Saltdogs went on to win, 3-1.

Game No. 2: Kansas City 5, Lincoln 1

The T-Bones scored first in the second game of the doubleheader.

Todd Cunningham led off the fourth inning with a single. He later stole second base, then Adrian Nieto crushed a ground-rule double that bounced off the left field wall and pushed Cunningham home, making it 1-0 KC.

Brandon Jacobs led off Lincoln’s half of the fourth being hit by a pitch from T-Bones starter Barrett Astin.

The Saltdogs kept the line moving, with a single and another batter being hit by a pitch. With Jacobs at third and no outs, Randolph Oduber hit into a 4-6-3 double play that gave Jacobs time to cross the plate and tie the score 1-1.

The T-Bones once again grabbed the lead in the top of the seventh.

Todd Cunningham hit a line shot to left over the head of the shortstop for an RBI double that scored Anthony Phillips. The go-ahead run gave KC their second lead of the game 2-1.

In the ninth, the T-Bones broke it wide open scoring three runs in the inning. Lead-off batter Anthony Phillips was hit by a pitch, followed by a Ryan Brett single and an intentional walk to Todd Cunningham, which loaded the bases.

Noah Perio Jr. lined toward right center and easily brought home Phillips and Brett. The stop sign went up for Cunningham, but he went past it and was caught in some run-down drama. The ball got away from the Saltdogs during the rundown and allowed Cunningham to reach home safely and increase the T-Bones lead to 5-1 over Lincoln.

And that’s where it stayed, as Cody Winiarski (2-1) came in to shut it down in the ninth, retiring all three batters and giving him his 12th save of the season.

T-Bones starter Barrett Astin (9-3) recorded the win. He had one of his best outings of the year, retiring first seven batters he faced, working six innings giving up only one hit and one run, and striking out five.

Thursday’s win, coupled with a 2-0 win Wednesday evening, resulted in the T-Bones taking the three-game series against Lincoln 2-1.

Kansas City returns home to begin wrapping up the regular season with a nine-game homestand that begins Thursday evening against the Winnipeg Goldeyes (36-53).

The game begins at 7:05 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 23, at T-Bones Stadium. It will be Throwdown Thursday, with $1.50 beers and $1.50 hot dogs.

Season, group tickets, mini-plans and nightly party suites are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting the box office at T-Bones Stadium. Call the box office at 913-328-5618 or purchase and print at www.tbonesbaseball.com. Box office hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday – Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

– Story from T-Bones