Category: T-Bones

The Sioux City Explorers (52-40) used a big fifth inning bases-clearing double by Jose Sermo to help end the Kansas City T-Bones’ (52-40) five-game winning streak Sunday night in Iowa, beating KC 6-2.

The win for the Explorers pulled Sioux City into a tie with Kansas City for second place in the American Association South Division and evened the two clubs in the wild card race for a playoff spot.

Sioux City took the lead 1-0 in the first inning on an RBI single from Jeremey Hazelbaker off T-Bones starter Dylan Baker (3-5).

Carlos Sierra (8-1) held the T-Bones offense in check for the next four innings until the top of the fifth. Danny Mars reached on a single to start the frame and was followed one batter later with Ramsey Romano, who also added a base hit.

Sierra got a big second out on a pop out by Dylan Tice just a few feet inside the fence in foul territory at third. Shawn O’Malley gave the T-Bones the lead with a double down the right field line off the wall.

With KC leading 2-1, Baker came back out in the bottom of the fifth and surrendered a single from the bat of Dylan Kelly.

Baker then retired the next two on fly balls and was one out away from getting out of the inning. Nate Samson squeezed a single between a diving Ramsey Romano at third and a diving Shawn O’Malley at short.

Baker then hit Hazelbaker with a pitch to load the bases to face Jose Sermo. Sermo hit the first pitch he saw to right center for a bases-clearing double to make it 4-2 Sioux City.

Baker’s streak of four straight quality starts came to an end as he went just 5.1 before leaving the game charged with five earned runs.

In the bottom of the sixth, Sebastian Zawada hit a solo shot to make it a 5-2 lead and to chase Baker from the game. Evan Korson came into the game and would keep the game at 5-2 into the seventh.

Sioux City added a sacrifice fly RBI in the seventh from Dexture McCall to close out the scoring. Sierra worked six in the win for Sioux City, scattering five hits with six strike outs. The T-Bones could not come back against the Sioux City pen as Tyler Fallwell tossed a pair of scoreless innings while Matt Pobereyko worked a scoreless ninth to close out the game.

The two teams will play the final game of the three-game series Monday with a first pitch at 7:12 p.m. at Lewis and Clark Park in Sioux City, Iowa. The T-Bones will send right-handed pitcher Akeem Bostick (2-0, 0.81) to face right-handed pitcher Eric Karch (5-6, 5.31) for the X’s.

The game will be on the T-Bones Broadcast Network, http://mixlr.com/t-bones-baseball/. Following this series, KC will head back to Texas for a three-game series.

Tickets to all T-Bones home games are on sale online or by calling 913-328-5618 or by visiting the Saint Luke’s Box Office between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Group ticket sales are also on sale.

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The Kansas City T-Bones (52-39) returned to Sioux City, Iowa, Saturday night for a second time in seven days to start a key series with the local nine, the Sioux City Explorers (51-40).

The T-Bones unveiled some new weapons in their pursuit of a second consecutive playoff berth, but it was one of the old weapons, Dylan Tice, who helped lead the KC attack in a 9-5 win and allowed the T-Bones to take sole possession of second place in the American Association South Division.

Newly acquired left-handed pitcher T.J. House (1-0) got the starting nod and tossed six innings, giving up five earned runs on some hard luck for Kansas City.

House was in command through the first three innings and had a lead of 6-0, thanks to the T-Bones bats. In the top of the second,

Five straight Kansas City batters reach against Sioux City starter Sam Held (2-1). Christian Correa ran out an infield single with the bases loaded to give Kansas City a 1-0 lead. Danny Mars followed with an RBI single, scoring two to increase the lead to 3-0. With one out Dylan Tice launched a triple to right center field to drive in two more to make it 5-0 KC. Mason Davis added a sacrifice fly to bring home Tice, and the T-Bones were in business.

House gave up an earned run in the fourth when Dexture McCall drove in the Explorers first run of the game with a two-out single.

In the home half of the fifth, House retired the first two batters, but Sioux City loaded the bases on a single from Kyle Wren that just squeezed through the five and six hole and another single by Drew Stankiewicz. Nate Samson then reached on a swinging bunt infield single that allowed him to beat the Shawn O’Malley throw by a half step. That set the stage for Jose Sermo to clear the bases with a grand slam home run.

The T-Bones needed some insurance to hold on to a 6-5 lead into the seventh. Chris Collabello hit a single to through the right side of the infield to score two — one of the runners was Tice who scored two runs while reaching base four times in a 4-for-5 night with three RBI.

In the eighth facing right-hander Ryan Flores, Tice drove in his third run with a two-out RBI single, scoring Danny Mars for a 9-5 lead.

House worked a scoreless sixth and turned it over to Hunter Smith, who worked two scoreless innings of relief.

Carlos Diaz closed out the ninth as the T-Bones won for the fifth time in a row with a 9-5 final. House picked up the win while Held was charged with the loss for Sioux City.

The two teams played game two of the series Sunday with a first pitch at 4:12 p.m.

Following this series, KC will head back to Texas for a three-game series. The T-Bones now sit alone in second place and trail first place Cleburne by 1.5 games.

Tickets to all T-Bones home games are on sale online at www.tbonesbaseball.com or by calling 913-328-5618 or by visiting the Saint Luke’s Box Office between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Group ticket sales are also on sale.

• Story from T-Bones