Category: T-Bones

The Kansas City T-Bones faced rain and the Cleburne Railroaders in the final game of the series but weathered the storm to win in exciting walk-off fashion 6-5.

Both teams struggled to get started with a scoreless first three innings. At the bottom of the third the skies opened up and sent both teams running for the dugout. After a 36-minute rain delay both teams returned to the field wet and ready to go.

The Railroaders got the first runs of the afternoon.

A base hit by veteran Rafael Palmeiro off Kansas City’s starting pitcher Tommy Collier kicked off the top of the fourth and was soon followed by a home run by Levi Scott that sent him and Palmeiro’s runner Chevy Clarke home.

Palmeiro’s son and teammate, Patrick, would have even better luck than his father in the following inning by hitting a two-run home run that would score him and Trevor Sealey.

In the bottom of the fifth the T-Bones heated up and finally put up their first runs of the game.

Nick Torres hit a ground-rule double to score Mason Davis for a single RBI off left-handed pitcher Michael Gunn. Torres then scored on an RBI single off the bat of Zach Walters. Dexter Kjerstad doubled, sending Zach Walters home and making the score 4-3.

In the seventh, Torres singled to left field, followed by another single by Kjerstad deep into right field that sent Torres to third. A fielder’s choice sent Keith Curcio to first and allowed Torres to score, tying the game 4-4.

The Railroaders answered the T-Bones in the eighth by scoring a run of their own. An RBI single by Alex Polston scored Cameron Monger and gave them the lead once again 5-4. That lead was short-lived as the T-Bones scored later that inning with a single RBI from Dylan Tice to score Angel Rosa tying the game again.

The game went into the tenth, with Cleburne not able to score in the top of the inning.

Tice, who leads the league in hits, then smashed a triple to left field off the Railroaders relief pitcher Shawn Blackwell. Cleburne elected to walk Todd Cunningham, who leads the league with a .397 average, to put runners at the corners.

Torres then hit a sacrifice fly to left field to send Tice home and give Kansas City a 6-5 win.

Kansas City’s starting pitcher Tommy Collier worked seven innings, giving up four runs, three earned, resulting in no decision.

Sam Street and Francisco Gracesqui both came in for relief. Joe Filemeno (2-1) who came in for the tenth is credited with the win.

The Railroaders’ starting pitcher Micheal Gunn kept four consecutive innings scoreless. He was replaced late in the fifth by Will Mathis. Relief pitching was also given by Cortland Cox and Shawn Blackwell. Blackwell (2-4) is credited with the loss.

With Sunday’s win, Kansas City improves to 21-13 on the season while Cleburne dropped to 12-22. The T-Bones continue their home stand at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday against the Lincoln Saltdogs.

Season, group, mini-plans and nightly party suites are on sale 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 won their fifth straight Saturday evening, beating the Cleburne Railroaders 5-4 in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 6,180 at T-Bones Stadium.

Like Friday evening, the Railroaders started off with an active first inning, scoring two runs on four hits with a pair of RBIs from the Palmeiro father-and-son combo.

First, Patrick Palmeiro brought in K.C. Huth with a sac fly to right field, followed by Trevor Sealey scoring on a Rafael Palmeiro single to center field.

The RBI by Veteran Rafael Palmeiro was his eighth run batted in this season, proving the 53-year-old can play with those 30 years younger than he. Rafael Palmeiro went into tonight’s game, his 18th of the season, batting a cool .279.

In the top of the second, the Railroaders boosted their lead to 4-0 with a well-hit single to the left center field gap by Trevor Sealey that scored Alex Polston and K.C. Huth.

But the T-Bones would only wait an inning to begin their assault on Cleburne, with a two-run bottom of the second.

Dexter Kjerstad started with a lead-off single, and the next batter, Keith Curcio, was hit by a pitch, moving Kjerstad to second. Kjerstad then advanced to third on a wild pitch to Adrian Nieto.

Tucker Pennell lined the ball to the shortstop and was thrown out at first, but the play allowed Kjerstad to score for the T-Bones first run of the game. Curcio added to the board, scoring from third on a wild pitch to Mason Davis.

In the third, another multiple-run bottom of the inning saw the T-Bones take over the lead thanks to rough pitching from the Railroaders’ starting pitcher Patrick Young.

Tice started it off with a walk, then moved to second on a wild pitch to Todd Cunningham. As if déjà vu, the next batter Cunningham walked and then advanced on a wild pitch, putting runners in scoring position. Tice went on to score when Nick Torres hit a fielder’s choice to the third baseman.

Zach Walters then singled and advanced to second on an error by the center fielder, which allowed Cunningham to score for the fourth, and game-tying, run of the game. The T-Bones took over the lead, with two outs, when an RBI double to the right field corner by Keith Curcio scored Walters from second, making the score 5-4.

Kansas City’s starting pitcher James Buckelew held Cleburne scoreless from the third through the fifth innings and earned the win. Hunter Adkins came in the top of the seventh, followed with relief pitching from Francisco Gracesqui and Carlos Diaz.

The Railroaders sent their height to the mound, with 6-7 starting pitcher Patrick Young and 6-8 relief pitcher Josh Hodges coming in the top of the seventh, but their stature was no match for Kansas City’s bats. Young is recorded with the loss.

Season, group, mini-plans and nightly party suites are on sale 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 rallied back from a 4-0 hole in the first inning, scoring seven unanswered runs to stun Rafael Palmeiro and the Cleburne Railroaders with a final score of 7-4 in Kansas City Friday night at T-Bones Stadium.

After a rough first inning, the T-Bones pitching staff tossed eight scoreless innings to secure the win for Kansas City.

In the top of the first, the Railroaders offense was scorching hot, taking an early 4-0 lead. Two back-to-back singles by K.C. Huth and Trevor Sealey put runners at first and second for Cleburne.

Rafael Palmeiro walked in his first at-bat, loading the bases for Levi Scott. Scott hit the third single of the inning, driving in Huth from second. Cameron Monger hit a double that scored Palmeiro and Scott, putting the Railroaders up 3-0. Michael Pair added another run by hitting a two-out single to right field that scored Monger.

The T-Bones were resilient, scoring four runs of their own in the bottom half of the first. After a quick first out by Dylan Tice, Todd Cunningham and Nick Torres each hit singles to start the Kansas City scoring threat.

Dexter Kjerstad sliced a well-hit ball to left field that scored Cunningham from second. Keith Curcio drilled a base-clearing three-run home run to even the score.

After an offensive frenzy in the first, the T-Bones and Railroaders were tied at four heading into the second inning.

In the third, the T-Bones tacked on another run, taking their first lead of the game. Curcio walked, then stole second, before scoring on a single to left field by Adrian Nieto putting the T-Bones ahead 5-4.

Two insurance runs by Cunningham in the eighth and another dominate bullpen performance by the T-Bones secured a 7-4 win in Kansas City.

Starting pitching was an issue for both teams tonight. Barrett Astin pitched six innings, giving up eight hits and four earned runs.

After a shaky first inning, Astin (4-1) settled down throwing five scoreless innings, and he was credited as the winning pitcher. After being given a four-run cushion in the first inning, Patrick Mincey allowed 10 hits and five earned runs in six innings pitched. Mincey (0-3) is credited as the losing pitcher.

The T-Bones have won four straight games, improving to 19-13 and now a season-high six games over .500 on the season.

Kansas City moves to a half-game back of the second place Wichita Wingnuts in the South Division. Cleburne falls to 12-20 after losing their third straight game. They are currently in fifth place in the South Division standings.

Kansas City continues a three-game series with Cleburne at 7:05 p.m. Saturday, June 23, at T-Bones Stadium. The game will be on the T-Bones Broadcast Network, http://mixlr.com/t-bones-baseball/.

Individual tickets, season, group, mini-plans and nightly party suites are on sale and can be purchased by visiting the box office at T-Bones Stadium or www.tbonesbaseball.com . Call the box office at 913-328-5618. 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