by Gabby Albertson
The Kansas City T-Bones clinched the American Association Southern Division Championship Sunday night in a 13-inning thriller at T-Bones Stadium.
The T-Bones won 6-5 over the Sioux City Explorers after coming back from a 5-0 deficit. Casey Gillaspie was the hero as he hit a game-winning RBI single that scored Stewart Ijames in the 13th.
The T-Bones will play their last regular home game at T-Bones Stadium at 1:05 p.m. Monday. Tickets already are going on sale for post-season games at 7:05 p.m. Sept. 7, 5:05 p.m. Sept. 8 and 7:05 p.m. Sept 9 if necessary at T-Bones Stadium.
In Sunday’s game, the T-Bones attempted to score first as Casey Gillaspie hit a single off of X’s starting pitcher Taylor Jordan. Then, Omar Carrizales hit a single that advanced Gillaspie to third. With one out left to end the inning Ramsey Romano came up to bat, but was unable to score, leaving the inning scoreless.
Sioux City grabbed the lead in the top of the third, leaving the T-Bones in the dust when Justin Felix hit a home run, making the score 1-0.
In the top of the fourth, Sebastian Zawada hit a single for the Explorers that advanced Jeremy Hazelbaker to second and sent Nate Samson home. Then, Dylan Kelly hit a single that advanced Zawada to second and scored Hazelbaker, making the score 3-0.
The Explorers continued to dominate offensively in the fifth, starting with Kyle Wren who hit a single. Then, Drew Stankiewicz hit a double that advanced Wren to second. Shortly after, Samson hit a double that scored both Wren and Stankiewicz, extending the lead for the Explorers, 5-0.
The T-Bones made it on the board in the bottom of the fifth as Stewart Ijames hit a single, and then later Daniel Nava hit a single that advanced Ijames to third. Gillaspie then hit a single that advanced Nava to second and scored Ijames, making it 5-1.
Kansas City brought the game back to life when Ijames hit his first home field home run for the T-Bones in the bottom of the seventh, chipping their way back, 5-2.
Later, the heat got turned up to sizzle for the T-Bones when Christian Correa hit a single and then advanced to second on a fielders choice by Danny Mars. Then, Romano hit a double that scored Correa, making it 5-3 in the bottom of the eighth.
And finally, in dramatic fashion, Casey Gillaspie came to bat with two outs, crushing a two-run home run that scored Ijames and tied the game 5-5 for the T-Bones in the bottom of the ninth.
After three scoreless extra innings, Stewart Ijames advanced to first on an infield single, followed by Nava who advanced on a hit-by-a-pitch. Then again, Casey Gillaspie was the hero as he hit a game-winning RBI single that scored Ijames, and the T-Bones walked it off division champions, 6-5.
The winning pitcher was Evan Korson (3-1) for the Kansas City T-Bones, and the losing pitcher was Ryan Flores (3-3) for the Sioux City Explorers.
Attendance at Sunday’s game was 4,593.
Monday’s game will be carried on the T-Bones Broadcast Network, http://mixlr.com/t-bones-baseball/.
For ticket information, call 913-328-5618 or visit the Saint Luke’s Box Office between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
- Story from T-Bones