T-Bones starting pitcher Lucas Daugherty had a rough professional debut Friday night as he gave up eight early runs to Fargo-Moorhead in Kansas City’s 13-4 loss to the RedHawks at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.
The RedHawks jumped on Daugherty, who graduated this spring from Mount Vernon Nazarene University, in the top of the first and didn’t look back. With one out, Daugherty walked Ryan Wagner before giving up a two-run home run to Keury De La Cruz. Two batters later, after walking Josh Mazzola, Daugherty gave up a two-run homer to K.D. Kang, which put the RedHawks up 4-0.
Fargo-Moorhead sent nine to the plate in the third inning and added four more runs against Daugherty. De La Cruz singled, stole second base and reached third on a wild pitch before the next batter, Mazzola, lifted a sacrifice fly to center field. The RedHawks loaded the bases with a walk to Kang, a single by Brian Humphries and a walk to Luke Bailey. Kes Carter then knocked in two more runs with a single to center. Fargo-Moorhead scored one more time in the inning on a sacrifice fly by Bryan Johns, making it an 8-0 game.
Offensively, the T-Bones didn’t have an answer for the RedHawks’ rookie pitcher, Will Solomon, who was making his first professional start. Kansas City didn’t get to Solomon until scoring three runs in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Solomon walked Tyler Moore, and Starlin Rodriguez reached first on an error by Solomon. After Tyler Massey was hit by a pitch, Jake Blackwood blooped a bases-clearing double to left, bringing the score to 8-3.
The RedHawks strengthened their lead to 13-3 with three more runs in the seventh and then two in the eighth on a two-run home run by Mazzola.
Daugherty (0-1) gave up six hits, four walks and eight runs in 2 1/3 innings. Solomon (1-0) gave up three unearned runs and five hits in 6 innings.
The T-Bones (14-20) will continue to play host to the Fargo-Moorhead (18-15) on 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 Matt Fulks, T-Bones