The Kansas City T-Bones wrapped up their first long road trip of the season, going 5-2 but dropping the final game of the four-game series at Sioux City 5-4 Thursday night.
Sioux City took a 1-0 lead with the ball never leaving the infield the first inning. Louis Durango scored on a fielder’s choice from Nate Samson off T-Bones starter Barrett Astin for the early lead.
Sioux City would take a 3-0 lead, scoring two more in the fourth. Dexture McCall drove one run in with a fielder’s choice to second, and the second run would score on an error by short stop Dylan Tice.
The T-Bones cut the lead to 3-1 with Tice slamming a single to right to score Dexter Kjerstad, who singled to start the inning off Sioux City starter Justin Vernia in the top of the sixth.
Sioux City came back to score another run on an RBI single from Jay Baum to get the run back in the bottom of the sixth to make it 4-1.
For the second night in a row, the T-Bones made a seventh inning comeback, but Sioux City was able to score one run in the eighth to provide the difference.
Kansas City trailed 4-1 going into the top of the seventh, but they tied the game on a three-run home run to left field by Dexter Kjerstad. It was the same spot he hit one on Tuesday night to help the T-Bones come back late in the ninth.
Julio Eusebio took over for Astin in the seventh.
Durango reached base on a one-out walk and was followed by Michael Lang. Lang lined the ball to short, and Kansas City looked to have Durango doubled up at first, but the throw was high and got away, allowing Durango to go to second.
Francisco Gracesqui walked Austin and then gave up an infield single to Nate Samson to score Durango to provide the difference.
Ryan Flores (1-0) worked 2.1 to get the win—including dodging a bases-loaded situation in the seventh— while Eusebio (0-1) was charged with the loss.
The T-Bones are 8-5 while the Explorers are now 10-4.
The T-Bones return home Friday night, June 1, for a weekend series against the Wichita Wingnuts with the first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. It will be poster night and post-game on-the-field autographs.
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