The Kansas City T-Bones (42-30) outlasted the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks (40-32) in a see-saw affair finishing 6-4 Monday night at Newman Outdoor stadium, Fargo, N.D.
Chantz Mack got the T-Bones on the board in the second inning with a solo home run for a 1-0 lead, but Fargo fought back for a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning on a bases-loaded walk and an RBI single from Trever Adams off Kansas City starter Calvin Drummond.
The T-Bones came back and tied the game on an RBI single from Kevin Keyes in the top of the fifth inning. The T-Bones tried to score two on the play with Marcus Lemon thrown out at the plate for out number two and Keyes doubled up at second after reaching first.
The RedHawks grabbed the lead back the fifth with runners and second and third. Drummond tossed a wild pitch to give Fargo-Moorhead a 3-2 lead. The game stayed that way until the top of the seventh when the T-Bones retook the lead.
Jerome Pena doubled off starter Jose Almarante to bring home Jordan Edgerton with no outs. The RedHawks brought in Travis McNutt, and with one out Marcus Lemon took him deep to right for a two-run home run to make it a 5-3 lead for Kansas City. Lemon went 4-for-5 on the night.
Charlie Valerio hit a solo homer off Grant Sides in the home half of the eighth, but Kansas City got an insurance run in the ninth on a wild pitch from Ryan Tate to make it a two run game, 6-4. Cody Winiarski notched the save (14) with Fargo-Moorhead able to get two on with two outs. Winiarski got Trever Adams to pop out to shallow right to end the game.
The winner for Kansas City was rookie Jackson Lowery (1-0), who got four big outs in the game and the loser was Almarante (4-6).
The T-Bones trail the first place Lincoln Saltdogs for the division lead by four games but still hold a two-game lead in the wild card race in the American Association. The T-Bones are now 4-4 on the 10-game road trip and the 42 wins matches last season’s total for the season. The series continues Tuesday night with right-handed pitcher Chris Perry (3-3, 5.54) getting the start for Kansas City with left-handed pitcher Tyler Alexander (4-5, 2.74) going for Fargo.
The game is set for 7:02 p.m. and can be heard online on the T-Bones Broadcast Network with the pregame starting at 6:45 p.m. Tickets are available online, by calling 913-328-5618 or by visiting in person the Providence Medical Center Box Office.
– Story from T-Bones