The Kansas City T-Bones (56-32) dodged rain drops Thursday evening and defeated the Winnipeg Goldeyes (36-54) with a double-digit margin of victory.
The T-Bones bats were hot, as was starting pitching from left-handed pitcher Adam Bleday, who had a quality start, working six innings, giving up no runs, striking out four and allowing only three hits.
The assault on the Canadians started early.
In the T-Bones half of the first, Ryan Brett led off with a single up the middle and later stole second.
Colin Walsh followed with a single to left and advanced to second on the throw, which put runners in scoring position. With two outs, Noah Perio Jr. lined a double to right field, scoring Brett and Walsh to put the T-Bones up 2-0.
In the bottom of the fourth, Anthony Phillips singled to left, Brett lined a screaming shot to left that bounced off the wall for a double, then Mason Davis walked to load the bases.
Todd Cunningham followed with a well-hit ball deep to left that bounced off the wall and cleared the bases, scoring Brett, Davis and Phillips, and boosting KC’s lead to 5-0.
Next inning, more runs thanks to back-to-back RBIs deep in the order.
Perio Jr. reached base with a lead-off single, then Alay Lago hit a screaming one-hopper down the first base line for a double that brought home Perio Jr. and made it 6-0 KC. Phillips followed up with a single that scored Lago and made it 7-0 T-Bones.
In the bottom of the sixth, Davis led off with a double to left field, Cunningham walked, and Perio Jr. walked to load the bases.
With only one out, Adrian Nieto lined up the middle to score Davis from third and make it 8-0 KC. With a T-Bone still on every bag, Keith Curcio hit a bases-clearing double to right field making it 11-0 Kansas City.
The T-Bones were close to a shut-out that would have tied their largest margin of victory this season, but an error by shortstop Phillips allowed Winnipeg to score a run.
Reliever Pasquale Mazzaccoli retired the next two batters to end the game and KC won it 11-1. Bleday (2-1) racked up the win and Mitchell Lambson (8-5) got the loss.
Kansas City will meet Winnipeg again at 7:05 p.m. Friday for the second in a three-game series and the second game of a nine-game homestand.
Friday night is Sandlot Night, with a special appearance by Squints. Saturday night will feature post-game fireworks and Sunday is Bark at the Park.
Season, group tickets, mini-plans and nightly party suites are on sale now 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