With the final game of a 10-game 2,287-mile road trip delayed for an hour Wednesday night in Fargo, N.D., because of rain, it was the Kansas City T-Bones’ thunder of three home runs and a shining performance from Scott Carroll that was worth waiting for in a 4-3 series that clinched the win over the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks.
Kansas City (43-31) took a lead on back-to-back home runs from Marcus Lemon and Kevin Keyes off Fargo-Moorhead (41-33) starter Tyler Herron to start off the top of the fourth inning.
The home runs were in almost the exact same spot in right field for Kansas City. The T-Bones added another run in the sixth when Tyler Horan delivered and RBI double down to left field line to increase the lead to 3-0.
Carroll was in command on the night, tossing seven strong innings, scattering five hits, and being charged with two runs–only one earned.
The lone earned run came in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI double with two outs from Chris Grayson. Grayson stole third and came home on a throwing error by T-Bones catcher Zane Chavez with Josh Mazzola at the plate for Fargo-Moorhead.
In the eighth the T-Bones got their third home run of the night on a solo shot from Cedric Hunter off reliever Richie Tate to make it 4-2 Kansas City. The RedHawks got the run right back with an RBI double from Keury De La Cruz to make it a one run game, 4-3.
The T-Bones did make history, tying the franchise mark for strikeouts in a single season (682) after Grant Sides struck out Chris Grayson to end the bottom of the eighth. Cody Winarski then struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth to secure his 15th save and with his first strikeout passing the old mark and setting a new single-season team high. The previous high came in 2012.
The T-Bones won two of the three series on the 10-game trip and finished the season series with the RedHawks going 6-3. Kansas City trails the first place Lincoln Saltdogs for the division lead by four and one half games, but with the win they increased their lead in the wild card race in the American Association to two games over Fargo-Moorhead.
The T-Bones return home tonight to play host to Salina in a four-game series at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kansas, with the game set for 7:05 p.m. All games and can be heard online on the T-Bones Broadcast Network with the pregame starting at 6:45 p.m. The video stream can be found online at AmericanAssociation.TV and audio on Mixlr.
Tickets are available online, by calling 913-328-5618 or by visiting in person the Providence Medical Center Box Office.
– Story from T-Bones