Behind an impressive one-hitter from starter Jared Messer in game one and timely hitting in game two, the Kansas City T-Bones swept the Joplin Blasters, 5-0 and 6-4, Friday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in front of 5,113.
In game one, Messer (3-0), who is usually a relief pitcher for the T-Bones, was making just his second start of the season. He saw his no-hit bid broken up in the top of the seventh en route to a complete game shutout.
The T-Bones struck first in the first inning, taking a 2-0 lead off Joplin starter Reyes Dorado (1-3).
The first run came off a sacrifice fly to left from Jake Blackwood that drove in Starlin Rodriguez giving the T-Bones a 1-0 lead. The single for Rodriguez was the 500th hit of his career.
After a double by Adam Bailey, Vladimir Frias singled to right two batters later, driving in Bailey from second base, and giving the T-Bones their second run of the game.
The T-Bones added three more runs, capped off by a solo home run by Blackwood in the fourth inning. It was Blackwood’s second homer in as many games.
Messer struck out four batters and did not allow a walk in 7 innings. Maikol Gonzalez singled down the third-base line in the seventh for Joplin’s lone hit. It was the second one-hitter in T-Bones history, with Justin James getting the other one in 2009, also in a seven-inning game.
In game two, the T-Bones used timely hitting to complete the sweep. Tied 1-1 in the third inning, Jacob Hayes hit his second home run of the season to right field that gave the T-Bones a 2-1 lead.
The Blasters re-took the lead in the top of the third inning, scoring two more runs. After Jairo Perez was walked by T-Bones starting pitcher Josh Tols, Omar Luna singled to left field and knocked in Perez.
The next batter, Carlos Ramirez, hit a single up the middle, driving in Matt Padgett, who reached base on a single earlier in the inning which gave Joplin the lead and their third run of the game.
With Joplin leading 3-2, the T-Bones sent nine batters to the plate in a four-run third inning.
After two runs were scored on a Frias single to right that gave the T-Bones a 4-3 lead, they extended their lead to 6-3 after Hayes launched a ground-rule double to center, scoring Robby Kuzdale and Frias.
Two innings later, Frias led off the fifth with a double. Like Rodriguez in the first game, the double was the 500th hit of Frias’ career.
Joplin was able cut the lead in the top of the sixth inning after Jake Taylor hit a solo home run to left field off reliever Aaron Baker (4-2), reducing the T-Bones lead to 6-4. That’s all the Blasters would get, though, as Baker and Fernando Hernandez (17) shut the door the rest of the way.
The T-Bones (43-40) are scheduled to continue their four-game series with Joplin (43-41) Saturday night at 7:05. Tickets are available by calling the box office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618.
– Story from T-Bones