The Kansas City T-Bones faced rain and the Cleburne Railroaders in the final game of the series but weathered the storm to win in exciting walk-off fashion 6-5.
Both teams struggled to get started with a scoreless first three innings. At the bottom of the third the skies opened up and sent both teams running for the dugout. After a 36-minute rain delay both teams returned to the field wet and ready to go.
The Railroaders got the first runs of the afternoon.
A base hit by veteran Rafael Palmeiro off Kansas City’s starting pitcher Tommy Collier kicked off the top of the fourth and was soon followed by a home run by Levi Scott that sent him and Palmeiro’s runner Chevy Clarke home.
Palmeiro’s son and teammate, Patrick, would have even better luck than his father in the following inning by hitting a two-run home run that would score him and Trevor Sealey.
In the bottom of the fifth the T-Bones heated up and finally put up their first runs of the game.
Nick Torres hit a ground-rule double to score Mason Davis for a single RBI off left-handed pitcher Michael Gunn. Torres then scored on an RBI single off the bat of Zach Walters. Dexter Kjerstad doubled, sending Zach Walters home and making the score 4-3.
In the seventh, Torres singled to left field, followed by another single by Kjerstad deep into right field that sent Torres to third. A fielder’s choice sent Keith Curcio to first and allowed Torres to score, tying the game 4-4.
The Railroaders answered the T-Bones in the eighth by scoring a run of their own. An RBI single by Alex Polston scored Cameron Monger and gave them the lead once again 5-4. That lead was short-lived as the T-Bones scored later that inning with a single RBI from Dylan Tice to score Angel Rosa tying the game again.
The game went into the tenth, with Cleburne not able to score in the top of the inning.
Tice, who leads the league in hits, then smashed a triple to left field off the Railroaders relief pitcher Shawn Blackwell. Cleburne elected to walk Todd Cunningham, who leads the league with a .397 average, to put runners at the corners.
Torres then hit a sacrifice fly to left field to send Tice home and give Kansas City a 6-5 win.
Kansas City’s starting pitcher Tommy Collier worked seven innings, giving up four runs, three earned, resulting in no decision.
Sam Street and Francisco Gracesqui both came in for relief. Joe Filemeno (2-1) who came in for the tenth is credited with the win.
The Railroaders’ starting pitcher Micheal Gunn kept four consecutive innings scoreless. He was replaced late in the fifth by Will Mathis. Relief pitching was also given by Cortland Cox and Shawn Blackwell. Blackwell (2-4) is credited with the loss.
With Sunday’s win, Kansas City improves to 21-13 on the season while Cleburne dropped to 12-22. The T-Bones continue their home stand at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday against the Lincoln Saltdogs.
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