Coming off a three-game losing streak, the Kansas City T-Bones (47-26) took care of the Texas AirHogs (19-54) 4-2.
Joe Filomeno and the Kansas City bullpen were light outs pitching two consecutive scoreless innings to close out the AirHogs on Monday night in Kansas City.
In the top of the first, Stewart Ijames ripped a lead-off home run to give the AirHogs an early 1-0 lead.
Kansas City didn’t let the AirHogs enjoy their lead long, adding two runs in the second. With two outs, the T-Bones bats came alive starting with a single by Alay Lago. Keith Curcio followed Lago with a screaming double to put runners at second and third.
A crucial passed ball by Zhang Toe (0-1) sent Lago racing home from third to tie the game at one apiece. Curcio advanced to third. Back-to-back walks by Logan Moon and Tucker Pennell loaded the bases for newly acquired Ryan Brett. With two strikes and two outs, Brett hit his first RBI single of his T-Bones career putting Kansas City ahead 2-1.
In the fourth, Curcio reached first on a 10-pitch at bat to swing the momentum in the T-Bones favor. With two outs, Tucker Pennell trotted to first after being hit by a pitch to put Curcio in scoring position.
Brett poked a ball out to the left field that was mishandled, allowing Curcio to score from second. Pennell raced for home following the error by the left fielder but was tagged out to end the inning. The T-Bones extended their lead, 3-1 after four innings.
Texas cut into the Kansas City lead in the sixth thanks to a key error. After a Ijames walk, Casio Grider reached first after Colin Walsh sailed the ball over the first baseman’s head.
Ijames reached third on the error. Dillon Thomas hit a dribbler resulting in an out, but scored Ijames from third, putting the AirHogs within one run of Kansas City heading into the seventh inning.
Another two-out rally in the eighth secured a T-Bones win. Lago hit a double to put a runner in scoring position for Kansas City.
A well-hit ball up the middle by Logan Moon sent Lago racing home. The T-Bones went on to win 4-2, taking game one of a three-game series against the AirHogs.
Tommy Collier (8-3) was dominate once again pitching seven and one third innings allowing two runs, one being earned, on three hits. With the win, Collier improves to a team-high eight wins on the season.
Zhang Tao was credited as the losing pitcher, throwing five innings allowing five hits, three runs, and three walks.
With the win, the T-Bones break out of their three-game slump improving to 47-26 on the season. Kansas City has fallen out of the race for first place in the South Division sitting nine games back of the Sioux City Explorers (56-17), but stay in playoff contention extending their lead over the Wichita Wingnuts (44-29) by three games.
The AirHogs have lost their fifth-straight game falling to 9-1 over their last 10 games. Texas looks to finish its season strong with a new ensemble of foreign player fighting for playing time. Kansas City and Texas continue game two of their three-game series at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday in Kansas City, Kansas.
Tuesday night is the Two-for-Twosdays promotion, with two choice level tickets for $15, when the promo code 2fortues is used.
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